There was an old, corroded aluminum storage shed on the property and after careful consideration, John decided that it would be the best site for the chicken coop. So he razed the old structure at much personal discomfort and prepared the space and materials to start laying out the physical structure.
It was a race because the babies were on their way.
There were some old tent supports left over from a swap meet endeavor by our (wonderfully supportive, as it turns out) landlord and he gave us the go ahead to use them. I could smell the wood burning as John schemed out the design while he was clearing the land every night after work. Mostly he used scraps from the yard, he bought very little actually, and bit by bit both the garden and chicks' new digs were framed in.
Since I had made the error of admitting I once used to sew, I was commandeered to help stitch the chicken wire and tent poles into a cat/rat/mongoose proof configuration. Hard work but it finally came together.
When it was done it looked kinda baggy like my sweats after a hard workout. It won't ever appear in Architectual Digest but a safe, practical, serviceable home for egg-laying hens nonetheless.
I got out a towel and laid it out on the grass for the new babies, I thought we could snuggle a bit but they instinctively knew where the grass was and went for it immediately. I must admit I felt a bit rejected when I saw that they were much more interested in pecking little bugs on the lawn than being with their loving mother. 
I had been idealizing some tender Madonna & child moments like these.
Eventually, they would come to accept me. Still, what mother's heart wouldn't swell with love watching her child peacefully drift off under her protective gaze?
