We have all scrolled past those Pinterest-perfect chicken coops, the ones with more charm and architecture than some houses. They are beautiful, and a little enviable, but here is the good news: you do not need a designer budget to give your flock a cozy, welcoming home. With a little creativity and some thrifty know-how, you can decorate your chicken coop on a budget and end up with a space that makes both you and your hens happier. If you have ever wanted your setup to match the dreamy builds in your coop inspiration folder, these seven do-it-yourself ideas are a great place to start, and most of them use salvaged, secondhand, or free materials.

1. Repurpose Old Windows into Coop Art

Old windows are one of the easiest and most charming additions to a coop. Salvaged from home renovations, they pop up constantly on local marketplace listings. Salvaged windows often sell for just $5 to $10, and some contractors will give them away free if you ask nicely.

Here is where the fun starts. Using affordable acrylic markers or India ink, you can paint a custom scene on the glass, maybe a portrait of your own flock. Seal the art with a couple of coats of varnish, then hang the window in front of an existing coop window or along a sunny side of the run. The result is your very own backyard stained glass, and it is guaranteed to make you smile on a rainy day. I have painted plenty of these for fellow chicken keepers, and they never get old.

2. Add Dried Herbs and Wreaths

Hanging dried herbs or a simple wreath instantly warms up a coop, and it pulls double duty. Dried herbs add a homey, cozy touch while naturally helping to repel insects. Bundle up fresh sprigs and hang them along walls or fencing to dry in place.

Stick to chicken-safe herbs, since your hens may nibble anything they can reach. Good options include spearmint, tarragon, sage, oregano, marjoram, basil, and lavender. One word of warning: do not use herbs for yourself after they have been hanging in the coop, but your chickens are welcome to them.

3. Put Up Signs or Paint a Coop Mural

Signage is a simple way to give your coop a personality of its own. Whether you love antique metal signs or something more modern, a well-placed sign adds instant character. A hand-painted sign or a wall mural adds personality for the cost of a little paint.

Do not be afraid to go bold here. Paint your own sign, or take it a step further with a mural right on the coop wall. A lot of people hesitate to try something creative, but the ones who do tend to inspire everyone around them. If painting is not your style, you can also browse ready-made poultry merchandise and signs to add a finishing touch.

4. Build a Branch Jungle Gym

This one is completely free and good for your birds. Sturdy tree branches make free perches that keep chickens active and mentally stimulated. Head outside and gather branches thick enough to support chicken feet, in a few different lengths.

Arrange them at varying heights to build a little jungle gym inside the coop or run. Your flock gets a new place to perch, explore, and roost, which is great for both their physical health and their natural instincts to climb and survey their surroundings.

5. Upcycle Old Coop Parts

Before you toss out worn coop components, look for a second life for them. An old nesting box mounts easily to the coop wall and becomes a charming flower box. My parents did exactly this to spruce up their setup, and it adds a sweet, finished touch.

Upcycling is the heart of thrifty coop decorating. Old buckets, crates, pallets, and hardware can all be repurposed into planters, storage, or decor with a little imagination and a coat of paint. And if your coop itself has seen better days, starting fresh with a ready-made chicken coop gives you a clean canvas to decorate.

6. Plant a Chicken-Friendly Garden Around the Run

Greenery around the run softens the whole look and adds welcome pops of color. Plant chicken-friendly varieties along the border of the run, and tuck a few colorful planter pots into the mix. Chicken-safe plants like roses, lavender, rosemary, and mint add color without putting your flock’s health at risk. A few safe options to consider:

• Roses
• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Sagebrush
• Cedar branches
• Butterfly bush
• Mint

The trick is choosing plants your chickens will not be harmed by, even if they decide to take a bite. When in doubt, confirm a plant is non-toxic before adding it near your flock. For more ideas on growing alongside your birds, our gardening section is full of inspiration.

7. Create Mixed Coop Flooring and a Dust Bath

The chicken run is often the messiest part of any setup. That bare-earth floor can quickly turn into a muddy, smelly eyesore, especially since your hens spend so much time there. The fix is simple and cheap: give them a few different flooring zones.

Cover part of the run with a thick layer of mulch or pine straw, which cuts down on mud and gives the birds something to scratch through. Set aside a dry corner with loose dirt or coarse sand for a dust bath, and avoid fine play sand, which is high in silica dust that can harm their lungs. For natural mite control, dust the bathing area lightly with food-grade diatomaceous earth. Finally, add a scratching corner with fresh weeds or brush on days your flock is stuck inside. Good drainage and a thoughtful floor plan go a long way, and you can find more setup tips in our coop and run housing section.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I decorate my chicken coop on a budget?

You can decorate a chicken coop affordably using salvaged and repurposed materials. Popular budget ideas include painting salvaged old windows, hanging dried herbs and wreaths, adding signs or a hand-painted mural, building perches from tree branches, upcycling old coop parts into planters, and planting a chicken-friendly garden around the run. Most of these projects cost little to nothing.

What plants are safe to add to a chicken coop or run?

Several plants are generally considered safe to grow around chickens, including roses, lavender, rosemary, sagebrush, cedar, butterfly bush, and mint. Chicken-safe herbs like sage, oregano, marjoram, basil, tarragon, and spearmint are also good choices. Always confirm a plant is non-toxic before adding it near your flock, since chickens may nibble whatever they can reach.

Is sand safe for a chicken dust bath?

Coarse sand or loose, dry dirt works well for a chicken dust bath. Avoid fine play or sandbox sand, which is high in silica dust that can irritate or damage a chicken’s lungs. Many keepers add a light dusting of food-grade diatomaceous earth to the dust bath to help control mites naturally.

How do I stop my chicken run from getting muddy?

To reduce mud in a chicken run, cover the floor with a thick layer of mulch or pine straw, which absorbs moisture and gives chickens something to scratch through. Creating separate zones, such as a dust-bath corner and a scratching area, also helps. Good drainage and regularly refreshing the bedding keep the run cleaner and less smelly.

Are dried herbs good for chicken coops?

Yes. Dried herbs make a homey decoration and can help naturally repel insects in the coop. Hang chicken-safe herbs like mint, lavender, sage, and oregano along walls or fencing. As a bonus, your hens can safely nibble on many of these herbs if they reach them.

Creativity really is the spice of life, and being thrifty just takes a little ingenuity, something most chicken keepers have in spades. With salvaged windows, dried herbs, upcycled odds and ends, and a few well-chosen plants, you can make your chicken coop uniquely yours without spending a fortune. And once your coop is looking its coziest, the best finishing touch is a happy, healthy flock to fill it. Hoover’s Hatchery offers healthy baby chicks in more than 200 breeds to call your homey coop home.