Some of the most interesting chicken coops feature repurposed, recycled, or salvaged materials and decorations. Whether done for the sentiment, the looks, the environment, or simply to save money, incorporating available and found materials into your backyard coop will make it one of a kind. . . (more…)
Posts tagged with ‘The Garden Ark’
Make It Your Own: “Krewe of Coops” Virtual Chicken Coop Tour, No. 6. . . 10 Garden Coops Built With Salvaged Materials
Thursday, April 13th, 2017Make It Your Own: “Krewe of Coops” Virtual Chicken Coop Tour, No. 3
Tuesday, May 12th, 2015In this third ride of the Krewe of Coops, we feature The Garden Ark mobile chicken coop design, with several examples from around the U.S. Enjoy the parade!
How to predator proof the open floor of The Garden Ark mobile chicken coop
Monday, August 4th, 2014
I’ve been working for some time on a solution to predator-proof the open floor of The Garden Ark mobile chicken tractor. The challenge has been finding a way to secure the floor without closing it off completely or permanently. After all, you need the open floor for mobility, cleaning, and access to grazing. After much trial, I finally came up with an elegant solution (essentially a version of one of these turned upside down) then put it to the test. It works perfectly, and now I’m excited to share it. (more…)
Make It Your Own: Ian’s Garden Ark Chicken Coop with Solar-Powered Door Opener (VIDEO)
Wednesday, April 30th, 2014
Let the chickens out. Let the chickens back in. Let ’em out. Let ’em in. . . .
Ian wasn’t having it anymore. While he wanted to give his chickens daily access to a larger space outside their coop, he couldn’t stay tied to their schedule. Not every day, anyway.
So being the tech savvy guy he is, Ian dug into his box of spare computer parts, added some components he found online, and fashioned a solution that has simplified his life. (more…)
Make It Your Own: Brian J.’s Garden State Chicken Coops
Tuesday, February 25th, 2014
Brian in Northern New Jersey built modified versions of the The Garden Coop and the The Garden Ark chicken coops to fit his Garden State home and needs. He sent us some great notes and photos of his handiwork: (more…)
Keeping your New Year’s resolution to keep chickens
Monday, December 30th, 2013
You’ve made it your New Year’s resolution to finally get chickens. Good for you. Chickens are low-maintenance pets that give so much in return. On top of the amazing compost, free entertainment, and fresh eggs right from your backyard, you’ll also gain the skills and confidence to tackle more projects down the line.
Here are 10 steps to help you stay focused so that your chicken keeping resolution becomes chicken keeping reality: (more…)
Make It Your Own: Nick’s Iowa Garden Ark with External Nesting Boxes
Tuesday, December 17th, 2013
Nick shared pictures of his blue and white chicken tractor that he built using The Garden Ark plans. The outboard nesting boxes look great, and the hinged window is a nice touch. Here are his comments. . . (more…)
Make It Your Own: Amy’s Connecticut Garden Ark
Tuesday, June 25th, 2013
Amy in Newtown, Connecticut, sent in this photo of her backyard chicken tractor built using The Garden Ark coop plans. She modified her coop to be a little longer than the original design. Here’s what she wrote:
I had to share my Garden Ark! I had so much fun making it, and the plans were superb. I am certainly a novice, and I had no trouble.
I had a hard time finding the polycarb roofing, so I got fiberglass, and I extended the run ten inches for a bit more room for my four girls. I also added a ramp, which was super easy, a rope in the front for moving it around, and a bittersweet roost to give them an outdoor perching spot.
Thanks, Amy! If you’d like to build your own Garden Ark to house a small flock or grow your existing flock, check out our chicken coop plans here.
Make It Your Own: Karen’s Maine Garden Ark
Tuesday, May 7th, 2013
Karen and her family in Maine used our chicken coop plans to put together this Garden Ark for their backyard flock. She made a few modifications to suit her needs — using wider lumber for the skids, adding handles, and securing the bottom for complete predator protection. (more…)
How to build raised garden beds to fit The Garden Ark mobile chicken tractor
Tuesday, April 9th, 2013
One of the nice things about The Garden Ark mobile chicken coop is that you can move it around your yard or garden to focus your chickens’ grazing activity where you want it — just roll it across your lawn or place it atop your vegetable rows.
