Lila K. and her husband live on the Gulf Coastal Plain of Texas. This is their chicken coop, built using The Garden Coop chicken coop design plans. It’s remarkable, not only for what you can see, but also for what you can’t. At least, not unless you’re looking for it.
The Garden Coop chicken coop design plan calls for a pier-on-grade foundation that works well just about anywhere. But if you need to adapt the design to suit local building codes or seasonal weather events, it’s quite flexible. Lila chose to modify the design by setting 4×4 posts at each corner of the coop and securing the frame to those.
Her primary reason for adapting the design was to give even more stability to their chicken coop, anchoring it firmly should it be buffeted by treacherous Gulf Coast weather. Aesthetically, Lila also liked the beefier look the posts gave to the frame.
She paid great attention to other details as well. She added a small window on the front, and she painted the trim, door stops, and roof structure a light green color that stands out against the natural wood tone of the frame. By doing this, she created really nice outlines that give her chicken coop a smart, finished look.
Here is Lila in her own words, along with some more pictures of her Texas chicken coop, built using The Garden Coop chicken coop plans:
We are so happy with our completed Garden Coop, as are the three pullets now residing there. The plans were fabulous — complete, detailed, and easy enough for even me to follow.
I was able to do most of the construction myself, with my husband’s help on some of the cuts and the portions that required extra hands and/or a bit more muscle. We did alter the plan a bit, though:
- We chose to set 4×4 posts at each corner.
- We used a black plastic-coated wire, salvaged from a friend.
- We did a little interior design for the “ladies” inside the hen house. So fancy-schmancy!
Everyone thinks we have the most fabulous poultry residence they have ever seen. Thanks so much for making this such a positive and fun-filled endeavor.
More pictures:
Thanks to Lila and her husband for sharing their tips and pictures of their finished chicken coop. Have you used our chicken coop plans to build a backyard coop of your own? Feel free to share any tips in the comments below, or send us an email.