Ag Mechanics

 The boys built a chicken coop this year for their Ag Mechanics project! It was definitely a family affair! Lex and I looked at designs online that would be more eye appealing but also would be more functional. We found a company called Carolina Coop on YouTube and Lex drew up the design in CAD. From there the boys were apart of every step of the way; buying the wood, measuring every board, cutting and screwing everything together, problem solving, painting, attaching chicken wire, latches, and shingling. 

Now, they couldn't do it all, they are not physically able to yet, but they learned a lot and loved 99% of the time they put into it. There were some moments of brotherly rivalry that happened along the way too. Lets be real!

In the end, the hard work paid off and they knew all the ins and outs of this coop. On show day, they rehearsed their opening statements and worked together to answer the judges and spectators questions. We had multiple people telling us what a great job they did. They greeted everyone with a smile and enthusiasm and stood by their project for about 6 hours straight, without complaining. 

Their teamwork is what earned them Junior Showmanship (top showman for 3rd-7th grade), which is judged solely on their presentation! We are so proud! They received a belt buckle as their award and Levi already wore it proudly to the JH Dance the next day! We've got a 2nd one on order, so they don't have to share :)

They also received 1st place in the Large Wood category, of which they were the only entry. BUT, if they had been grouped with all the wood projects, they still would have gotten 1st, no doubt!

Building process (in reverse order)