And . . things didn’t go quite as expected. Well, I suppose it depends on who was expecting what! I thought we were going to get a friend with a tractor or skid mover or something to come over and do it. But . . no! Vince had it all figured out. He and Jerry and Jerry’s son were going to move it. Chad was working or he would have been in this mix too. Vince had a plan!
Vince had already wrapped plastic around the wooden beams at the bottom of the legs. They would roll out this plastic.
They would squirt dishwashing liquid on it so it would be slippery. I think the look on Jerry’s face indicates he has his doubts about this plan.
Hey . . progress. It’s moved a bit!
Ahh! We’re out of the building . . almost. Piece o’ cake, huh?
Great job! Now we have to turn it and take it a bit towards the house. Spread out more plastic. One set of legs is off the plastic but that’s not a problem these three can’t solve.
Hmmm! I’m not the engineer in this operation but I don’t think this was part of the plan! Anthony hurt his hand; Jerry is somewhere with his hand bleeding. Vince is crying! Anthony pinched his hand, Jerry had some deep splinters but both will recover. Thankfully, they weren’t hurt seriously! The coop can be fixed . . humans can’t be fixed nearly so easily!
Vince wasn’t really crying but I’m betting some four letter words went through his head. I didn’t hear them but I don’t think he would say them around Brenda, Jerry and Anthony but if ever there was a time when it was ok to say bad words, this just might have been that time!
Pretty sad, huh?
Nothing these three can’t solve. Wrap some straps around the legs and pull it back up with the pickup. That didn’t work though . . but it did rip the legs almost off the building.
They wrapped the straps around the whole coop and pulled it back into position. This is the point where I said . . Hey Brenda! Want to go in the house and have some iced tea? And, she said yes! And, we left the guys to get the rest done without our advice and without further photographs!
When Brenda got brave enough to look out the window, she said “It’s where it’s supposed to be!” So, we went out and took the guys some iced tea. Notice that darned trash can . . always in my pictures!
The front corner has some damage (see the grass hanging out) but Vince can fix it and the legs need to be re-done. They have them braced so they could finish moving it but it’s not a permanent fix yet. I doubt the coop ever gets moved from this position. For sure it won’t unless we get a tractor or something to move it.
Maybe this weekend we can get the chickens moved. I can’t wait to see their faces when they see their new home! 🙂
shannon says
hmmm…..I’ve followed this saga, and it has been a Saga, every step of the way. You’ve had way more patience than I ever would!
CJ says
Oh my… LOLOLOLOL!
Reminds me of the time Jim and I brought our first “calf” home to raise for beef. It was 475 lbs when we picked it up… and we didn’t have a gate yet to drive into the pasture… let’s just say we ended up playing tackle with that beast. LOL
Perhaps the next toy on your list should be a compact utility tractor? Especially if you want a little farm? 🙂
Pat says
Oh, my…..this truly has been an “adventure”. (And I didn’t notice the trash can until you pointed it out…..then I had to laugh….) I guess this will be a great 4th of July for the chickens!!! Can’t wait to hear how they like their new space. (What’s NOT to like???)
Annie says
I got the biggest kick out of that post, lol, lol! That whole operation sounds like something my hubby would do with me standing around saying, “I can’t look, I can”t look”!
So glad the tenants are about to move in.
: )
Vicky says
I’m laughing so hard! The guy with the tractor could have moved it in ten minutes. But then there wouldn’t be a great Vince story for your blog! Poor Vince! ROFLOL.
Can’t wait to see the chicks in their new home!
Bon says
You have the greatest “Adventures with Vince” stories. Thanks for sharing them.
Mary Lea says
Y’all are to funny.
You must have the prettiest chicken coop ever, take a picture and send it in to a magazine.
Sally says
Brilliant post, love the photos and the drama, glad its there in well almost one piece.
Sue Lord says
Take pleny of photographs when the little chicks make their big move. I love their little house! Happy 4th of July.
Bessie H says
At least the garage is now empty.
Elaine Adair says
Oh my gosh – shoulda had a video – I’ll bet it would have been a ‘hit’ on YouTUbe! Too funny! Hope all the minor injuries heal quickly. 😎
Eileen Keane says
Dishwashing liquid? Alrighty then. LOL
Mrs. Goodneedle says
Ooops. I know Vince is happy this is thoroughly documented for posterity.
Evelyn says
You need a little Kabota tractor! We have one with a mower deck, york rake, rotatiller, post hole digger and front end loader. It is very handy! The soap was a good idea – regular bar soap is what they used to grease the rails to move the lighthouse in Truro, MA (Hightland Light) 13 years ago… it was going to fall into the ocean and is very old – Pres. George Washington authorized the building of the 1st one (later replaced). But at 66 ft high/420 tons – it took a little bit more than soap to move it! Glad no one was seriously hurt though – I have found that there is a huge difference between Engineers (my DH is one too) and carpenters! Usually the Engineer comes up with brilliant ideas but it is really the carpenters who figure out a plan that actually works!
