I have been thinking of a raising some chickens at our house in Ojai. What I have discovered is that I am not the only one. I stumbled onto a web sight; Backyard Chickens, which boasts over 35,000 followers!
Here are some of there examples of little chicken houses.
This is the chicken "coop-de-villa" I love the bumper sticker!
How about a chicken village?
What is up with all this chicken stuff and what do chickens actually do in there?
What happens is you start with the little cutie above and you end up with Fog Horn Leg Horn below.
Who doesn't remember Martha Stewart and her love affair with her Arauncana chickens. She created the most amazing fan deck of paint colors from the eggs of her chickens. I cannot believe the variety and creativity of some of these little houses. Next thing you know, we will be seeing HGTV's "rate my chicken coop"!
It also seems there is quite a bit of work involved in the keeping of chickens, in order for them to be happy and to actually lay. Sort of like "The Real Housewives of Rural America" a new reality series...I am so cracking myself up.
Most are designed like little play houses with a few walls and a sleeping loft for laying. Am I experiencing Chicken porn? Quite a few are movable in order to utilize the chicken droppings as fertilizer to keep the pecking areas clean. I'm not even going there....
I love how the one above has a ramp from the bunk/barn house to the play/pecking area below. A pretty simple design and is cute also. Chicken nirvana at last!
The real gem of a chicken house was Martha's Palais de Poulet seen below. Just beautiful. Thanks Martha, for the chicken house of my dreams.
~*~kelley
Growing up my grandmother (paternal) raised chickens, and she had her favorites, which she named. I remember her entire back yard being nothing but interesting ladders, and huts for the chickens to "roost", but they scared me. In fact - the closest I ever came was handing my grandmother an easter baby chick that had been dyed green for Easter, and even that I was scared to touch. LOL! Good luck with your chickens if you decide to raise them! :) I'll make sure to visit from afar! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Artie, love your Chicken story, almost eveyone has one...so funny!
ReplyDeleteI just can't get into the whole raising chicken thing. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteBut I do love a good fried egg sandwich,tho.
I'm infected with the chicken flu also. Now a just need my hubby to come down with it.
ReplyDeleteI jumped into the chicken thing with both feet and 50 baby chicks 5 years ago when we move to our little land!
ReplyDeleteI had been dreaming and discussing this little petting zoo for years!
50 is to many!!! 1st lesson, 2nd --chickens are fun and messy! Not always the cropped perfect picture!!
Less is more in this case (for me, that is!)
I'm down to 11 little ladies, who at 5years old are considered aged.
They are happy girls, who still lay enough eggs for our family!
Ahhh, but the memories they have made for my city kids I moved to the country!
Stacey
www.downtoearthdigs.wordpress.com