The Fancy Farm Girl

Hi! So, I discovered your blog off pinterest this afternoon and think it’s stellar! I was particularly interested in what you had to say about chickens because I have been raising 9 cute little chickens over the last 5 weeks, and been designing our coop during that time. The nesting boxes were finished today and other details will be finished tomorrow. I’m sure I will be adding little things here and there for a while though. Loved your coop! I have been so inspired by the fancy and fun coops I have discovered on different blogs, as I too LOVE rustic, vintage, etc, and vintage inspired coops get me excited. Thank you for sharing!!

I love this story and your photography. You are awesome! It is giving me a lot of ideas. Thanks for the inspiration!
Amy

Loved this post! we are abt to move into our 1st home… we sadly do not get an acre of land – but our yard is a generous size for where we will live. Heres a pic of the backyard. I would love your tips on making the chicken coop work for a neighborhood with an HOA :-\ – how can I let the chickens free range, if we live in a neighborhood that technically doesnt “allow them” – we’d still get them despite the rules hehe. I believe as long as we keep them contain no one will have any reason to complain…. i mean chickens arent nearly as loud as dogs. U know? Would love any help! I have 4 boys and we go thru eggs like nothing else!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/finadrea/8478694933/ – heres a shot of our future backyard. id love ur thoughts on placement for the coop

I love all about you. The stories I will be getting some chickens but first I need to find a chicken coop that will house 3 I have a dog and cat so they will be in it most of the time. I really enjoyed reading all about you thank you so much.
Debby

Hi there,
Beautiful website and coop and farm!! Inspirational!!

We are just finishing our coop and is a similar size – 10×12. How many feet did you designate for the chicken area? I’ve got 5 feet marked and I think that’s enough for my 12 chickens but not sure. I am using some of your ideas for our coop too. LOVE IT!! I’ll have to send pictures to you when we finish it. The outside is finally done and we’re making the chicken wire wall between the chickens and the front storage area now. Of course we’ll put a chandelier in it too!!! Ha!
Thanks for your wonderful ideas and I’d love to hear how many feet the chickens need in the back of the coop. Thanks so much!

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Thanks for your inspiration on your coop. Its is a dream for your hens and backyard farmers Iwanted toknow if your floorin your coop was painted???? Oh my hubby has a nice shed for his toys I have talked him into sharing one end for the girls I cant wait tofinsh… Ps My girls have not roosted in there orig coop since hurricane irene blew thru and knock over the largest oak right thru the middle we repaired it but theystill hang out in the trees Its crazy… thanks again millie

Hi. I love you chicken coop! I am into anything vintage, yet chic like this. Looks super expensive. Don’t think my husband would even entertain the thought of something that fancy. Any way, I am fairly new to owning chickens. What do you use to line the coop and nesting boxes? Since we brought them home 3 weeks ago, they’ve had some diarreah in and off. Plus they are sneezing now. Any suggestions or thoughts for me? Any help would be great! Thanks!

I’m getting ready to move to a place where I can finally get some chickens. I’ve searched all over to figure out what to use to make a coop and decided on the Home Depot kit for the Majestic Storage Shed and reconfigure the interior for the chickens. Imaging my luck to stumble across your blog and see just how I should do it. Since the exterior is the same, I’ll be stealing some of your interior ideas for my coop. Might skip the chandelier, though! Thanks so much for the inspiration.

I was thrilled to visit your website.
I spent most of the sunlight in the last two days building my little chicken coop.
Initially I began (and fully intended) to build this thing for free, out of scraps from arund the house, old pallets and stuff. Then I stumbled across the Backyard Chickens website and looked at some of the grand estates those chickens enjoy… Well, I didn’t want my girls to live in poverty-perhaps get teased at school-so I started on the remodel. I was afraid I was going overboard, but I can see I’m okay.
Your coop is magnificent! I think I’ll stop short of furniture, but the chandelier was splendid. I’m an electrician, and I’ve also allowed for lighting. That part at least I can do for free. My sister Barb (Bar-B Electric) will have a blast helping.
I can’t wait to tell her of your website.

