Decorate Your Chicken Coop With Fun
Once you have your backyard chicken coop in place, you must not forget decor details. It does not matter what kind of chicken coop you have built or modified, you must add a little fun with details. Chicken coops are usually a small charming structure, which lend themselves to fanciful decorative touches in any style you prefer.
Elements like paint color, flea market finds, pots, signs, tools, barrels, repurposed treasures can all reinforce the style and look you seek for your chicken coop. Just take a moment to reflect that anything you do, add, or expose your chickens to will be safe for them. I do not decorate inside my chicken coop, only the outside.
Our chicken coop is a rustic style, in a country setting. Some of the decorative touches I used early on, and some have evolved over the years. Here are a few of our chicken coop embellishments that add to its charm.
Planted a showy climbing vine, on one side of the chicken coop. This vine is very happy, and has climbed up and over to the front side of the chicken coop. Planting vines and greenery soften your chicken coop, and add to its appeal.
Planted narcissus bulbs which bloom in winter, along side of the outside chicken pen. One year I planted foxgloves which were gorgeous, but eventually realized they were poisonous and not the best near our chickens, or in our garden. I like to have something colorful blooming in that spot for each season.
Mounted a working “Chicken Weathervane” on top of the roof. You can purchase on the internet weathervanes in wonderful designs, which are scaled down in size for small buildings.
Pair of blooming tree roses greet you, in front of the chicken coop front door. One year, one tree rose was a gopher casualty, but I was able to find another one and replace it.
Whimsical “Farm Fresh Eggs” sign, a gift from my brother and his family.
Vintage hen statuary and potted chicken feeder mimic the real life of our chickens behind them.
Foxgloves Are Pretty, But Poisonous If Ingested
If you have other decor ideas for chicken coops, please share in comments.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I just recently finished my hillside hen house in Los Angeles. being a designer ment that the hen house should be as charming as any humans dwelling. This ment finding reclaimation pieces such as old leaded windows and a great old wooden glass pane door that screamed chicken farmer. My husband who loves wine donated some of his wooden fine wine cases and we made nesting boxes out of them with the woodburned winery names placed in front .
The Verde green stain of the wood work was so important and old reclaimed rusty galvenized sheet metal for the shed roof gave the hen house instant charactor and drama.
I must say doing the design of this was as much fun as one could have. Perhaps I wish that I had been one of those spoiled girls with a full scale playhouse growing up. Maybe I suffer from arrested development or mayby I just want happy chickens?
My only regret is that it took so long to convince my husband for us to have one. I highly recomend it to all.
Bravo Linda, thanks for sharing your descriptive words and materials for your chicken coop. How about a photo. Welcome to the wonderful world of chickens….VintageGardenGal
I have just discovered your site. I have just put together an old shed that shall be my new chook house. They’re currently in a series of hutches, which I refer to as “Chicken Town”! My lord, your chook house is so beautiful (and what a beautiful setting). I was going down the track of simple and practical, but after seeing yours…well, I have completely changed my plans. I want beauty, and my girls deserve it. Most of them are rescue chooks, so why not! Thank you for such a beautiful, inspiring site.
Rebecca
NZ
Rebecca, is a chook in NZ a chicken? Many thanks for your wonderful comment. I would encourage you to create a very beautiful chook house!
VintageGardenGal
Haha, indeed, in NZ (and Australia) a chook is a chicken :O) Not only have I altered my plans for my chook house, but I am now re-planning my entire farmyard. It’s always been missing that elusive “something”, and now I know what that is…beauty. I thank you.
Bravo, Rebecca! Keep us posted! VintageGardenGal
I love the idea of a vintage chicken coop…I have had my chickens almost a year now and they lay 3 to 4 eggs daily. I only have 4 chickens for the space in my yard……….4 is enough. I use hay on the bottom of the coop. I find it easier to clean that way. I planted a grape vine to cover my coop. I found the chickens love grapes so I never have enough for myself! That’s ok though, because I get so much enjoyment from the girls! They run loose for several hours during the day or afternoon, but they will eat all the veggies so I have to build a nice little fence around anything I want to keep.
Janet, thanks for sharing about your chickens. Yes, chickens like grapes and vegetable gardens! Thanks for your wonderful comment…VintageGardenGal
Hi, We are getting into “chicken world” thanks to my 14 y.o. son who wants to have hens. We are building the hen house/small corral. He wants to get a pair of silkies, an possible Amerucanas.. Roosters are not allow in our city. Thanks for posting all of your wonderful ideas. they are very handy, specially the ones about the nesting box, and the roosting bars.
Clauda, thanks for sharing your wonderful comment…VintageGardenGal
I have a health question for the vetran chicken owners. It seems that my hens have very wet poops and very dirty back ends I think its referred to as the vent? Is this normal and what can I do to clean them up. Do I give them a chicken bath or trim the feathers around that area?Do they need medication? They do freerange and eat a lot of weeds and vegitation.
Do my girls have diareah or what? They eat well , very active and lay an egg a day. Any suggestions, it seems so unkept and looks awful.
Thanks,
Linda
Linda, it might be a sign that they have worms, and need to be wormed. Either get something from your local feed store, upon their recommendation or research some more on the internet. It is a good idea to worm your flock at least twice a year, and you can do it easily by adding something to their water. Yes, I would clean their bottom as bet you can with a warm soapy (like dish soap), or organic pet soap, and paper towels. Sometimes I trim their feathers, too. Look into worming them. Thanks for your great question…VintageGardenGal
I just discovered your site and had to let you know what a delight it is to find someone who loves chickens, vintage items and lovely plants as much as I do. We have a large back yard, all grass and many,MANY large hardwood trees. I just got an adorable, Amish made coop. It is light grey with white trim.(6×8 ft) with a 6 x 12 ft. play yard for the girls. We had to locate it in a clear spot between the trees. My chicks will be arriving next week. Two each of Buff Orpingtons, White Rocks, Partridge Rocks, Dominiques, and Speckled Sussex. I am so excited to begin decorating around the coop. My camera is acting up but will get some photos as soon as I can. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Grace-Marie, yes, please send in photos when you can. Thanks for your kind words…VintageGardenGal
My husband and I have just begun our backyard chicken adventure. I found your site and got really excited! Even though I am over here on the east side of the US, I have been fabulouly interested in your VintageGardenGal stuff! Love it all! Thanx so much for sharing! I guess you coud say we love the same stuff!