Our Coop

I love a good DIY or upcycling project. My husband? Not so much. He’d rather build something from scratch. So, when our chicks started outgrowing their brooder, I did what I do best: I started planning.

I dove into the world of chicken coop plans, compared lumber prices, scoured secondhand options, and even looked at ready-made coops. After all my research, my husband stumbled upon an unfinished Amish-built coop for sale. He took one look at it and said, “Between the cost of lumber and the time it would take me to build this—considering I’ve never built a chicken coop before—this is worth it.”

And honestly, he was right. The Amish builders clearly knew what they were doing. They build a couple of these at a time, so it was a complete setup: coop, ramp, roosts—the works. All we had to do was finish it ourselves.
The DIY Touch: Customizing Our Coop

With our chicks still inside the house, we got to work. First, we stained the outside with Australian Teak Oil to highlight the rough-sawn lumber that the Amish had chosen. Inside, I used some leftover house paint to seal the inside wood and make it easier to clean.

 

But my favorite part? Using leftover laminate flooring from our kitchen remodel to line the coop floor. It’s easy to clean, replaceable, and protects the wood underneath. I sealed the edges with silicone to prevent any moisture from sneaking under—this little step is going to save me a lot of headaches in the long run.

 

Resisting the Cute Factor
Now, don’t get me wrong—I was tempted. I mean, who doesn't love those adorable Pinterest-worthy coops with curtains, string lights, and cute little decor accents? I definitely had a moment where I thought, “Should I add some little chicken curtains or fairy lights?” But then reality set in. I know I’m never going to wash curtains for the chickens, we don’t have power for lights, and... let’s be honest, I’m pretty sure the chickens and I have very different tastes when it comes to decor.

Getting the Coop Ready for the Chicks

 Once everything was sealed and dry, it was time to move the chicks into their new home... inside our garage. They still needed a heat lamp for warmth, and I was more than ready to get them out of my office. Those little guys had figured out how to hop up onto the edge of their brooder and leave "gifts" on the floor. Daily. Sometimes hourly.

Next up:

I’ll share how we moved the coop to its final location!