Well, it might not be DONE done, but after a few late nights building in our garage, one evening work session in the yard and a last minute long lunch for Will and Joe, the coop was done enough for the chickens to arrive. And arrive they did.
After school on Friday, four moms and nine kids descended on the poor farmer we had contacted about buying chickens from. He was more than a little surprised to find a bunch of "city slickers" roaming around his yard, scarring off the sheep, petting the dog and pointing at the cows, but he very sweetly indulged us in all our questions (on the mom's part) and shrieking (on the kids) and sent us home with four Buff Orphingtons, two Golden Laces Wyandottes and two Rhode Island Reds in Elvira's dog crate.
Joe was finishing up the roofing when we arrived and Will came home early from work to help a few minutes later and before long they were clucking away in our little coop. Since then it's been a busy weekend of popping up just one more time to see the hens, coaxing them out for some loving and giving tours to neighbors. Several of us nervous nelly parents may have made late night/early morning dashes over just to make sure things were ok, but I won't name any names :)
And although we have more to do; doors to make, a whole separate section to construct, a permanent roof to attach, it's extremely gratifying to see the hens in there, doing what they do, what we dreamed of them doing this winter. The chickens are here, and all is right with the world.
Now, we just have to wait for the eggs...