This month’s “Cool Coop” is an great example of repurposing. I imagine a lot of folks have sheds, forts or playhouses that have outlived their usefulness. With a little elbow grease and creativity that abandon structure could become a functional coop. I’ve seen examples of chicken coops made out of just about everything, but when […]

A lot has happened this past year at my coop in southwest Missouri. Our green-roof coop and birdhouses were featured in a local magazine (417 Magazine), Better Homes and Gardens (Country Gardens spring issue 2015) and Capper’s Farmers Magazine! You can read about how I incorporated the living roof as part of my chicken coop (including step-by-step […]

This Month’s “Cool Coop” is a wonderful example of how a small backyard project or hobby can  – with a little creativity – become a thriving business. Continue reading as Pamela Adler describes how her backyard flock grew from providing not only her family with fresh eggs, but also friends and neighbors who enjoy her […]

This month’s “Cool Coop” promises to boldly go where no coop has gone before… Continue reading as Mike Ferrier from New England describes in detail the construction and launching of the USS EggSurprise: Figuring Out What We Needed We had barely started thinking about a coop when the chicks arrived. All seven of them were shipped […]

This month’s “Cool Coop” features a movable structure which allows the chicken keeper the ability to relocate the coop to different areas of their property. This feature takes advantage of the flock’s nutrient rich manure from being accumulated in a specific location. Their “fertilizer” can be deposited in different sections of the property by simply moving […]

How much space does a chicken need to comfortably rest at night? Is a roosting bar an essential element in poultry housing?

Years ago when I was entering the world of backyard chicken keeping, I pondered the vast variety of chicken breeds to choose from… I knew I wanted a breed that would be winter hardy, a good egg layer and also “family friendly”. After searching through hatchery websites, online chicken forums, and poultry magazines – I decided […]

This month’s “Cool Coop” comes from an area in the Southwest where you wouldn’t expect to find a bountiful vegetable garden, numerous fruit trees, and an abundance of flowering shrubs and flowers. When Betty Dixon and her mother, Betty Hunter, purchased their Corrales, New Mexico, property in 2003, it was a weed-infested lot with nothing more than tumbleweeds […]

As a gardener and a chicken keeper, I’m always trying new ways to coexist with my free ranging flock. I’ve given presentations through my local Extension Center and Master Gardener chapter on how I take advantage of the benefits of having backyard chickens (free fertilizer and pest control) and at the same time protect my […]

With a little elbow grease, this Cool Coop is a great example of using recycled material and minimal supplies to come up with a functional coop on a limited budget. This DIY project takes advantage of discarded wooden pallets. – I’ve featured a “Cool Coop” constructed of pallets before and many readers were concerned on […]