The Taj Arrives!

Deb and Craig made an unexpected run up yesterday, bringing...The Taj!  Nearing dark, unloading was left until this morning, so I had the opportunity to enjoy their company last evening.  Everyone was up well before dawn, awaiting the great unveiling.  Craig and Deb had anticipated the logistical problems of getting this really big building from the truck in the drive to the pen behind the feed barn and, other than the thing was heavier than an elephant, the move went without a hitch, thanks to the temporary undercarriage with wheels.  They performed a total remodel of the Silkie pen, doubling the size and covering over the new area with reinforcements and chicken wire to protect against marauding hawks.  A cadre of small, nosy inspectors accompanied their every move, following every foot step.  Each shovelful of dirt was checked, rechecked, and sometimes scratched back where it came from if it didn't meet the free-ranging hens' approval.  For their own safety, the Silkies were kept in their new accommodations while the pen was expanded, and that gave them a chance to check out the privacy cubby for egg laying and "bounce on the bed," as it were...hopping up to their night roost.  From that vantage point they can look out of the shuttered windows, each with a magnet to keep it closed in inclement weather.  The door drops down to create a ramp for easy access.  The solar-powered fan provides fresh air.  Walls, floor and ceiling are double-walled and insulated.  It has a shingled roof, and the walls are painted in complimentary shades of brown and grey.  One would never know this was Craig's first attempt at design and construction; it is nothing short of perfection.  Deb is a terrific collaborator and helpmate.  I saw the photos of this team in action during the building process...the definitive word for this couple is "team."  The shots below show The Grand Opening this morning when Deb and Craig let the little girls out into their new yard for the first time.  I went out to check on them this afternoon.  They asked not to be interrupted as they scratched and pecked in their playground, and just to show how comfortable they are in the new digs, there was an egg in the cubby!