Newcomers to chicken keeping take real pride in their first coop Some are simple and functional; others, built by people who love design and carpentry, end up downright elaborate, matching the architecture of the house so the hens live in genuinely classy digs But no matter how comfortable and attractive your main coop is, having a second, backup coop ready for instant use is one of the handiest things a keeper can have on hand It doesn’t get used all the time, and it doesn’t need to be big, expensive, or elaborate It just needs to be there when