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Hen House Inspiration: The 20 Cutest Chicken Coops Ever!
- The Versailles-inspired Coop. Offered by Nieman Marcus for a mere $100,000.00, this posh abode contains multiple levels, including a nesting area, a living room for nighttime roosting, a broody room, “a library filled with chicken and gardening books for visitors of the human kind”, and last, but not least, an elegant chandelier.
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2. The Little Red Barn by GopherBoy Farms. This was built entirely from junk, scraps, and odds and ends. I would say he did a pretty good job, and I bet his chickens would agree.
3. A chicken tractor from My Chicken Home would entice even the fussiest hen. A chicken tractor is basically a chicken coop that has wheels so that you can transport the coop to various areas on your property. It will also protect your chickens from being harmed by predators.
4. This turquoise trimmed coop was pieced together with “salvaged and repurposed” materials. Source: Good Enough.
5. This darling coop by Crafty Farm Girl began life as a playhouse. Super cute!
6. Holier-than-thou chickens need their own church coop! This coop was originally posted on Craigslist in the Seattle area, and for some lucky poultry, their prayers must have been answered.
7. This rustic coop from freecycleusa.com is made of recycled materials. Love the cute little weather vane!
8. A Tree Trunk Chicken Coop. For real? This is in an industrial park in New York. Source: Flickr
9. This tiny teal coop from England can house up to three chickens and is adorable! Source: Oakdene Designs.
10. A medieval looking stone coop looks like something out of Game of Thrones! Source: Kalla.
11. Chickens like Christmas Cheer too. This owner decorates her beautiful walk-in coop with wreaths for the holidays. Souce: happydaysfarm.
12. This kooky coop reminds me of Pippi Longstocking or Baba Yaga. Definitely one-of-a-kind! Source: roseapples.tumblr.com.
13. Victorian Charm is in the details with this carefully constructed coop by The Bird House.
14. All aboard the chicken express! Another tractor, this one is ready to chug down the train tracks. Source: thepoultryguide.com
15. This mint green coop (countryliving.com) is so darling it looks like a doll house.
16. This whimsical Coca-Cola and tin coop from montanahappy.com is perfectly petite and adorable.
17. An old chest of drawers has been repurposed into a diminutive coop
18. Old vehicles can also be transformed into coops. The “cluck bus”, from Community Chickens is home to more than a handful of hens! This old car (source: alternet.org) has also been converted.
19. This quaint coop is plain and simple. From Homestead Revival.
20. I initially converted this treehouse into a home for my two geese, Abelard and Heloise, but have since turned it over to two of my chickens.
Wishing you peace, love, & happiness!
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Common Chicken Sayings
It is amazing to me that so many everyday sayings refer to chickens. The following is a list of phrases referencing chickens.
Be chicken- to be afraid
Nest egg – to save a little money each week
Scratching out a living – to earn enough to get by on
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch – don’t plan on something before it actually happens.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – don’t plan on an outcome before it actually happens.
Chicken feed – small amount of money
Feather your nest – saving for the future
Hen house – large number of females living in the same house
Mother hen – very protective
Madder than a wet hen – very angry
Fussing like an old hen – angry
Scarce as hen’s teeth – extremely hard to find
Chick – a woman
Hen-pecked – nagged
The rooster may crow but the hen delivers the eggs
Rooster games – willing to fight instead of trying to work out a problem
Flew the coop – gone
Up with the chickens – waking early with the sunrise
Walking on eggshells- treading softly where certain people are concerned; trying not to upset someone
Like a chicken with it’s head cut off – running around with no direction
Shake a tail feather – get moving
Strutting’ your stuff – Showing off
Bird brain – senseless
Dumb cluck – senseless
Ruffle your feathers – something annoys you
Chicken hearted – Not brave
No spring chicken – An old person
Hatch an idea – put a plan into motion
Egg on your face – caught in an untruth
Rule the Roost – to be the boss
Pecking order – hierarchy, your rank
Play Chicken – a stand off, who will give first
Brood over it – to worry over a problem
Chicken scratch – poor handwriting
Bad egg – less than honest person; poor moral standards
You have to break eggs to make an omelet – sometimes you need to make a mess to get something done
It’s not what it’s cracked up to be – disillusionment
I hope you enjoyed this! Happy Tuesday!
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When Your Chicks Have Hatched, 7 Easy Steps
So your chicks have hatched! What next? You will need the following supplies: Large Rubbermaid Bin, at least 20”x 34”, without lid; Newspaper; Clip-on Brooder Heat Lamp OR Brinsea Ecoglow*; Chick Feeder; Chick Waterer. This is for hatches of 10-12 chicks or LESS.
1. Spread newspaper on bottom of bin. I like newspaper because it’s free and is easy to change. You should replace soiled newspaper at least every 2-3 days.
2. Firmly attach heat lamp to side of bin with lamp directly over inside of bin or place Ecoglow along the inside of the bin. Plug cord into electrical outlet. *As I mentioned in “8 Steps to Perfect Chick Hatching”, I prefer the Ecoglow because it is safer than the Lamp. As the chicks grow they will become much more active and adventurous, climbing and flying. They can potentially knock the heat lamp down. This happened to a friend of mine and she came home to find a fire in her coop. Not good! Also, the Ecoglow is much cheaper to run and will save you money in the long run, especially if you are planning multiple hatches. Another plus to the Ecoglow is that it has three adjustable heights: lowest for newborns, medium at around two weeks old, and the top height when they reach four weeks.
3. Fill the chick waterer and chick feeder and place near the Ecoglow. Newborn chicks need quick access to food and water. Later, you can move these further away to help maintain cleanliness. 24-36 hours after hatching, move the chicks from the incubator to the bin, ensuring they are beneath the heat lamp or Ecoglow. You may need to adjust the height of the heat lamp: if the chicks are snuggled tightly together and crying it may be too high. If they are scattered on the outskirts away from the heat lamp it may be too low. Happy chicks may peep and bustle about but will not cry. Make sure that chicks understand how to drink; you may need to dip their beaks gently into the water at first. Usually, once one or two chicks have mastered this, the others will imitate them.
4. Frequently check your chick’s bottom for “pasty butt”, a condition where poop builds up in a hard little clump on the feathers surrounding the chick’s vent and prevents further pooping. This can result in death. Gently remove the poop clump using a soft cloth and some petroleum jelly or mineral oil.
5. Keep chicks in the bin for 4-6 weeks, at least until the feathers covering their undersides have come in, before moving them to a bigger coop.