Rigging

I moved the chicken coop today.

I thought my readers might be interested in the topic of "rigging".

"Riggers" used to lift and place disrailed locomotives back onto the rails using little more than railroad ties, wedges and sledge hammers.  Modern riggers are more likely to use Brodersons, steel cables and synthetic slings.  But the old language is not all lost.

The ground is soft and bumpy.  The sills will "doze" or plow the dirt.  A smart person will put some skids down.  These four-by-fours had been laying on the ground.  I placed them wet, slippery side up for obvious reasons.

Overview.  The mattock (between the skids) is a very handy tool for this kind of job.  This view is looking eastward.

Pry pole.  Just a length of red maple that was reasonably straight and stout.  A flat was chainsawed into the thicker end.  If I was smarter I would have made two of these.

Stick one end of the mattock beneath the sill on the east end of the coop.  Lift.  Stuff in the pry pole.

"Ooof!"  About four inches.  Progress stalled out here until I wised up and cut the vines that had grown up through the poultry netting.

About four feet.  I stuffed some "rounds", that is, lengths of firewood beneath the sides of the coop to hold it up to streamline sticking the pry pole into place.

About eight feet along.

About 12 feet.  We got here four inches at a time.  You don't have to be smart or strong.  You just have to be patient and be willing to work until you are done.

Additional cardboard was placed in bottom.  Feeders, waterer were also added.  Gaps in netting were nailed down.

There are the girls!  Basking in the sun.  They are a bit cool.  You can tell because they are huddling.