So … I’m a bit of a dreamer. Plain and simple. I spend a lot of time (too much time, probably) dreaming up my next big project, whether it’s a chicken coop, a barn, a playhouse, whatever. I spend a lot of time just daydreaming about the details, and because of that, I’ve got a pretty vivid mental picture of how things should look on our little homestead.

Now, the purpose of a chicken coop is to keep the chickens safe and comfortable, and if it doesn’t fulfill that purpose, it doesn’t belong on my homestead. But at the same time, I also want the chicken coop to look nice. I mean, if I’m gonna be heading out there, day in and day out, I want to like what I see!

Some people might be fine putting a drab wooden box in their yard as long as it keeps their chooks safe. But if you’re like me, you might want to spend a bit of time thinking about the aesthetics.

When we were building our coop several years ago, we already had a bucket of white paint just sitting around in our garage. But instead of doing the sensible thing and painting everything boring old white, I went out and bought a gallon of red paint, too. Then I used a bit of recycled fence wood to make some decorative white trim.

Does it serve a purpose?

No.

Did it take up a bit more of my already precious time?

Yes.

But it really didn’t take that long, and it really didn’t cost that much… Little froofies and frillies like that might not be for everyone, but I think it adds a nice touch — so why not? Like I said before, if you’re gonna be looking at that old chicken coop day after day, you might as well like what you see, right?

About the Author: Nathan and his family work and play and live on a 1.17 acre microfarm (a.k.a. “The One Acre Lott”), in a frigid Rocky Mountain valley, at the end of a long dirt road. He has been raising chickens for years, grows nearly all of his family’s meat and produce, and loves every minute of it! For more of his exciting adventures, check out his personal website,www.oneacrelott.com.