We’ve all seen the Pinterest chicken coops of our dreams. I’m not knocking those beautifully designed coops that have more stately architecture than a million dollar home. I think many of us envy that luxurious coop in the backyard. That being said, we cannot all achieve such coops, but we can look for thrifty ways to get pretty close!
Here are a few ways you can redecorate your coop on a budget this year, making you and your chickens a little happier!
Old Windows
Old windows, taken from old houses during renovation, are easy to spot on any online advertising agency. They often sell for as cheap as $5-$10 per window. Some contractors will even give these old windows away if you’re nice to them! You can find acrylic markers or India ink affordably online. Why not make a custom window painting of your flock, with your own artwork? You can customize it and paint members of your own farm. I guarantee it’ll make you smile on a rainy day!
I’ve painted several windows for folks who hung them inside their coop! Just apply a couple layers of varnish to the painted window to seal in the art forever. Hang the window in front of an existing interior coop window, or on a side of the run that gets good sun. You’ll have your very own stained glass window!
Dried Plants
Hanging wreaths or dried plants in your coop gives a homey, cozy feel. Used as both a decoration and an insect repellent, dried plants are a quick updo! Be sure to select herbs that are safe for the chickens to eat if they happen to be able to reach them. Hang bundles of fresh spearmint, tarragon,sage, oregano, marjoram, basil, or lavender along walls or fencing. (Please do not eat the herb yourself if they have been in the coop drying, but your hens can eat it!)
Signage
Whether you are a collector of antique metal signs, or like something more modern, signs can really make a coop more attractive. Don’t be afraid to paint your own sign, or even paint the a mural on the wall! I feel like sometimes people are afraid to try something bold and unique, and once they do, it gives other people inspiration to be more creative as well! I’d love to see more chicken coop murals from artist homesteaders out there!
Beautiful Branches
A free- way to make your coop feel more homey, is to add tree branches you’ve collected to the environment. Go outside and look for branches wide enough to support chicken feet. Get several different lengths and construct a sort of jungle gym for your flock. The tree branches will add a new place of interest in your coop, as well as be good physically and mentally for the birds.
Up-cycled Coop Parts
My parents’ used this idea to spruce their coop up, so I’m giving them a shoutout-although they probably weren’t the first to do so! Repurposing some old nesting boxes, works as a cute flower box, when attached to the exterior wall of the coop.
Outdoor Plants
Decorate your coop by planting chicken friendly plants along the border wall of the run. You may also stagger some plants nestled in colorful planter pots to add some pops of color. The challenge then comes in knowing what plants the chickens will not eat, but also will not get sick from. Here are a few safe options:
- Roses
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Sagebrush
- Cedar Branches
- Butterfly Bush
- Mint
Mixed Mulch Flooring
One of the nastiest places in a coop, is usually the chicken run. The “run” refers to the outdoor space fenced in for the chickens. This floor, often just earth, can quickly become an eye sore and a nose sore! The chickens can’t help it if they are in the run most of the time. One easy way to combat this issue and do it frugally, is by offering the chickens different areas with different flooring. Perhaps one half of the coop floor has mulch or pine straw. A thick layer of either will give them something to scratch around in, and keep down the mud. Also, you can consider a corner with dry dirt or course sand (please not sandbox sand as the silica is bad for them), making a dust bath area. Sprinkle in some diatomaceous earth lightly onto their dust bath and it will tremendously help in mite prevention! Lastly, consider a scratching corner for your girls. I like to go and pick some weeds or brush for my hens on days they are cooped up.
Creativity is the spice of life. Being thrifty requires ingenuity; it requires thinking upside the box, a trait which many of us chicken people possess! I hope I have encouraged you with some affordable items to express yourself and make your chicken coop uniquely yours!