Goodbye Old Coop
Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2025 12:15 pm
When we first moved to Oklahoma to the new small farm, there was an old coop in place and Tina used it for the first couple years. There were issues she recognized, but we had other things we needed to address and she made do... The seller had poorly designed the coop, but... she made do.
Eventually, we built a new coop and she just used the old coop building for storage, and we kept planning to tear down the old one. It was in dire need of going. the roof on the run was falling down, the wood was rotting and it was becoming an eyesore. But... I told Tina we needed to call our heavy equipment guy and have HIM do it. The job would take US three days and we could risk injury with the small tractor and didn't need the risk.
Early this week, our guy was in the hayfield behind us with his excavator clearing some trees and brush to expand the north end of the hayfield to expand the owner's yield in the coming seasons. Since he was RIGHT there, we'd save on transport costs if he had the time to accomodate the demo. We drove over and talked to him about it. He was going to be around for a few days working on the 60 acres so he said he'd stop by.
Stopped by yesterday, and laughed. "Sure, I'll knock it out for you."
(Pun Intended.)
Yesterday afternoon we peeled back a section of fence, and I cut the power to the building. We were ready. At just after eight this morning he rolled in, and by 8:45 it was done. Right tool for the job.
First, he dug a hole, a big 'un.
Then he pulled the coop down with a couple swipes of the bucket.
He skillfully broke up the pieces and stuffed them in the hole he dug, and then packed them in tight with the bucket.
Then pounded them a bit to pack them in.
Satisfied, he put a layer of dirt over the coop, packed it with the bucket, then another and packed it, until it was proud over the hole. Then he drove over it several times....
Tah dah, no more Coop.
I told him to leave the leftover dirt where it was. I'll use the kubota to put it on my Range Berm to build it back up from where the weather over the winter settled it a bit.
What would have taken us two or three days, with our tractor and chains and pull straps, took him less than an hour in his air conditioned comfort.
Because he was already in the hayfield three minutes away, and just drove the excavator over and knocked out the job before he started for the day, he only charged us for the hour. (And, because we are neighbors. LOL.)
We will also get him to work on the pond this summer when the water level drops.
He is retired... but bored. He says he is retired, but stays as busy as when he worked full time. Keeps him out of the house.
Eventually, we built a new coop and she just used the old coop building for storage, and we kept planning to tear down the old one. It was in dire need of going. the roof on the run was falling down, the wood was rotting and it was becoming an eyesore. But... I told Tina we needed to call our heavy equipment guy and have HIM do it. The job would take US three days and we could risk injury with the small tractor and didn't need the risk.
Early this week, our guy was in the hayfield behind us with his excavator clearing some trees and brush to expand the north end of the hayfield to expand the owner's yield in the coming seasons. Since he was RIGHT there, we'd save on transport costs if he had the time to accomodate the demo. We drove over and talked to him about it. He was going to be around for a few days working on the 60 acres so he said he'd stop by.
Stopped by yesterday, and laughed. "Sure, I'll knock it out for you."
(Pun Intended.)Yesterday afternoon we peeled back a section of fence, and I cut the power to the building. We were ready. At just after eight this morning he rolled in, and by 8:45 it was done. Right tool for the job.
First, he dug a hole, a big 'un.
- 02.jpg (627.02 KiB) Viewed 1991 times
- 03.jpg (767.29 KiB) Viewed 1991 times
Then he pulled the coop down with a couple swipes of the bucket.
- 04.jpg (528.45 KiB) Viewed 1991 times
- 05.jpg (539.26 KiB) Viewed 1991 times
He skillfully broke up the pieces and stuffed them in the hole he dug, and then packed them in tight with the bucket.
Then pounded them a bit to pack them in.
- 06.jpg (504.38 KiB) Viewed 1991 times
- 07.jpg (529.12 KiB) Viewed 1991 times
Satisfied, he put a layer of dirt over the coop, packed it with the bucket, then another and packed it, until it was proud over the hole. Then he drove over it several times....
- 08.jpg (532.75 KiB) Viewed 1991 times
Tah dah, no more Coop.
- 10.jpg (522.69 KiB) Viewed 1991 times
I told him to leave the leftover dirt where it was. I'll use the kubota to put it on my Range Berm to build it back up from where the weather over the winter settled it a bit.
What would have taken us two or three days, with our tractor and chains and pull straps, took him less than an hour in his air conditioned comfort.
Because he was already in the hayfield three minutes away, and just drove the excavator over and knocked out the job before he started for the day, he only charged us for the hour. (And, because we are neighbors. LOL.)We will also get him to work on the pond this summer when the water level drops.
He is retired... but bored. He says he is retired, but stays as busy as when he worked full time. Keeps him out of the house.
Too many other things have popped up. 
We keep it neat, improved things, weedeat and mow, and mind our business. 
