Thanks for all the comments and congrats on our milestones last week. Ashley and the baby are headed home today. I can’t wait to get out there and see them, hopefully soon. I’ve got much more time this week to spend catching up on laundry, bills, phone calls, and…
research
Research on my current obsession. I read all your comments on farm animal suggestions. I appreciate all the stories of your past farm animal experiences. The uncles and aunts and grandparents who were brave enough to go down the farm road.
I’m afraid the last option “Toss the whole idea out the window and get a pool” won out. Unfortunately, I was just kidding about that. That wasn’t actually a real option, although someday it would be fun to have my own pool. Maybe when we’re living in a warm and tropical climate instead of out on the frozen tundra of Idaho. As they say, When in Rome, do as the Romans do, and the Romans here keep farm animals.
So, after much hand-wringing and intense debate visiting the local hatchery, we’ve decided to get:
Chickens!
Why? Because:
- They’re cheap to purchase and to feed
- They lay eggs so they contribute
- Hens aren’t loud
- Their poop is much smaller than any of the other animals in the running
- Kids can carry them around
- They don’t look at all like their barbeque counterparts so I think I can keep the two separate in my brain
- They fertilize the lawn and eat bugs and weed seeds
Now that we’ve made the decision, I need your help. Right around Easter is chick time. So I have to work quick if we’re gonna be ready when chicks are plentiful. I’ve located the chicks and the chicken feed. Now I need the:
COOP!
I’ve spent far too much time scouring the internet for ideas. Here’ what I’ve come up with:
I know what I DON’T want:
Now, I know chickens can live practically anywhere that’s warm and dry and they don’t care what their coop looks like. But I DO! I want something aesthetically pleasing. Something cute and functional. Something that says,
“I’m not a farmer, but I think chickens are cute and it would be fun to get some, but only if I can have a cute coop to put them in.”
So, I’ve narrowed down my choices. I have to give Hubby my final decision this weekend so he can get to work on it ASAP:
#1 The Car Coop. Which, honestly isn’t even in the running because I’m not that into cars and we don’t have a spare rear end of a vintage car to work with. But I thought it was an interesting “theme” idea.
#2 Along with the “theme” idea, how about this Japanese coop? OK, again, not really in the running. Although we’re big fans of sushi, we’re not Japanese, we’ve never been to Asia, and our house has not a stitch of Asian flair to it. A little piece of Japan in Idaho? I think not.
#3 Now this is more practical. It’s made from a pre-fab dog house. It’s got more of an Idaho feel. It’s pretty cute, but I’d paint it red.
#4 Another very practical coop. Probably the most affordable option. Not sure it would withstand the gale force winds we’ve had here lately though.
#5 This is what you call a chicken tractor. It’s mobile so you can move it around the yard and the chickens eat the bugs and weed seeds while fertilizing the lawn. Ingenious concept. But I’m looking for a little more color.
#6 Definitely more color. Again, mobile. Note the wheels. Likely to withstand the winds. I like the red.
#7 A cuter version of the chicken tractor. I like the shingled roof. The exterior box is where the hens lay the eggs. Just lift the lid to collect them.
#8 Check out this beauty! Mobile. Cute. Flower boxes. Sturdy. It could pass for a playhouse to the HOA KGB.
#9 OK, it’s not mobile but it sure is fabulous. Check out the details. A kickplate on the door. An exterior light. The white trim, which I love. I don’t know. This might make a better guest house than a chicken coop.
#10 I’m trying really hard to hold back any bias so I can eek an honest opinion out of you, but…BUT…BUT…I LOVE THIS ONE!!! It speaks to the New Englander in me. It’s not red, but it has white clapboard siding and a windowed cupola up top! What more could I ask for? But don’t let me sway you in any way… Give me your honest opinions…
#11 And if all this is just too “country” for you, all you pool voters out there, I offer you the Eglu. It’s the iMac of chicken coops. It comes to you via UPS with the chickens and the chicken feed all ready to go. It’s easy to clean and comes in a variety of bright and fun colors. I was a big fan until I found out I’d have to shell out almost $800 to acquire one. That’s a lot of eggs and chickens I could buy. But if cost effectiveness isn’t a priority, have at it!
I have to say that #10 really is awesome. The tractor ones make sense too. Good luck!
I love the last one too, but I do have friends who have something similar to #9 with an outdoor component.
Have fun! If we had land like that I would certainly go for it!
I had no idea there were so many options! I like the little red barn one.
In salt lake there was an article about a girl who has chickens in her back yard and she made sort of a tent shaped coop on wheels that should could move around her yard (sort of like a wheel barrow only a bit bigger) so that the entire lawn would be fertilized and none of the grass would die. I thought it was interesting and neat at the same time! You have a lot of fun ideas for the coop so I am excited to see what you decide.
I like #8. I love the idea of the flowers on the outside and having it look like something other than a coop! I am sure MY neighbor (the one closest to you) will complain no matter what you get! Look out!
Okay, I absolutely adore the last one. New England style homes are my fave as well — love the clapboard!! I also love how it’s so neat and tidy next to the house. I keep meaning to send you a link. I like to stamp and this woman makes really cute cards but she also has a farm with chickens, cows and I think donkeys? Anyway, here’s the link to her farm website — she gets some really interesting kinds of chickens and has beautiful photography. http://www.lauhoff-farms.com/
Who WOULDN’T love that beautiful martha-esque masterpiece! I’m with you!
#9 looks very extensive. You need to see Calvin M’s coop. he built something similar, but simpler and more practical. His is my favorite – it also has exterior accessible egg boxes. You could do the roof line similar to #9 and paint it red with white trim.
#10 looks cool, but doesn’t look so fun to clean. I like something that you shovel out the old straw and throw new stuff in.
I adore #10! SO CUTE! I also think #8 and #9 are very cute too, it looks like you’ve done your homework and have lots of great options! Good luck!
These are all very nice. Are you looking for a portable coop/shelter. If you are contemplating this. Look no farther than the ChickenRun by Easy-Garden. Check it at http://www.easy-garden.com. Will last forever, lightweight for moving, and can be painted.
Thanks
Tammy
I still like the Eglu idea. So fun! But the others are cute too. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Did you decide when you are going out?
XOXO
Jen
Okay, not that this is much help AT ALL, but i love #’s 6,7,8,9 & 10!!
Lol, that really helps to narrow it down, huh??
Can’t wait to see what you decide!
Being a hardcore Japanophile, I gotta go with that one!
I like the dog house one.. but I would add wheels:) My kids would probably use the others as a playhouse:)
Wow, there are surely a lot of options aren’t there. I like the moveable ones. I could ask Erlyn what hers looked like if you want. It will be fun to see how it all turns out. Good luck.
My vote goes to either #8,9 or 10. Good luck…you are a better woman than I.
With my vast (uhmmm) hobby farm experience… I would make a small suggestion that chickens really do a number on grass rather quickly. Our research told us the opposite. Unless you are planning to move the coop as frequently as every 3-4 days it may prove better to select a spot that is okay for them to ruin for now that is easy to reseed when this fine experience has come to an end.
As Bruce said, we do have a cute little chicken condo. Feel free to come take a peak if you’d like.
My Nana had chickens in her back yard. Every Sunday, we’d go over to her house after church for Sunday Dinner. She’d ask, “Baked, roasted or fried?” and then hed out to the hen house to do the dirty work.
I’ve missed your blog more than any other!! I feel like a stranger, like I don’t know anything that’s going on, although I caught bits and pieces here and there. Anyway, I’m back!
I like the way ours is set up – it’s practical, even though we don’t have all the frills on it. C’mon over and see it!
Fun post, by the way!