I originally started this post by saying that it was a slow week.  But once I started writing it, I discovered it wasn’t a slow week but a week spent on the same thing.  Completion of the little peeper run.

At some point more 2×4’s were purchased including this southern yellow pine stamped “Made in Texas”. Didn’t know the great state of Texas made 2×4’s.  This bit of new information perplexes me greatly.  Where in Texas are trees grown for the sole purpose of lumber?

Texas is not known for pine trees.  Georgia, yes.  Alabama, yes.  Even North Carolina.  Not the great state of Texas.  According to Utilization of the Southern Pines, published by the USDA Forest Service by Peter Koch in 1972, Southern Pine is defined as those species whose major range is in the United States south of the Mason-Dixon line and east of the Great Plains.

According to Texas Almanac in 2011, there are “43-county regions” in East Texas containing “12.1 million acres of forestland of which 11.9 million acres are classified as productive timberland and produce nearly all of the state’s commercial timber”.  Well, sheeet.  Learning this bit and a bit more I am not gonna put in this post, just proves once again how big the Great State of Texas is and little I know about the area of land behind the “pine veil”.

Don’t get me wrong, I have been to East Texas and know there are gobs and gobs and gobs of pine trees there.  In fact, it is mentioned often how nice it would be to live where there are trees.  Real trees.  But alas, about a gazillion people live along the pine region adjacent to the coast. Where we live with our chickens along the coast there are only pine trees where people have planted and tended to them.

Working on the chicken run took more time than anticipated even with the use of a pneumatic stapler.  Working with chicken wire is just one of those things that time.

• 

• 

Working with chicken wire is one of those things requiring two people.  Oh sure, it can be done with one person but that is an act of frustration. Can’t rush it because the wire will twist or warp or buckle and look nasty.  Chicken wire has to be stapled in stages as you go.  The entire roll has to be handled and it can be quite cumbersome.  It cannot be pre-cut to length. When cut, tension in the wire causes to roll back on itself.  This is bad, bad, bad.  In attempts to unwrap the wire, the wire can be bent while installing.  And pokey. And a royal pain in the arse. Just look at it!

• 

• 

However, attaching the chicken wire with a pneumatic staple is GREAT.  Once the sheer fear of using it is overcome, that is.  How loud is gonna be?  What it is gonna do?  It there gonna be a recoil? By now the Planner was giving me that look.  You know that look.  Everybody has one.  Or two.  Or even three.  Okay, alright already.  I can do this……… Okay, one-two-three GO! You know what?  Using the stapler wasn’t bad.  It went better than expected.  By the time I was done, I was comfortable enough I started missing the wire altogether. As comfortable as I was, the Planner took comfort to a whole new level. He balanced on a 2×4 in the air while reaching over chicken wire expanse to staple. Maybe he is part, monkey, had a job as a tightrope walker, or is just fearless?

• 

• 

Installing the wire still took longer than anticipated but it was finally done late Thursday evening. First thing Friday morning a walkway was built, a latch to the coop door was installed, and the little flufferbottoms were released. What a treat it was to watch them experience the great wide vastness of the coop.  Had plans of quoting classic lines from Braveheart but decided against it.  They aren’t really free, they just have more room.  But hey, they will be released soon enough and this quadruples their space.  Run Chicken Run.