Hen House: A Backyard Project

Building Our Backyard Chicken Coop: Raising Chicks in the City

Our chicks are now about six weeks old, and it's amazing how quickly they've grown. The fluffy little chicks we brought home are beginning to look like real chickens as their feathers continue filling in. Every week brings new personalities, new adventures, and a little more confidence as they explore their surroundings.

One of our biggest projects has been finishing their new chicken coop. I wanted to give them plenty of room to scratch, roost, and stay protected from both the weather and neighborhood predators. The coop still needs one final touch—a door leading up to the loft—but it's exciting to see everything coming together.

Building a Comfortable Chicken Coop

When designing a backyard chicken coop, I tried to keep a few simple goals in mind:

• Plenty of fresh air for good ventilation.
• Protection from rain, heat, and predators.
• Enough room for the flock to move comfortably.
• Elevated roosting space where the chickens could sleep safely at night.
• Easy access for cleaning and collecting eggs once they began laying.

One of my favorite additions was the homemade ladder leading to the loft. Rather than buying one, I used bamboo poles attached to a piece of lumber. It fit the rustic look perfectly and gave the chickens an easy way to climb to their roost.

Healthy Treats for Backyard Chickens

The girls thoroughly enjoyed a special summertime treat—watermelon! Watching them peck away at the juicy fruit was almost as entertaining as watching children with their first slice of watermelon.

Fresh watermelon is mostly water, making it a refreshing snack during hot Texas summers. Like any treat, it should be offered in moderation alongside a balanced chicken feed, but it's a fun way to help keep the flock cool during extreme heat.

Looking at these pictures still makes me laugh. After spending the afternoon buried in watermelon, several of the girls looked like they'd just finished a day at the spa. Jessy may have enjoyed herself just a little too much—I don't think I've ever seen such a round little chicken!

One of the greatest joys of raising backyard chickens isn't just collecting fresh eggs. It's watching their unique personalities emerge. Every chicken is a little different, and before long you'll find yourself recognizing each one long before she reaches the coop.

The chickens are 1.5 months old now and growing fast. Got most of their feathers.

I've finished the coop. Just need to build a door that leads to their loft.

Cleopatra.

Like my ladder? I used bamboo and glued it for rails on a piece of lumber.

Chelsea.

The girls have been eating watermelon all day.

You'll have to excuse them. They didn't know their picture would be taken today. Didn't have time to clean up after that watermelon bath!

I think Jessy took a swim. If you look closely, you can tell she's been pigging out. Her gut is really sticking out!