Thank you,
Steve.

Very cute! And original. Anyone going through your pics knows that you love what you do! You truly think, believe and live outside the box! Love it!
Shar

Awesome post! I’d like to live in there with them!

Love love love your coop!!!!! Its so farm fabulous!
we recently finished ours. Please check it out. Thanks.
http://choresandchandeliers.blogspot.com/2012/10/yes-i-have-wreath-on-my-chicken-coop.html?showComment=1351104224869&m=1
id love to hear what you think. You have such spectacsular taste!

First I love your coop, garden and girls. You are a very lucky person in my eyes. I do have a question about your rooster. How loud is he? I have a Cochin silky mix and her name was Roxy until he cock-a-doodled yesterday and now he is Rocky. He looks very similar to your roo but with grey where the white is and has a very sweet disposition. I live in the city and looks like I am going to have to give him up. I am supper sad about it. So when you say a sweet sound, how loud is that sound?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Amy

Love this! You are my kinda farm girl. I love shabby chic, I LOVE chickens (had some many years ago here on our little farm, are making plans for a coop and getting some more lovely ladies next spring along w/some turkeys, goats and a couple of calves thrown in the mix), and I love peeling paint, old rusty things and this has given me so many ideas. We completely gutted our old farm house and have been rebuilding for a couple of years. Can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel and now we are getting back into the livestock/bees, orchard business. We have 14 grands that are so excited about coming to Grandma and Grandpa’s for some “chores”. Thanks for your wonderful ideas : )

I sincerely LOVED this story with all the pictures. The part about your daughter creating the coop was fabulously written and will be sweetly treasured in my heart! Write on

I have an old iron gazbo that I would like to turn into a chicken coop. Do you have any ideas on how to do that? I want it to feel like a sweet retreat like your coop. I would like to use old dressers to roost on and lay eggs in, but i need ideas on how to do that. I am a newbie (can you tell) so any ideas would greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help Leslee W.

My Granddaughter Rayney and I share your enthusiasm with chickens and the coop they live in. We have 14 hens and 2 roosters and house them in a 1890s milk house that my husband moved onto our property.
I was so excited to see that I’m not the only one that loves her chickens and the wonderful surroundings that we can provide for them. I am truely inspired by your love, style and hard work….Can’t wait to see more!

I love, love, loved reading about your chickens & coop! What fun….&work…it must be! How NEAT!

Of course I agree, your Coop is a special one. We bought 4 yellow buffs last week. We plan to make our coop next weekend by extending our shed. What is your trick for cleaning your coop? A metal tray or line in plastic are our idea’s to keep floor from rotting? Vintage is so classy, my girlfriend called me a redneck. SMILES

I LOVE your coop. I actually am very new to chickens, I want just 3 hens to start…. I guess I could learn alot from you! I have no Math sense or skills in building…I am very creative though! I hatched some chickens in an incubator that I made out of a cardboard box in Jr. High, I am making my coop out of pallets and such. I have a friend that said he would help me but he hasen’t soooo, I just decided to do it myself I have done a lot of research but depending on the size of the pallet that I pick up for free, that’s how my design is being formed, just like a puzzle. I do have a question about how high the roost can be, I have seen them from very low almost touching the floor to rather high, which is best? Thanks for shareing your coop and knowledge! Martha

Hi I wanted to get more information about your georgous coop.
Is the whole coop with the chaie etc 8′X12′ or just the coop area?
I assume the chickens feed and roost there, or at least roost there.

Waht d o you feed them> I have 35 chickens and am ready to revamp and adding extra areas for them to roam about 2500 square feet.

Thanks,

Patsy

I just reread your chicken coop page. Your daughter is amazing.

Be still my heart…I ADORE both your coops!! My husband just finished drawing plans for our first coop and we are so excited to get started. We’re only going to have 5 chickens, 2 of which hopefully being silkies. I wanted to ask if your silkies use the nesting boxes and roosts that the other chickens use? I know siklies are more on the petite side and wasn’t sure if we should do some lower access laying boxes and roosts…thoughts?? Thanks!!

Beautiful coop! Although I wanted to mention, your white Silkie is a rooster. Only males have those “streamers” from the back of their head.

I absolutely love your chicken coop. I saw the article in the current Hobby Farms issue and ran to the web to send you a note. I live in Dallas, Texas and my yard was featured on our garden tour in 2007. I have 5 “girls” and yes, I was the girl with the Chandelier in her coop! We have so much fun in our little neighborhood that we now have many chicken coops in the uptown area and just celebrated our 2nd annual Chicken Coop Tour. Keep up the good work.

Hi There, I love, love your coop. I dream of having something like it someday. I think every day I wish there was room for a chair or bench. Well, for now I can dream maybe someday. We just built a coop it’s 8ft by 4 ft by 5 ft high. We have 9 chickens so far, and we plan on getting more love taking care of them, and my grandson enjoys joining me everyday to care for them. Love your blog and also the article in the Hobby Farm (Chicken) magazine. Blessings to you, Anna

I had seen this post awhile ago and then forgot to save it – now it’s pinned on pinterest and I’m following your blog and facebook. New fan here ! Love what I see !

LOVE UR COOP. it is my inspiration!!!
just moved to ten acres and can’t wait to build my own coop and get some hens!!! i’m all the way from Christchurch, New Zealand.

My husband said he probably shouldn’t show this to me….he was right! Now he has to build it! I’ll be looking for a chandelier also. We are new to chickens…have 6 chicks and will be building the coop next week…fun time ahead. Thanks for sharing. He too is a photographer and will have to post when finished.

LOVE your coop, your post.. Very inspiring. I live on 7000 sq ft in the city. I really want chickens for their fresh free range organic eggs, and the experience of them as well. How many chickens do I need and how much time/money/energy will they take( probably wont invest in a chandy although i will drool over yours). We eat a lot of eggs. Kids eat them every morning and of course the usual baking…
Thanks for the inspiration and insight!

Hi Tiffany,
Your coop is fabulous! I was wondering the dimensions. If you don’t mind I am going to use some of your fabulous ideas for a coop on my Vineyard that people tour . They would love this as an addition to the chickens! Barbara

Wow! Your coop is absolutely beautiful! I truly believe in giving our pets a beautiful & comfortable place to live & play. My husband are planning on raising a few chickens here in Texas. I am interested in the easter egg layers. The gorgeous colors are so unique! Do you have any advise/hints on how to start out? I hope to create a lovely place for my future chicks just as you did!

Wow, I LOVE your coop. It makes mine look pathetic. I have 25 Rhode Island Red hens and one proud rooster which makes a total of 26 chickens.

Do you cover your fence where your chickens roam? If not, how do you keep the hawks away? Also, do you have a post showing how to trim the wings?

Blessings!
Beth

Oh your coop is the most gorgeous thing!! Lucky hens!

Was just realizing that if you ran plexiglass in front of your chicken wire, you’d have a lot less cleaning to do.

love love the chicken coop!! i have frizzels and they are the sweetest!! is there anywhere that will show the plans of your coop, how to build the outside and such. thanks so much mandy neely

Love your coop and all your ideas! I think we may br related! Ha, all look so much like what I woul do. We are getting chickens soon and I aresorcindifferent coops, of course yous is by far the prettiest. I have a question un related to the coop. Is that an apron you are wearing? If it is where did you fry it? You probably made it, but what a good idea, keeping a full coverage apron in your coop, you can handle your chickens with out having to change out of good clothes when necessary. And it is really cute! I like cute and practical!

Thank you – Brenda

Oh Wow! This is gorgeous!!! We had chickens growing up and my parents still have them now, but our coop was never even close to this lovely!!! I bet those are some well loved chickies!!!

This has to be the best thing I have ever seen in blogland! Can I move it!? ha. Gorgeous & Wonderful ~ I am an animal lover and had a chicken when I was younger LOVE this!

I’m in the process of designing and building my first chicken coop to house two Silkies i will be a proud owner of very soon! however, i live in silicon valley and I’m concerned that the silkies will not do well in the city. what do you think? should i forego owning hens in the city? do they do well as pets? can i invite them into my home if i gate the area?

Absolutely gorgeous. I’d love to live in your chicken coop! LOL Found your blog through Bitchypoo. Subscribed!

What a great looking chicken coop.
We buy free range chicken eggs and I just love the different colors of the eggs.
We even have green eggs in the mix. They are such a nice yellow color when cooked or mixed into dough for pizza. Well worth the money.
I think your daughter is very talented designing the last coop right down to materials.
Very lovely post.

I have never seen anything to beat this. Amazing.

Totally amazing and wonderful – though I haven’t been on a farm since I was a litte girl ( I am now 66 ). I follow Red Pine Mountain’s blog and she sent us here to check out your blog and the fabulous chicken coop. What a sweetheart of a daughter you have to devote so much time into a project for her mom.

Love, love your chicken house, just what I was looking for to build something similar. Are there plans anywhere?

I am planning my own chicken coop and want it to be super posh, so I googled “fancy chicken coops” and found yours. So perfect. You already had some of the design elements I wanted (human and chicken space, seating, storage) but you carry it off so perfectly. When I finally get mine built it will likely emulate yours. Thanks so very much for the ideas!

awesome coop and all your efforts involved.good to see a woman involved in chickens,bantams,poultry.well done yes im impressed.

Just when I thought I had seen every coop out there, I read Velvet and Linen’s post about coops and there you were. So amazing! I have the same coop at our second home in northern California. Unfortunately, it is now a tool shed. If we ever decide to live there permanently, I would convert it back to a coop. However, I’m in the process of researching backyard chickens for my city yard. Only 3 and I would build a small coop, similar the the one your sweet daughter designed. I’m planning on posting about it in the next couple of days. I’ve always wanted chickens in my life and promised myself that this year, I would make it happen. Your blog is so inspiring! I’m putting you on my blogroll so I don’t miss a post!. ~Delores

Jealousy extreme!! My hens want to have a playdate at your coop. Can you talk about what you do in the winter? There are no pretty solutions for winterizing. We have a modern coop that we surround with plastic.
Just amazing!

Totally Inspired!

I must admit….It’s gorgeous. Very Tiffany

Can I just say that I’d live in your coop? I’d pay money to live there? haha. SO beautiful

Jana
The Vintage Whites Market

Never seen this before !!!! Just awesome ! Loving your blog !

Tiffany,
You have truly inspired me to follow my dream of a “Castle Coop” My husband and I are in the process of looking at property’s and homes. We have been reading and studying and asking anyone that has chickens how to house and raise them properly. To our dismay, most of the people we have spoke to don’t seem to really care about their chickens. They let them run in open fields and say if they get eaten “oh well”! We are firm believers you get what you raise. If you care and show passion and compassion you reap the benefits. I am so looking forward to decorating the “castle coop” and adopting the ugliest, the cutest and the zaniest chickens I can find. Just to give them a beautiful dwelling and treat them with “royal” respect and love….mmmmm…I can just taste the reward of the finest eggs in the county. (A big ‘sorry’ for all of the vegans reading this right now. No offense meant.)
I will send photo’s of the final project when it’s complete.
Once again, thank you so very much for “you”, “your writings”, “your sharing heart” “your creativity”…”your stunning photography”…oh my…thank you for everything.
Sue from Canada

I tweeted about your coop today. It was just that impressive . Gorgeous!

Wow. I love both of your chicken coops. We have a little flock of five hens but will be adding more eventually so I’m always interested in coop designs.
If I were to finish it off with all of the great vintage items that you did, I would just move in with them!

This is the most wonderful chicken coop I’ve ever seen – how perfect! And I loved the story about your daughter too. A friend of mine built one for her three chickens and it’s kind of the shape of an outhouse. But she painted it and decorated the inside and I thought it was great. Yours take the prize though. We can’t have chickens here because of our dogs – we’re in a subdivision. But I can sure dream looking at yours. Fabulous blog!

Oh my–this is the most insane thing I’ve seem yet—and I love it!!!!! I am in complete love with your style and your skills. Not too mention your Saint! We just adopted two of our own. What a handful, two dogs and 3 cats–and here you have a farm..way to go girl!!! Best wishes.

Oh my heavens Tiffany! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a coop so beautiful before. Don’t you know the neighbors hens are slightly jealous. They don’t have fancy sparkly chandeliers and pretty decor.
I *giggled* over the darling photos of “the girls”. They are so lucky to have you as their Mamma Hen. XOXO,Jenn

I LOVE it! I waited to see this posted to blog about my visit to your farm! I posted today and must say, I am still on cloud 9 from my tour! Love, Jennifer

I love you. You’re awesome. You’re daughters waaayy awesome. Love your blog, found you from UrbanFarmgirl. I’m looking forward to catching up and finding more good stuff!

Oh. my… You have enough talent, creativity, and energy for 100 women!!! Your chicken coop is the most adorable ‘farm’ creation I have ever seen or heard of. absolutely amazing. And how it must have esteemed your daughter that she got to build her design for you. I am so glad to have found your site. So inspiring!

I live inside city limits so our ‘farm’ has a regulated # of pets and very specific guidelines on animal care. (ex. no outdoor kennels) So we have 3 dogs, 1 cat (who of course thinks she’s Queen), a tiny turtle (named Grumpy- he has a frown), and a guinea pig.

Anyway, you inspire! Thank you for sharing your love for a full life with us!

blessings
deborah
{thewhitechair}

You have a lovely farm, and those are some good looking chicks you got there. Thanks for sharing your story.

I would love to know exactly what you feed your chickens and exactly how you clean your coop…the daily and the thorough clean. You see I live on 15 acres and have wanted chickens for a long time but have been very intimidated. Your post has made me want to pursue my dream. I am a vegetarian so I would raise them as pets and use their eggs as well. You have left me so inspired! Thank You, Paula

Love your chicken coop. Some day I will have one again, and I intend to decorate it up special. Love the chandelier. Florence

That is the most wonderful tour I’ve ever had the pleasure of taking.

How on earth do you get your chickens to lay IN the nesting boxes? Mine lay on the coop floor, and they get stepped on and broken,…

Your coop is beautiful. But I especially love your kitchen garden!

Hi Tiffany,

I’m a HUGE fan!!! I’m sure you’re my true “soul sister”! I’m so jealous that my mom (Sharon Andrews) got to meet you this past week at the Junk Market. I should have been there ;( I hope you had a blast! BTW…FaBuLoUs COOP!!! Fondly, Nikki Powers

Oh goodness Tiffany, I think I could move into your coop, LOL! It’s simple beautiful and needs to be featured in a magazine! The coop we had when I was a child was nothing like that. I love your special touches. Your chickens are also beautiful and I love that they are your pets, as well! Even chickens need some love!
~michell~

This is the most FABULOUS thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve been desperate to keep chickens for years and never dreamed they could live in such a beautiful coop. Thanks for getting my imagination whirring overtime.

I really am moving in. I can even sleep with chickens on top of my head…I’m flexible that way.

You do everything in a such beautiful, lovely. PRETTY way, my sweet friend. I love that about you!

Here’s hoping Creative Connection was all that you thought it would be. You will be missed at Brave Girl, sweets (you know I totally GET IT )—I do feel I have some Tiffany alone time comin’ soon…maybe even a party in the coop! With crowns, no doubt!
oxoxoxoox
Lara

OK, Tiffany, that is the fanciest chicken coop I’ve ever seen! They sure are living the high life in their little shabby and chic chicken chateau!!!

Beautiful, fantastic, dreamy….. I could go on and on! Those are the luckiest chickens on earth! xoxo

I love love love your chicken coop! I have looked at many many many in hopes of having one someday and yours was at the top…such great ideas and your chickens look happy living there ) Loved this post and information on chickens and coops!

I came over from my friends blog (PAPERBIRD) to see your chicken coop. I have so enjoyed my visit here. I was raised on a farm and I would have loved a coop like this one! You are such a beautiful gal and I love your happy outlook on life, I would have been happy to stay here looking around…what a great blog you have..loved it all! