Keeping Chickens Without a Fancy Coop: 20 Years of Making Do

If you've spent any time looking at chicken-keeping pictures online, you've probably seen some pretty impressive setups. Beautiful wooden coops, elaborate runs, automatic doors, and all the accessories you could imagine.

And there's nothing wrong with any of that. A well-built coop can be a wonderful thing.

But after keeping chickens for more than 20 years, I've learned that you don't necessarily need a fancy coop or an expensive setup to keep a flock.

Most of my chicken-keeping life has involved using what we already had, repurposing old structures, and figuring things out as we went along.

My coops haven't always been pretty, but they've worked for us. And over the years, I've learned that a little creativity and a willingness to make repairs can go a long way.

My First Chicken Coop Was an Old Recycling Station

When I first got chickens, I didn't go out and buy a coop. Instead, I used an old recycling station that had been used by the community to drop off their recyclables.

It already had a roof, a floor, and half walls, so it gave us a good starting point.

My son and I used plywood to enclose the rest of the structure. We built some simple laying boxes and a roost, and before long, we had a functional chicken coop.

For the run, I repurposed a dog pen that we had built for a dog who had passed away. We added some chicken wire, and that became the outdoor area for the chickens.

It wasn't fancy, but it worked.

When we moved, the coop came with us. I continued using it at our new place, and it served us until December of last year.

That's a pretty good run for something that started out as a recycling station.

When Your Flock Grows, So Does Your Coop

Over the years, I expanded my flock, and the original coop eventually grew into a maze of additional structures.

Instead of tearing everything down and starting over, I kept adding to what I already had.

That's been a recurring theme in my chicken-keeping experience. When something needs to change, I look at what materials are available and figure out how to make them work.

Of course, that doesn't mean every improvised structure is automatically suitable for chickens. A coop still needs to provide adequate space, protection from the weather, good ventilation, and a secure place for the birds to roost and lay their eggs.

But those things don't necessarily require an expensive, professionally built structure.

Sometimes they just require a little planning and some creative building.

Our Current Chicken Setup

At our current place, I'm using part of an old shed for the coop.

We cut a door into the back so the chickens can go directly into their run, which was already fenced off as a garden area.

Once again, we're making use of something that was already here rather than building an entirely new structure.

It's not a picture-perfect chicken setup, but it serves its purpose.

And that's really the approach I've taken over the years: start with what you have, figure out what needs to be changed, and improve things as you go.

Living With Predators

One thing you learn pretty quickly when you keep chickens in Colorado is that you're sharing the land with a lot of other animals.

Over the years, we've lived with skunks, raccoons, bears, coyotes, foxes, hawks, and owls.

Predators are part of keeping chickens, and they can certainly cause problems.

At our old place, we had Gambel oak brush and other bushes that provided some natural cover for the chickens.

Here, we don't have that kind of vegetation yet, so I've had to think a little differently about protecting the flock.

For now, I make sure they have places where they can duck out of sight and take cover from hawks and owls.

We've also learned that keeping chickens safe requires paying attention to the places predators might get into a coop or run and making repairs when something needs attention.

I've never had a perfect, professionally designed setup. I've had to rely on a little creativity, some building skills, and a willingness to patch things up when necessary.

One thing worth remembering is that ordinary chicken wire is primarily meant to keep chickens contained, not to stop determined predators. Secure latches, sturdy barriers, and appropriate predator-resistant materials matter, especially where raccoons and other animals are present.

When Predators Become a Problem

Over the years, we've had our share of predator problems. One of the worst was a skunk problem we had years ago.

We had an entire family of skunks getting into the chicken area, and they all but wiped out my flock. It was a pretty devastating experience. We ended up trapping eight skunks in less than two weeks.

That experience certainly made me pay closer attention to how the chickens were housed and where predators might be getting in.

A few years ago, we had another incident involving a bear. It found an opening in the run and managed to get inside, killing one hen that was roosting outside the coop.

Thankfully, the rest of the flock was safe inside.

Both experiences were reminders that even when you use what you have and make things work, you still need to pay attention to the security of your setup. A gap in a fence or an unsecured opening can become a problem, especially when you're sharing the property with wildlife.

