Nikki from West Virginia’s Chicken Coop Pictures

Have I ever told you I LOVE getting emails loaded with your garden and chickens photos and stories? Check out the photos {and the story behind them} Nikki from West Virginia recently sent in:

Mavis,
I love, love, love reading your one hundred dollars a month blog! I am so envious of your free food photos. Here in Southwest Virginia, I have visited all of my local markets begging for “chicken scraps” to no avail! Our major grocery chains are “not allowed” to save unused produce or it’s already spoken for by local rescue missions. I have resorted to just growing extra in my raised bed garden, and pallet salad bed- which I also got inspiration from you.

Anyhoo…..I am writing to show off my chicken coop. It has taken a lot of hard work. I am a bit OCD like yourself, so once I get a vision I am on a mission to finish it like a crazy person!

We live on two acres on top of a mountain overlooking the Roanoke Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains, so we named our coop Bella Vista (beautiful view). It houses fourteen hens (Red sexlinks, Copper Marans, White Rocks, Eastereggers and one crazy White Crested Polish). I am a newbie to chickens with this being my first flock. I will start getting eggs around mid June. I have been doing research and talking “chicken” with whoever will listen for the past year, so the first egg will be an exciting day!

Ok, so onto the coop detais. We built the coop behind our house so that it butts up to our dog fence. The dogs will scare away any predator that may try to have a chicken dinner! The coop is 8×8 interior with 8×16 run (8 ft. under with 8 ft covered run) I tried to only use re-purposed material as much as possible. I scrounged new construction site dumpsters for anything I could use. I saved a lot of money, but some things had to be purchased new like plywood for roof, T1-11 siding, and hardware cloth.

Most all lumber was “culled” (no chicken pun intended) lumber from Lowes for 50% Off. Shingles from Craigslist, exterior door from Habitat and windows- free from awesome replacement window guy!

And the BEST free things….. coop screen door from my grandmother’s garage and an old plate rack shelf for the Bella Vista Eggs sign from my great granny’s house. It makes me all warm and fuzzy to see them ever day. They would have loved it!

My computer geek husband even installed a coop cam so I can check in on the ladies from work. My co-workers think I’m crazy! …. Ha! If they only knew!

I hope you enjoy my coop as much as I enjoy your website!
Sincerely, Nikki

Gardening in Oklahoma – Raised Garden Beds + a Potato Tower

If you would like to have your garden, chicken coop 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 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.

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.

Go  HERE for the official rules.