Modern Chicken Coop
(Via Dwell)
At our new house there is a small structure attached to the back of the garage that features slatted wood walls, a brick floor, and a corrugated plastic roof. I imagine it was used to store wheelbarrows in the past, but it also happens to be the perfect spot for chickens. Our plan is to transform the area into a large and comfy chicken run by stapling 1/4-inch hardware cloth along the inside of the walls and building a door.
We have not yet decided if we will place the coop inside the run or just outside, but I do know that this go round I want to take the time to build a coop that is easy on the eyes and easy to clean. Over the weekend I started pulling together a file of inspirational coops, and was surprised to find so many coops with a modern design, including the coop up top, which was designed and built by Portland-based architect Mitchell Snyder to house his three hens.
(Via Dwell)
I’m not sure how practical an egg-shaped coop is, but it looks cool! With both this coop and the popular Eglu, my concern is the run and coop are both quite small. In my experience, hens get along best and peck the least when they have at least a 10 square feet of space per bird.
I’ve long been a fan of Modern Cabana, a San Francisco-based company that builds incredible pre-fab freestanding cabanas. These small structures come ready-to-assemble and can be used as a writing studio, play house, or a guest room. Modern Cabana is now extending their line of pre-fab structures to pet dwellings, including a super cool chicken coop! I love the idea of getting a coop kit, because it would allow me to be apart of the construction process while skipping the headache of designing the coop.
If you are thinking about starting a flock, you might want to read my Backyard Chickens 101 posts, which covers coops, chicken basics, and the pros and cons of keeping chickens.
Great ideas, thanks! I’ve posted a link on my homesteading website.
November 2nd, 2010 at 11:04 amThanks for the great ideas, we will be adding chickens to our back yard next Spring, building the coop over the winter.
November 2nd, 2010 at 6:34 pmPretty sweet looking coops you have there! I like the first and the third,…the 2nd definitely looks weird to me!
November 3rd, 2010 at 1:08 pmDo most chickens stay in the coop (including the run) all the time? Ours are free to run around the yard during the day and now there is no way we can reduce their range, they make such a fuss if we dont let them out in the morning (Two of the four lay eggs in the yard rather than the coop boxes and they especially want out to lay). I was hoping to keep them in during cold parts of the winter, but they love the yard. I love the first coop, I dont think it would fit in with our house and garden though.
November 5th, 2010 at 9:45 pmSheila–Good idea to build the coop over the winter. In a moment of insanity, I got our chicken before we built our coop. Bad idea. We had to build a coop quickly and we’ve regretted the design ever since.
Macarons–I think the egg shaped one is pretty funny too, my husband loves it.
Juliana–It really depends. We used to let our girls free range all day, but they really did a number on the garden. So then we decided to keep them in their coop and run with supervised forays into the garden and that worked out a lot better. It took them a couple of weeks to adjust, but now they are happy. The key is to make sure the run has plenty of space for them so they don’t feel crowded and grumpy.
November 10th, 2010 at 11:52 amI’ve gotta ask, What kind of chickens are you going to get this time around? It’s such a hard decision with so many wonderful breeds… I love my Orpington and my Barred Rocks but I hatched some Marans in July and I can’t wait for them to start laying those gorgeous chocolate brown eggs
November 11th, 2010 at 4:34 pmJamie–I wish I could have one of every breed! I’d like to get a barred rock. I’m definitely going to get Black Australorps again because they have the BEST personality. I’md ebating on the merits of having an araucana or not. They are just so aloof, but I do love the colored eggs. I kind of want to get a fancy frizzle or something, too. We shall have to see what is available in March!!
November 11th, 2010 at 4:49 pmJust wanted to share photos of my coop, because I think it’s awesome – no modesty here
You can see the inside: one nesting box, and the roost is way up high (I have no idea how they get up there, but they manage). I designed the clean-out door so that the litter can just be scooped out. You can’t see it, but there’s a window on the other side. Integrated run. Hope you like it!
http://flic.kr/p/8U5VsC
http://flic.kr/p/8U2RFz
Also, thanks for all of your great advice on KUOW, Willi!
November 16th, 2010 at 11:00 pmSuper cute coop! I’m impressed…I really want to make sure ours is easy to clean when I build the new one. Our old one is just awful!
November 18th, 2010 at 11:43 amGreat variety of coops! I’d like to add another to the mix…a garden roof chicken coop. I make them for people (ahem, chickens) in the seattle area.
November 21st, 2010 at 11:17 pmIt’s also quite nice that the Cabana coop has a green roof option. Now that would be pretty nifty – edibles as well as a bit of insulation.
November 23rd, 2010 at 5:58 am.-= Joan Lambert Bailey´s last blog ..Itagawa Farmers Market =-.