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Custom coops
for happy city chickens

palila

We've had urban backyard chickens for years

We love chickens. They are clever, funny, and make you breakfast! Keeping happy and productive chickens in dense urban areas like Chicago require creative solutions to make the most of our limited outdoor space and contend with the intense weather.

We are constantly tinkering with and rebuilding our own coops to better meet the needs of our flock and our household. Our custom designs include all the features we have found that make keeping chickens an easy and enjoyable experience.

You don't need a lot of space to keep chickens in the city

We can design a coop to fit the tight and uniquely awkward outdoor space you have available.  A coop can be built to go under a porch or staircase, beside a garage or on a rooftop, while an attached run gives your chickens safe access to the outdoors.

Our coops have large doors that open into the run to simplify cleaning while keeping your chickens contained. The runs have solid roofs that protect your flock from hawks looking for an easy meal and keep the ground dry, reducing odors and minimizing flies.

A first flock of 3-5 chickens will need 4 square feet of indoor space per chicken and a run that's twice that size. By building the coop on stilts, we can shrink the footprint and give your chickens a cozy outdoor area underneath that stays cool in the summer and is protected from wind in the winter. Your chickens will be happy in all weather without taking up a lot of space.

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Keeping happy and productive chickens in the city requires creative and unique solutions

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We'll keep your chickens comfortable in all weather

  • Fully insulated coops reduce the risk of fire from heaters.

  • Reinforced runs keep your chickens safe from raccoons, hawks and other predators.

  • Lining the ground under the run with mesh keeps rats from tunneling in.

Produce your own eggs while protecting your chickens from Bird Flu

We can't eliminate all risk to you and your chickens from avian influenza/H5N1. However, a solid roof on the outdoor run reduces the chances that your chickens will be exposed to the droppings of wild birds that could be carriers of Bird Flu.

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Frequently Asked Questions

I want chickens! What do I do?

Keeping urban chickens is a fun and rewarding adventure! The best (and cutest) way to start is with baby chicks. On the north side of Chicago, you can buy chicks and all their essentials from Belmont Feed and Seed on 3036 W Belmont Ave. Chicks need to live indoors in a contained space for the first few weeks to keep them warm and protected before they move to their permanent coop. You can easily put together a simple brooder at home from a large plastic tote--check online for ideas! 

Your adorable little chicks will grow into rebellious teenage chickens very quickly, so contact us soon to discuss building a custom coop for your new feathered friends!

 
What is the process for designing and building a coop?

We'll set up a time to visit the location where you want the coop to be so we can discuss your needs and take some measurements. We'll then make on a 3D rendering of the coop and run that fit your vision and work with you to make revisions. Once you've approved our design, we'll build most components off-site and assemble them in place.

How long would it take to have a finished coop and run?

For a simple design, we can go from a first discussion to it being ready for chickens in a couple of weeks.

How much does a custom coop cost?

Most of the cost of the coop and run will come from materials. We'll send you an estimate for materials and labor with the design. A simple coop and run for 4 chickens installed at ground level will cost around $1k.

We ask for 50% of payment when you approve the design and the rest on delivery.