The Garden Coop, Author at The Garden Coop

Chicken Coop Tour No. 19: A Collection of Larger Garden Coops

February 14, 2024December 31, 2023 by The Garden Coop

Modern chicken coop from plans in a Los Angeles front garden

We’re again showing off several examples of The Garden Coop walk-in chicken coop design modified larger, wider, deeper, taller. We’re seeing fewer of these since releasing our plans for The Garden Loft large walk-in coop design, which is twice the size of The Garden Coop. Still, plenty of builders prefer something in between, and as you’ll see below, The Garden Coop design is a great place to start for that. Enjoy these examples of large backyard chicken coops!

Chicken Coop Tour No. 18: Nine Secure Chicken Runs Built from The Garden Run Plans

February 14, 2024November 7, 2023 by The Garden Coop

Yellow mobile chicken coop docked to a series of colorful enclosed chicken runs

Consider this a slight “de-tour” from the usual examples of chicken and quail coops. In this collection, we share nine secure chicken runs built using The Garden Run plans. These are modular designs, so you’ll notice everything from simple additions to entire “habitrail” style habitats for chickens. As you scroll through, think about what kind … Read more

Why build a chicken coop in the fall or winter

May 24, 2024October 24, 2023 by The Garden Coop

“We’ve finally decided to get chickens next spring. Is fall or winter too soon to start building a coop?” —Jackie

Cooped up? Coop up.

It may not be the first option that comes to mind, but there are real advantages to building your chicken coop in the fall or winter. I know many, myself included, who’ve built their coops in less than ideal weather.

Thing is, you don’t have to get cold or drenched to build a coop during the gloaming seasons. Build your coop inside!

Apart from the initial steps of cutting and sanding the wood, you can prep and assemble a backyard chicken coop the size of The Basic Coop or The Garden Ark (or The Quail Hutch, if you’re keeping quail) in about half the space of a typical single-car garage. If you have even more covered space, you could frame up most of The Garden Coop walk-in chicken coop design and wait until spring to bring it all together and add the roof structure.

Chicken Coop Tour No. 17: Ten Large Backyard Chicken Coops Built from The Garden Loft Chicken Coop Plans

February 14, 2024February 1, 2023 by The Garden Coop

Large white backyard chicken coop with potting shelf on the front

In this seventeenth installment of our virtual chicken coop tour, we visit ten backyard coops built using The Garden Loft large walk-in chicken coop plans. Many of these were built during the isolating years of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s heartening to see how people were able to direct their energies to projects close to home that involved their families, food, and health.

Introducing The Quail Hutch raised-cage backyard quail coop plans

February 14, 2024October 29, 2021 by The Garden Coop

Quail Hutch stacked backyard quail coop built from plans

Plans for our latest backyard coop design — a quail coop, actually — are now available! We call it The Quail Hutch, and it’s our first design meant specifically for poultry other than chickens. It offers the same security and modern style of our other designs, yet it’s uniquely suited to housing birds. . . of a different feather. Take a look:

The Quail Hutch two-tier raised backyard quail coop design

Chicken Coop Tour No. 16: One Dozen Coops Built with The Garden Coop Chicken Coop Plans

February 14, 2024May 16, 2021 by The Garden Coop

Walk-in chicken coop with yellow door and nest box in front of fence and banana tree in Louisiana

In this sixteenth edition of our virtual coop tour, we share pictures of a dozen beautiful backyard coops built using The Garden Coop walk-in chicken coop plans. Lots of cool colors, materials, and customizations!

Eileen’s Mobile Rabbit Hutch Built from Walk-In Coop Plans

February 14, 2024May 10, 2021 by The Garden Coop

Eileen in Littleton, New Hampshire, used The Garden Coop walk-in chicken coop plans to customize a moveable home for her bunnies. The rest of this post talks about how she built her rabbit hutch and comes directly from her. . . .

Chicken Coop Tour No. 15: Ten Backyard Coops Built with The Garden Loft Plans

February 14, 2024March 19, 2021 by The Garden Coop

Low angle shot of The Garden Loft chicken coop design

In this fifteenth episode of the Krewe of Coops virtual coop tour, we visit ten fantastic coops built using The Garden Loft large walk-in chicken coop plans.

Kate’s Pigeon Loft from Plans, Evansville, Indiana

March 24, 2022February 24, 2021 by The Garden Coop

Walk-in chicken coop modified from The Garden Coop plans for use as a pigeon loft. Natural wood with green trim and a large decorative pigeon on the front.

I love hearing from folks who use our chicken coop and run plans to create housing for pets other than chickens — rabbits, ducks, quail, and in this case: pigeons!

How much room should I leave around my chicken coop when I build it?

March 2, 2022January 16, 2021 by The Garden Coop

Narrow Garden Loft chicken coop modified from plans

If you have the space in your yard to build a walk-in chicken coop, I’d leave at least two to three feet of working room on all sides of it. This will make construction easier, particularly when it comes to attaching hardware cloth and siding. And after the coop is built, having that space will make it easier for you to access the entire exterior of the coop should you need to. But what if you don’t have that much space to spare? Read on for some ideas. . .

10 Reasons to Start Keeping Chickens in Your Backyard This Year

February 17, 2022January 8, 2021 by The Garden Coop

Girl with blue flannel shirt holds a basket of fresh eggs up to two Rhode Island Red chickens perched inside The Garden Coop chicken coop

Make this the year you start keeping chickens! Here are ten (of many) reasons why. . .

What kind of roofing materials can I use on my backyard chicken coop?

February 17, 2022January 2, 2021 by The Garden Coop

Blue and white chicken tractor with outboard nesting boxes

Polycarbonate corrugated roofing being installed on a backyard chicken coop under construction

All of our chicken coop plans call for corrugated polycarbonate roof panels. But whether you’re building one of our designs or something else, you have plenty of options. Many backyard coopers use corrugated metal, corrugated asphalt, or shingles over plywood instead. Read on to decide what’s the best type of roofing for your chicken coop. . . .