Sunny side up: Why chicken coops are the latest urban trend

Author: Melissa Maddison

For most of us, the “moving to the country” dream is just that. The reality is, many of us live in cities and urban locations because it’s convenient for work and we have everything at our fingertips. Setting up a chicken coop in your  backyard, however, is a way of bringing a little rural bliss to your doorstep. The simple, daily ritual of collecting eggs and feeding the chooks can slow you down and transport you far away from your busy life.

Unlike other traditional farm livestock, keeping chickens in urban areas is achievable, and besides the rewards of fabulous fresh eggs, you’ll keep garden bugs and snails at bay, and enjoy interacting with these delightful, ever-happy birds. Here are some things to keep in mind if you’ve ever considered keeping chooks.

Rules and regulations
It is legal in most residential areas to keep chickens in your own garden,  provided you live in a single dwelling. However, there are various stipulations for local councils regarding where your coop can be situated in relation to your house, and how many chickens you are allowed to keep. Be sure to check the legal requirements before going ahead with your chickens and coop; these are found on all council websites.

Generally speaking, due to the sustainable benefits of owning chickens – they create compost and reduce household waste – councils actively encourage responsible chicken ownership, and many provide workshops and detailed useful information for poultry owners.

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Dealing with neighbours

For the modern, stylish chicken in your life, this chicken coop, tucked inside a shed, fulfils the brief of a quiet, calm and safe space for the chooks to lay. Keeping chickens quiet isn’t as hard as you might think. With no rooster (illegal in most areas) to cause quarrels and mayhem, chickens are generally content and won’t disturb your neighbours.

It is a good idea to let the neighbours know you intend to set up a coop, but perhaps sweeten the deal by ensuring they get the first delivery of eggs, beautifully presented in wicker and gingham of course. They would have little cause for complaint if they knew they had fresh organic eggs coming their way on a regular basis.

Chicken necessities

It makes perfect sense for chickens to have chandeliers, as seen here. Happy, pampered chickens lay more eggs, and both the interior and exterior decoration of your chicken coop can reflect your style or whimsy, or even your children’s unique touches.

To keep them content, chickens also require a fresh supply of water, a place to roam or a small run, scraps of unwanted food, and laying pellets if you so desire. If you wish to keep your eggs truly organic, then buy organic laying pellets as well.

Purchasing a coop

If this Queenslander-style chook mansion is more your style, perhaps you could contact a builder for a bespoke coop, or buy your chicken house from one of the many stockists you’ll find online. If basic is what you’re after, large hardware chains such as Bunnings have prefabricated coops ready to be placed in your backyard.

There is nothing stopping you from adding your own splash of colour or style, however, once you’ve bought your coop and put it in place.

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Choosing the right chickens
Once you’ve set up your coop, you are ready to bring in your ladies. Two to four chickens in a backyard coop is a good number. Once again, check your council regulations. There are many breeds of chickens, but for small-scale chicken setups, you cannot go wrong with silkies, Australorps and Isa Browns.

Silkies, arguably the prettiest of these three breeds, make lovely pets, and are great if you have children as they do not mind being handled. They do lay smaller eggs, so keep this in mind if you are looking for maximum egg production to feed a large family.

Australorps are good layers, and are known for their even temperament. They are bigger than silkies and lay larger eggs, while Isa Browns lay big brown eggs and are prolific egg layers. They are also known to be friendly and of good temperament.

These are only a few of many breeds to choose from. Contact a local breeder in your state to get the best advice for your hen house. If you can, go and see some chickens before you buy, to see how they interact with humans and with each other.

Setting up a coop yourself

Although this is a large space, this simple, rustic coop – which is practical, airy and utilitarian – could easily slot into a smaller backyard and would be a great weekend project. There are plenty of chicken coop designs online. Have a look at Country Living and Handy Man to get you started.

Once again, the council will provide you with legal guidelines you need to adhere to if you choose to build your coop. Generally speaking, the coop needs to have adequate flooring that can be swept out, shelter, a dark space for the chickens to lay, and protection from other pets and predators.

Enjoy your eggs
Now that you have your chickens, all you need to do is keep them fed, watered and happy and they will provide you with eggs for delicious family dinners, cakes, breakfasts, quick suppers and impressive pastries. If you have children, they’ll also reap the benefits of responsibility gained from owning and caring for these cheerful pets. Best of all, you’ll have a little bit of country right there  at your back door.

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