But what if you prefer to garden in raised beds? How can you incorporate The Garden Ark into your garden rotation so that your hens can graze, till, and help fertilize your garden before or after harvest?
In this tutorial, I show you how to build a raised vegetable bed that fits The Garden Ark design perfectly. (more…)
NEW: Quick Kits for The Garden Coop and The Garden Ark chicken coops
Wednesday, November 14th, 2012
They’re here! Our new chicken coop hardware Quick Kits for The Garden Coop and The Garden Ark let you build your backyard chicken coop even easier and faster.
In one box you get all the screws, staples, nuts, bolts, washers, nails, roofing screws, latches, hinges, braces, and more that you need to build your coop. All that’s left for you to shop for are the bulky items: wood, roofing, hardware cloth, pier blocks (Garden Coop), and stain/paint. (more…)
Enter to win a free Garden Ark chicken coop!
Thursday, October 25th, 2012
The Portland non-profit Growing Gardens is raffling off a brand-new, fully built Garden Ark chicken coop. This mobile coop was lovingly put together by myself and the participants of a chicken coop building workshop I led for Growing Gardens earlier this year. We took great pride and care in building it, and if I may say so, it’s really a sweet little coop! (more…)
Make It Your Own: “Krewe of Coops” Virtual Chicken Coop Tour, No. 1
Wednesday, September 5th, 2012I’ve been wanting to do a post showing off a bunch of the pictures I’ve received over the last several months, so in the tradition of the Carnival parades I grew up with in New Orleans, I present to you this first ride of the Krewe of Coops!
Feathers instead of flambeaux. Clucking hens instead of marching bands. Eggs instead of beads and doubloons. Just pull up a ladder, gather the kids, and shout wildly as the floats go by. . . (more…)
NEW: Chicken coop hardware Quick Kit for The Garden Ark
Wednesday, May 30th, 2012You can now build The Garden Ark mobile chicken coop easier and faster than ever, thanks to our new chicken coop hardware Quick Kit.
* UPDATE (11/14/12): We now also offer a Quick Kit for The Garden Coop.
In one box you get all the screws, staples, nuts, bolts, washers, nails, roofing screws, latches, hinges, braces, custom-cut tubing, and wheels you need to build this modern mobile tractor design.
All that’s left for you to shop for are the bulky items: wood, roofing, hardware cloth, and stain/paint.
The Quick Kit is the perfect companion to The Garden Ark plans for a number of reasons:
- It’s got just what you need — the right parts in the right amounts. So you can dive right into your project.
- It’s priced at what you’d expect to pay if you bought these items locally.
- It includes only high-quality parts, so you don’t have to settle for what your nearby hardware stores might carry.
I build a Garden Ark or two each year and began thinking of these kits as a way to streamline my own shopping. Now you can enjoy the same efficiencies — I’ll shop, you build!
Learn more and order your chicken coop Quick Kit here.
If you’ve already built The Garden Ark — or The Garden Coop, for that matter — please leave a comment and let me know if something like this would have come in handy for your coop build.
Make It Your Own: Karen’s Connecticut coops
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
Karen sent in these pictures of her Garden Coop and Garden Ark chicken coops in Connecticut. (You may recall this post from a while back that featured a photo of her dog guarding her backyard coop.)
There are a number of reasons you’d want to build both coops: expanding your flock, giving your hens added mobility to graze safely, optional space to house broody hens or deal with personality conflicts (it happens!).
Besides, don’t they just look great together?
Here’s what Karen had to say about her coops:
I have a lot of friends who come over to see our chickens and just love The Garden Coop design. We are planning on adding on the exterior egg boxes this spring. We also built The Garden Ark for our two silkie hens who were having trouble getting along with the chickens in the big coop. I added a little door on the right side so they could have quick access to the yard. They are very happy and the coop is perfect for them. Thanks!
Thanks to Karen for sharing pictures of her chicken coops. Like what she’s built? Leave a comment below. And check out her portrait photography.
