Did you know that more and more people are raising their own backyard chickens because of COVID-19? Many breeds of hens can be highly productive in laying eggs.
That means you know exactly where your food source is coming from with both dairy and poultry.
Hybrids like California Whites and Golden Comets produce 250-300 eggs each year. The same goes for Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds. Plymouth Rocks produce 200-250 eggs per year.
If you’re a seasoned pro and have had a henhouse for quite some time, or you’re considering building a henhouse for the first time, read more to learn about three unique henhouse ideas.
1. The Smart Chicken Coop
Most people have turned their homes into “smart homes” already and you can do the same with your chicken coop. Building a chicken coop in the modern world can be quite adventurous and there’s a new trend that has a lot of people buzzing.
A smart chicken coop can do just about anything you want. You can have video surveillance over the whole henhouse. You might be halfway around the world on vacation and still keep an eye on your henhouse from your cellphone.
You can also open the door from the mobile app on your phone while the water and food are replenished automatically.
2. The Poulet
The slang term for police in French is poulet, which means chicken in proper French language. An artist by the name of Benedetto Burfalina repurposed an old police car from the 1970s and made it into a chicken coop.
He gutted the whole car out and installed a wooden floor. He then propped open the trunk and put in the chicken wire on all of the openings.
He extended the reach of the police car henhouse by opening the front doors and putting in a floor from the door to the bottom of the car. You can do this too with any kind of car.
3. The Choo-Choo Train
The choo-choo train chicken coop is a great idea. You can make it and old fashioned style locomotive or an updated contemporary cruiser. The old school locomotive is the more popular choice. It can house 3-4 chickens.
There’s a double-top door to gather eggs while also being able to change the food and water. Wagon wheels that pose as train wheels round out this design and give it a classic touch.
It’s Not All Roses in the Henhouse
Building a chicken coop can have some complications. Yes, you’ll yield a lot of eggs to feed your family and possibly sell to the locals. However, you’ll have to keep them safe from predators and they only have about two years of peak laying time.
Uniqueness
Now that you’ve got a few unique henhouse ideas you can get started on building it. In these unsteady times due to COVID-19, building your own chicken coop might be a great idea to help your family.
Check out our homestead blog for more unique ideas.