Pam says
That’s the way I’ve seen the guys move big things (with PVC). I imagine that it was a little top heavy anyway.
Thanks for the humorous third. Everyone have a safe and fun fourth.
Maya says
This is hilarious! Thanks for our morning laugh Judy. I am sure Vince didn’t think it was funny! Lovely photos – they tell a story just by themselves! Well written post too.
jean says
I just have 2 questions? Why is it facing away from your house?
and is it on stilts to deter small rodents from hanging out there? I hope Vince doesn’t read this, or your camera might disappear! lol
Kathy E. says
Great! Time for a “coop-warming party”!! This has been a really interesting thread… can’t wait to see the solar panels going up!
Kat
Lucy says
That was a clever moving plan even though it had its challenges. Reminds me when Sears moved our washer/dryer in the house they used windex on the tile floors to slide them into the final spot.
I don’t know anything about chickens.. also curious are the stilts permanent?? Love the color.
Jill says
Oh my goodness! What an ordeal!! How hard was it to stand back and not say, “Vince! What the heck are you thinking?” 🙂
Judy Wolf says
Just a suggestion if you ever want to move it. When we moved our chicken coop (without the use of a tractor) we used large PVC pipe. We had several pipes and when it would roll off one, we would put it in the front and keep rolling Just don’t do this with a chicken inside because they tend to get their legs under the pipe (ask me how I know). It took some time to move but worked like a charm.
Judy in MO
Mary L says
Chickens with facial expressions..now those are pictures I want to see! LOL.
pdudgeon says
I like the idea of moving it with PVC pipe! that’s clever!
Sandra (Sandy Gail) says
Engineers! This reminds me of the time when the engineers in my family, (four of them), decided to make a cardboard star covered with foil for the top of the Christmas tree. You should have seen all the instruments that they used, and it took them forever. A first grader could have made one just like it in minutes with a pencil and scissors!
However, that is a beautiful chicken house and one to be so proud of. Vince seems to be a wonderful husband. You are a lovely couple! Cheers for the chickens!
Linda says
Scuffed but not destroyed. All’s well that end’s well. Not a single one of you blog readers will ever forget the “chicken coop adventure”….from start to finish.
Eileenl10 says
Love the castle…..you’re great at story telling……
Regina says
It’s a story to end all stories. You’ll be telling this one and have pics to prove it when you’re old and gray. Oh…I already am old and gray. I’ve loved this every step of the way! Thanks for the memories and giggles!
Mary-Kay C. says
You are very lucky that you went in for iced-tea when you did or you might not be alive. I can just imagine the laughs you had at their expense. And it’s true about engineers, they have great ideas but it takes a carpenter to make the ideas come to life. I think you really need that little tractor.
Linda Steller says
Oh Judy! At least you don’t lack for entertainment at your house. We do need to remember that men do things like climbing ladders with a running chainsaw, moving refrigerators by just holding onto them in the open bed of a pickup, etc. I think it’s called testosterone poisoning! I’m glad the coop wasn’t destroyed. Have a wonderful 4th!
Kathy McC says
WOO HOOO…The chicken coop is moved, even if it was an ordeal. They are that much closer to being in their new home. Thanks for sharing the journey with us. I’m enjoying the story, even when you have frustrating days with it.
Billie says
Tell Vince rah rah rah!…..grin.
How do you know from looking at the chickens faces if they like it or not……LOL. I guess the pictures will tell.
carol craven says
can’t wait to see their faces when they see their new home!
me either Judy, wanna be sure you sen dout pics of each of their faces-roflmao
what a odessey! this is a hoot. or is that a cluck?
call me crazy says
Oh I can just imagine the sinking feeling when it tipped! 😮 Thank goodness no one was hurt and the damage wasn’t worse. I’m looking fwd to seeing the smiling chickens too! 🙂
quilterbee says
I will never buy or cook another egg that I won’t think of your chickens and their new home.
I’m glad no one was hurt in the ordeal of the big move.
Happy 4th of July to you and yours.
Quilterbee
Mary Carole says
OMG!!! It’s a palace!! Beautiful!! How much rent are charging? Those girls better get busy and earn their keep. Do chickens smile??
Pat Wys says
What a castle! Now lets see what Judy does with 40 or 50 eggs per week.
Pat
Brandy M. says
Oh my gosh! I don’t think I’d be full of laughter on THAT day, but what a story this makes after-the-fact!
🙂