Over the years our flock has changed in numbers, types, and needs. We have learned through many trials what management tools work best for us here on the farm. And so our coops have evolved to better meet the needs of all involved.

Palatial Pallet Coop

For our first coop we built this beauty using old pallet wood and some 2x2's. It had four windows, two long perches, and four nest boxes. There was a door in the floor with a ramp to the ground and optional wire mesh panels underneath for containment. It was at a perfect height for us to access everything and to keep visitors out. But it got pretty cramped after our 12 baby chickens were full sized....so we needed something bigger....

Gift Horse Coop

Someone we knew was giving away a used chicken coop which sounded like a fit for us. We had high hopes of an instant coop arriving and a quick move in for the flock. After renting a trailer big enough to haul this thing over 45 miles and then "gently" sliding it off onto our poured concrete pad (thanks to all that helped), it actually made it in one piece. But to our dismay, as we were cleaning it out we realized this thing was basically built with bubblegum and toothpicks and probably going to fall over with the next breeze. So demo started and months later we finally had move-in day. Overall we were able to reuse most of the wood from the gift coop, add insulation, and make it our own.

It's Condo Life for Us

When we added the goats to our farm we knew we were going to need a barn. So we built one. But managing animals in more than one place seemed to be pretty inefficient for our farm size plus the gift horse coop had some downsides, like absorbing all the direct afternoon sun in summer (hot hot hot). So we carved out a corner in the main barn for the new improved chicken coop. With more shade, better ventilation, and all the supplies close by I think we have a winner....as long as the neighbors (the goats) don't complain.