I've never had a perfect, professionally designed setup. I've had to rely on a little creativity, some building skills, and a willingness to patch things up when necessary.

Getting Chickens Through Colorado Winters

Colorado winters can be cold and snowy, and keeping chickens comfortable through the winter is something I take seriously.

I don't heat my chicken coop.

Instead, I focus on keeping the coop from becoming too drafty while still making sure it has good ventilation.

Chickens need protection from harsh weather, but closing up a coop too tightly can allow moisture to build up inside. Good ventilation helps remove that moisture.

I also pay attention to the conditions around the coop and make adjustments when needed.

Every setup is different, and what works in one climate or location might not be appropriate somewhere else. Our winters are a big part of why I think about shelter and ventilation the way I do.

A Brooder Made From an Old Wooden Box

My chicken brooder is another example of using what we already have.

I started with a wooden box and modified it by adding hardware cloth and a door. I also drilled a hole in the back to run the cords for the heat plate.

It's a simple setup, but it gives me a place to raise chicks before they're ready to move into their next space.

Of course, a brooder still needs to be secure, easy to clean, and appropriate for the number and age of the chicks. The heat source also needs to be used according to its instructions and set up safely.

But I didn't need to purchase a completely new brooder to get started.

I was able to take something we already had and adapt it for a different purpose.

A Few More Things I Make or Repurpose

Over the years, I've found that some of the smaller pieces of chicken-keeping equipment can be homemade or repurposed, too.

Feeders

I have a couple of bucket feeders that I made myself.

I also use a trough-style feeder made from PVC pipe cut in half for fermented feed.

Different feeding setups work for different situations, and I've found it useful to have options depending on what I'm feeding the chickens.

Waterers

This is one area where I do spend money.

I buy heated waterers for winter because Colorado temperatures can get extremely cold.

Having a reliable way to keep water available during freezing weather is worth it to me.

It's a good reminder that making do doesn't mean you have to make everything yourself. Sometimes buying a particular piece of equipment is simply the practical choice.

Isolation and Temporary Housing

If I need to separate a chicken from the flock or temporarily confine one, I use old dog crates or a puppy pen.

These can be useful for short-term situations, provided they're appropriate for the bird's size and needs and offer adequate protection, ventilation, and space.

Again, I look at what I already have before buying something new.

Making Do Doesn't Mean Cutting Corners

I want to make one thing clear: using what you have doesn't mean overlooking the needs of your chickens.

They still need adequate space, clean water, appropriate feed, protection from predators, shelter from the weather, and a safe place to roost and lay eggs.

A structure that works well for one flock might not be suitable for another.

And sometimes the safest or most practical choice is to buy something specifically designed for the job.

But I don't think keeping chickens has to mean buying every new product or building the most elaborate coop you can find.

There are plenty of ways to make use of existing materials while still providing for the needs of your birds.

The key is knowing where you can improvise and where you need to be more careful.

You Don't Need a Picture-Perfect Chicken Setup

After more than 20 years of keeping chickens, I've learned that there isn't just one way to do it.

I've used an old recycling station, a repurposed dog pen, pieces of other structures, and now part of an old shed.

I've made feeders, adapted a brooder, and used dog crates when I needed to separate birds.

Some things have worked better than others, and I'm still making adjustments as our needs change.

That's just part of keeping animals.

So if you're thinking about getting chickens but feel overwhelmed by all the expensive coops and elaborate setups you see online, remember that you can start with what you have.

Take a good look at your property, the materials available to you, and what your chickens actually need.

You might be surprised at what you can put together.

And if your chicken coop ends up looking a little more like a collection of repurposed structures than a picture-perfect homestead centerpiece, well, that's okay, too.

Sometimes the best setup is simply the one that works for you and keeps your chickens safe and comfortable.

A Little Note From My Homestead

I'd love to hear about your chicken setups, too. Have you built a coop from scratch, repurposed an old shed, or found a way to use something you already had?

There's a lot we can learn from sharing the practical things that work in real life.