Building Our Backyard Chicken Coop
![The Coop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3860/14407017492_8cd8975a66_c.jpg)
Our chicken coop is finished! {Mostly finished, that is.}
Over the course of a few weeks, Justin did what he could after work and on weekends. It slowly came together. I have to admit, it's far more than I ever expected.
![Our chicken coop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3868/14385376796_33faafd220_n.jpg)
![Chicken Cop](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5077/14417088285_7561d5986d_n.jpg)
![Chicken Cop](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5502/14413729141_b5fe0e9d8e_n.jpg)
![Our chicken coop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3845/14222050797_316041a548_n.jpg)
I was really only expecting a boxy, blah coop. Instead, my husband built, well, our new neighbor has titled it, "The Cadillac of chicken coops." Ha! I've seen far more amazing coops here, but we just wanted a cute and simple one. J did a great job.
![Our chicken coop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3862/14407179432_50eb33f5ed_z.jpg)
The kids enjoyed playing in it so much, now we really want a playhouse for them.
![Our chicken coop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3836/14222071647_83f41cfd36_z.jpg)
My husband dug four holes in the ground and cemented the posts in our backyard. That way a tornado
![Chicken Cop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3894/14230472470_a2abbd9e70_z.jpg)
He added linoleum on the coop floor to make cleaning it out a little easier. Chickens poop a lot. Like. A LOT. So it's nice
![Chicken Cop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3918/14413703191_4e221350b0_z.jpg)
After the building and framing was done, then came the fun part. The siding, the painting, the shake shingles, etc., it was fun to see it all start to come together. We painted it yellow to match our house.
![Chicken Cop](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2930/14230593717_0aa04ce84d_z.jpg)
These chickies! They think they can roam the back patio! I don't think so. Dorothy has eaten the decorative kale out of my planter, the little stinker. I have had to shoo them away a couple of times.
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/14392741591_7d1f10ed8a_z.jpg)
We love the way the shake shingle looks and it smells amazing. Every time it rains, our yard smells of cedar.
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/14395992115_ef5127d6bf_z.jpg)
Then suddenly, one fine May day, finally, the coop was done.
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3873/14209415738_d056a53b3e_z.jpg)
Well, so the nesting boxes still need to be sectioned off and we plan to insulate before winter, but other than that it's finished! The chickens love it.
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/14392693991_af5ca32798_z.jpg)
A few decorative accents really make it charming. A Victorian style gable, some flower boxes, and a picket fence. What more could a little chickie ask for?
{Mealworms, that's what.}
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5591/14396065975_8bcf88e2c9_z.jpg)
In the morning we open the gate and they roam out to the bushes and the edges of our yard where they scratch for bugs or plop down to rest. In the evenings, just before the sun sets, they file back into their coop. Some days they spend in their run, but we like to let them roam too.
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2931/14209443119_8c54a7139d_z.jpg)
There is a ladder style perch inside and plenty of room for the six chickens and two ducks to get cozy at night.
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3846/14209488068_4efbcd9b91_z.jpg)
I love our coop! We can't wait to get eggs, which should be happening in the next couple of months here.
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/14392693991_af5ca32798_z.jpg)
Do you remember when Big Betty was just a tiny yellow chick? {You should, it was like, two days ago.}
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5531/14209414670_d07bb8458b_z.jpg)
The duck "pond" has doubled as a watering hole for the entire flock. Ducks are so messy, the fresh water turns brown within an hour of filling it up. I've stopped trying to keep it fresh.
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3848/14209420740_aaab21f53c_z.jpg)
Did somebody say mealworms?! Run!
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3919/14394944894_e0f174278a_z.jpg)
We've been working on taming them with mealworms, and it's doing the trick. When we call them, "Heeere, chick chick chick!", they come running for their favorite treats. Mable here is our friendliest and boldest feathered friend.
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3868/14392672701_6fcbf845e2_z.jpg)
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3867/14416244813_822ceb4bf8_z.jpg)
I love looking at our coop and watching our flock from the back patio. It is so relaxing and peaceful to me.
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5075/14394676272_f7c92c8d12_z.jpg)
I'm so glad we got chickens. {Even if they do eat my decorative kale.}
I'm so glad we built our coop instead of going with a kit or trying to re-purpose the sheds we saw on Craigslist {and could never get to in time}.
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/14209446100_bf52cefa63_z.jpg)
So there you have it!
Props to my hubs for building this adorable little chicken home.
I want to go buy some numbers and give them their own address.
Also, a mailbox might be cute, no?
Am I getting carried away here?
![The Little Yellow Coop](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/14209465350_cde1577ca7_z.jpg)
Cheers,
Heather
12 comments
I had chickens when I was a kid and that is the cutest chicken coop I've ever seen.Adorable!
ReplyDeleteDo you have good memories of the chickens? I've met a few people who seem traumatized! usually because of the roosters, haha. Thanks for the comment!
DeleteI can't tell you how much I like this!!!! I almost want to BE one of your chickens! No, you're not "getting carried away here" with the address and mailbox . . . that happened way back at the beginning of the project -- SO carried away, right into chicken heaven, I'm sure your chickies must think! -- Becky
ReplyDeleteHaha! You're too sweet, Becky. Thank you so much!!
DeleteCute, cute, cute! Did I mention that it was cute? Even though we don't have our chickens anymore, we still kept our coop up in the backyard. Brian built it from the ground up, not from a kit, just like Justin did so it would be super sad to have to tear it down. Now, it holds garden tools and the back run area is where we planted berries so that the birds couldn't get them.
ReplyDeleteI am awaiting the post on the playhouse. There is no way Justin is going to get out of that one!
Have an awesome Sunday & Happy Fathers day to that wonderful husband of yours!
Erica
It's true! I'm not letting him out of it. ;-) I love that an chickenless coop can double as a storage shed. Basically, there is no downside, right?
DeleteThanks for the kind comment, Erica!
Oh my gosh, this is the cutest! Seriously, the cutest!
ReplyDeleteps. i vote yes on giving them their own mailbox :p
I hope to have a mailbox post up soon...ha!
DeleteThanks Kay!!
This is amazing! So cute. Your hubby is a keeper.
ReplyDeleteAww! I think so too, thank you!!
DeleteWow...that is a beautiful coop! It makes it look like our chickens are living in the slums...lol!
ReplyDeleteLol, Nadine! I've seen a LOT of rustic looking chicken coops that I find adorable. I love browsing chicken coop photos now. We went with this cottage look because it matches our house, but there are SO many cute coop ideas out there. Don't you have a duck too?
DeleteWhat do you have to say for yourself?