Help Kippee the Hen Build Her Forever Home at Los Sures!

In June 2017 I began fostering an orphan Rhode Island Red hen named Kippee. Since that time, I've grown quite attached to the very sweet, personable hen and it's been my mission to get her a coop in the local neighborhood so she could have a proper home, yet I could still care for her.

A member from GreenThumbNYC tipped me off to a wonderful organization named Los Sures, which is a community-based, non-profit organization that has served as an integral part in rebuilding the South Side of Williamsburg, Brooklyn since 1972. Los Sures has undertaken large-scale rehabilitation of many buildings, allowing families and individuals to live comfortably and creating a safe and sustainable neighborhood. Additionally, the organization provides a multitude of much-needed services, including a senior center, food pantry and food independence operations, including the build out and management of local gardens, a hydroponic program, and of course—a hen coop equipped with fresh eggs!

However, the hen coop and run has never been properly designed, it needs proper winterization, and also the area needs to be "rat-proofed". We want to see Kippee and her friends have a fabulous, well-working coop and run; as well as give the community members the chicken coop area they always dreamt of, while engaging them in the build out process!

Here are the tentative dates that we have set for coop and run preparation, build-out and repair:

• March 22nd, 2018 - get as many of the materials as possible for the next month of build out; the first construction that will take place will be building a wall around the chicken run and coop area. This will help reduce rats in the area and give a designated space for the chickens to roam
• Apr 12th, 2018 - wood removal of the current coop, rat-proofing underneath the coop and run area, laying the foundation for the new coop
• May 12th, 2018 - building a simple rainfwater catchment roof structure over the run, which will not only serve to shade the chickens from hot sun or from rain, sleet or snow, but also be able to collect rainwater, so there is easy access for hens to have fresh water nearby.
• May 19th, 2018 - Gallina coop build out day! We plan to invite many members of the community to be involved, as well as members of the press. 
• May 20th, 2018 - Big Reveal of New Coop, Kippee gets introduced to her new coop and to the community members! 

This coop buildout is part of a larger inititative of Los Sures' food justice programs in the neighborhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The organization has a goal of building out a larger hen area and getting more hens so that the locals within the area can enjoy their company as well as their eggs. Chickens have been an integral component of many people's lives who live in the area, so the joy as well as the benefits they bring are many. Additionally, Kippee, the Rhode Island Red, who was orphaned at a young age and adopted from the Wild Bird Fund, will be happy to join a flock with a beautiful new coop and run!