Chicken Coop Tour No. 8: A Dozen Examples Built Using The Garden Coop Plans

In this eighth installment of the Krewe of Coops, we’re featuring a dozen examples of The Garden Coop backyard chicken coop design from all across the country. Enjoy!

Coop 1: Brian’s Garden Coop, Greely, Colorado

Brian used The Garden Coop chicken coop plans and optional Hardware Kit to build this beauty.

Coop 2: Aaron’s Backyard Chicken Coop, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

“For the siding, I used 8′ tongue and groove panels. I sanded and painted them, cut them in half to 4′, and they were perfect. I ran a skinny bead of silicone in the groove to ensure a watertight finish. Once I put a hearty third coat of paint on the finished outsides they should be almost bulletproof.”

Coop 3: Allison and Todd’s Walk-In Chicken Coop, Seattle, Washington

Allison and Todd added external nest boxes to the front wall of their Garden Coop to free up some square footage in the hen house. They also chose the side-entry ladder option described in the plans.

Coop 4: Dave’s Smaller Garden Coop, Woodinville, Washington

“We shortened it up to fit between the dogwood and the roots of a Douglas fir. The soil is really poor underneath with large rocks and tree roots, so setting the walls on concrete blocks and extending the hardware cloth horizontally along the ground made a lot of sense. The second door (in the back) enters a fenced chicken yard.”

Coop 5: Dave and Meg’s Massachusetts Garden Coop

Dave and Meg’s coop is ready for the winter! Here is our four-part series on preparing your coop and flock for the colder seasons.

Coop 6: Jessi and Paul’s South Louisiana Chicken Coop

“We were fortunate to have an existing slab with a drain attached to this shed cover. We put a gutter on the backside of the coop roof that runs the rain straight into the drain. Because of the stronger storms and always-falling branches and trees, we had to upgrade the roof a little using plywood, roofing paper, and aluminum roofing panels. It will also keep it cooler during our grueling summers. And the shutters actually shut. We also added an automatic door that opens at dawn and shuts at dusk. It is working well for our little mixed flock.”

Coop 7: Scott and Anna’s Garden Coop, Palo Alto, California

“The coop was largely built with reclaimed redwood from a local supplier. My mother-in-law, having experience with chickens when growing up in South Dakota, claims this is a chicken ‘mansion.’ Our compost pile and the recipient vegetable and other garden beds are benefiting from the chickens without them over-running things.”

Coop 8: Andrew’s Backyard Garden Coop, Phoenix, Arizona

“Hanging the cloth inside required cutting the cloth into smaller sections. Cutting the cloth was terrible with shears, so I ended up using a jigsaw with a blade for cutting metal. It worked like magic. I cut it on the floor of my garage. I placed a piece of 2×4 under the cloth to raise it high enough for the jigsaw blade not to hit the ground. I was able to cut through 3 feet of cloth in about 60 seconds.”

Coop 9: Haejung and Moon’s Chicken Coop Built from The Garden Coop Plans, Los Angeles, California

“We added a window (had to redesign the nest boxes inside to not block the view), a little dust-bathing area for them under the ladder, and a string of copper wire solar lights near the henhouse as a nightlight so they would go in at night. The lights also look pretty at night!”

Coop 10: Bryan’s Garden Coop, Fort Thomas, Kentucky

“Four long days, but got the coop done! Some mods: outboard nesting box, two fold-down human entry doors for cleanout, and a side entry for the chickens.”

Coop 11: Sean’s Chicken Coop, Blue Ridge, Georgia

Sean added extra details around the doors and used a bold blue color to contrast with the natural wood framing.

Coop 12: Yvonne’s Backyard Coop from Plans, Ventura, California

“My husband and nephew helped as well. I’m thrilled with how it came out! It’s exactly what I wanted in every way. As you can see, we made a few modifications.”

“The henhouse is on the right to allow us to see the girls from our kitchen window. We put in French doors for easy access and cleanout. We wallpapered the doors with old feed sacks. I also fancied up the screen door to the run a bit. As you can see, we put in an exterior nest box and a stained glass window.”

“I hung solar string lights all the way around, planted thyme groundcover, put a gravel and paver walkway behind the coop, put the hardware cloth on the inside, added a shelf along the front, and planted marigolds in the cinder blocks.

“My husband teases me because I’m spending so much time “decorating.” I told him it’s the playhouse I never had as a kid, but instead of having dolls inside, I have chickens!

“I spent a lot of time researching pictures and plans before I settled on yours. So glad I did. Very easy to follow. I also bought the hardware kit and it was totally worth it. Thank you so much for all the effort you put into your plans. Sure made my life easier!”

Many thanks to all who shared their pictures and ideas to this eighth ride of the Krewe of Coops. Like what they’ve built? Have a personal favorite? Let us know with a comment below.

You can learn more and buy/download The Garden Coop walk-in chicken coop plans here. See more Krewe of Coops posts here, or browse all of our Make It Your Own coop profiles.