Our coop is now 8 years old. And it isn’t quite as pristine as it was in the old photo above. However, it has safely housed about a dozen chickens over the years despite all kinds of Minnesota weather. The green roof was an example of sustainable building design well before that was a common topic. It’s also the only garden the chickens have not completely eaten. (And we know they like Basil and Parsley.)
Our goal in raising backyard chickens (besides having fresh eggs every day) was to teach our children where food really comes from. While none of them wants to become a farmer, we’re pretty sure they understand the work involved in feeding. cleaning up after, and protecting a living food source. (Two points for the family!) The last of our kids is more than ready to pass the feeding duties onto someone else.
Although our St. Paul yard is small, my only regret is that we hadn’t made the coop bigger. It would be lovely not to test our knees every time we cleaned the coop! We’re pretty sure when the catio is complete the chickens will ask to move in, too!
Photo Blogs Before Instagram
If you’re interested in more photos, I spent a year (before Instagram) photographing the girls and the coop daily. I like to think my photography skills improved over the year, regardless, it was a fun project.
Catio & Coop Tour 2021 