A big THANK YOU to everyone who has sent in their photographs and stories over the years. I hope by sharing other people’s pictures and stories here on One Hundred Dollars a Month we can all find unique ways to save, show off our chickens and have a rock star gardens. Keep them coming!
Today we are featuring Mama Cook’s walk in chicken coop! Mama Cook comments frequently on the blog {so her name might sound familiar to you} and she recently ditched the suburbs for 1.5 acres in Snohomish, Washington. {Saweeeeet!}
Here’s what she had to say:
Good Morning!
Months ago I asked if you were still interested in Chicken Coop submissions, and I was going to send you our previous coop photos, but an unexpected door opened and we ended up moving (after 22 years), from the suburbs to 1.5 acres in Snohomish!
We’ve spent the summer and fall “taking back the property” with the added benefit of smaller waistlines and happier, though exhausted, children! (We have 11, with only 7 still at home.)
So with out further ado, here is our “Taj Ma-Coop”!
This coop is a near replica of our previous coop. My husband designed and built this combining two separate styles we loved! In our previous space, it completely touched the ground. In this space, we built a short wall for the front end due to the ground being at a slight slope.
Open the doors and see…
Two roost bars and four nesting boxes.
Here are some of the girls testing out the waterer. This thing holds 7 gallons of water and can accommodate a de-icer so water doesn’t freeze over the winter!
My hubby added a hanging feeder and we allow the ladies (and gent) to free range.
Speaking of gents…
This Swedish Flower “Hen” turned out to be a Swedish Flower Rooster! I lovingly call him “Swedey”. He does a fabulous job overseeing his ladies , and doesn’t bully the farmers (once we showed him who’s boss)!
Two quick pointers…ALWAYS add an underground barrier along the perimeter of your coop! A few hours of digging can prevent the complete loss of your flock to predators!!! Second, this time we added sand to the floor of the coop…We LOVE it!!! So much cleaner!!! I can’t say enough!
Next up is the Bee Garden! Our oldest son placed two Apiaries on the property, so our next adventure is creating a beautiful area for them! And then the Potager…that’s a story for another day!!!
~ Mama Cook
Find More Mavis Mail Submissions HERE.
If you would like to have your garden, chicken coop, pantry or something you’ve made featured on One Hundred Dollars a Month, here’s what I’m looking for:
- Your Garden Pictures and Tips – I’d especially like to see your garden set ups, growing areas, and know if you are starting seeds indoors this year. If so, show me some picture of how you are going about it.
- Your Pantry Pics – Submit at least 5 HIGH QUALITY pictures of your pantry/fridge/cabinets, as well as a short blurb {at the very least} about you and your food habits.
- Your Chicken and Chicken Related Stories – Coops, Chicks, Hen’s, Roosters, Eggs, you name it. If it clucks, send us some pictures to share with the world.
- Cool Arts & Crafts – Made from your very own hands with detailed {and well photographed} pictures and instructions.
- Your pictures and stories about your pets. The more pictures and details the better.
- Garage Sale, Thrift Store and Dumpster Diving pictures and the stories behind the treasures you found including how much you paid for them.
You’ll need to send in a Minimum of 5 HIGH QUALITY pictures and the stories to go along with those pictures. Please do not send in a couple of grainy photos and a sentence about them. I can’t post that. It doesn’t make for an interesting or informative story.
If I feature your pictures and the stories behind them on One Hundred Dollars a Month, I will send you a $20.00 gift card to the greatest store in the world: Amazon.com. You can send your submissions to me at onehundreddollarsamonth @ gmail.com {spaces removed}and be sure and put Mavis Mail in the subject line. Thank you. I’m looking forward to your submissions.
Go HERE for the official rules.
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Carrie says
Your coop is beautiful! I have dreams of moving out to the sticks so I can have more hens and a bigger garden. If you don’t mind sharing, how much did it cost for you to build the coop? What did you use for the siding of the coop?
My little 3x3x3ft coop for 4 hens cost $200 and I used some salvaged wood, tin roof and bought a used dog lot to use as the run. The hardy board for the siding and hardware cloth was expensive. Keeping chickens doesn’t save money but I do love my girls!
Mavis Butterfield says
I LOVE this coop as well. So dreamy!
Mama Cook says
Carrie- I hope you are, one day, able to see your dreams realized!
Honestly we put a bit more money into this coop…building the retaining wall added an extra expense. I’m going to say around $1000..that would include all materials! We did purchase some of our materials from a local co-op and it saved us a ton!
Hubby says the siding is: Home Depot – Gorman Tongue and Groove Board (Common: 1 in. x 6 in. x 8 ft (pine).
HTH!
Carrie says
Thank you! I look forward to hearing about your waterer as well. I filled my 2 gallon bucket with nipples on Monday and discovered this morning (Friday) it was empty! I think one of the nipples leaked because it should last 3 weeks!
Jess McCarthy says
Absolutely love her coop!
Sue R. says
What is her suggestion for underground barrier? And how-to’s of the watering system? Looks great!
Mama Cook says
We used the same hardware cloth that is on the run for the underground barrier. Basically digging a trench, placing the cloth with approx. 4” sticking out of the ground to attach to the lower perimeter board.
Our previous coop we used larger wire fencing, and it prevented more than one racoon from getting through!
Sue R. says
Thank you.
angie davy says
Wow! love your coop!
Almost makes me want to get chickens again.
Lauren says
I’d love to know more about this waterer! Especially the de-icer! My ladies drink out of a heated dog water bowl in the winter, which works, but is ALWAYS dirty. How can I build something like this?
Mama Cook says
Thanks for all of the sweet comments! This coop makes caring for chickens SO MUCH easier and more fun!
I’ll get some details on the waterer and post another comment. Oh…and the de-icer!!!
☺️
Adam says
Mama cook- thank you for sharing your pictures and story. Beautiful! I was wondering if you were about to share your de-icer tricks? I would love to not go through another Wisconsin winter worrying about water freezing up!
Thank you again!
Melissa says
Mama Cook thank you for sharing your chicken coop! It is amazing. I hope you will share your apiary stories with us. I love love bees!
Becky says
Wonderful coop! Can’t wait to see your other projects as you complete them!
Gina Kitchens says
I LOVE your coop! I would love to know the pattern, and like everyone else, the water system. Your flock is very spoiled. Thank you for sharing.
Lace Faerie says
Wow! What a gorgeous poultry palace!! Makes me wish I had chickens again! Thank you for sharing your HH’s wonderful handiwork! I hope we will get to hear more as you put your mark on the rest of your little acre of heaven!
Ellen in Clackamas says
I’m curious about how you get into the coop to clean it. It looks like it is several feet off the ground. Do you put a ladder up? It it tall enough to stand up in? I do really like the look of it.
Robyn says
If you have the plans for this coop, I would love to build it! It is just what I have been looking for! What an amazing coop!
Hannah Johnson says
I would also love the plans for this coop to use for my school coop! Seems very accessible for my students.
Kerry Moore says
Your coop is gorgeous and we are trying to build one similar. Would you mind sharing your plans?
Thank You!
Miriam Schmid says
Mama Cook what a beautiful coop. As others have mentioned I too am curious about the de-icer. I’m looking at building our first coop for our chickens we are getting next spring. My biggest concern is the water freezing and the nipples not working. If you do have the plans that would be great too. Sounds like you guys have a wonderful area.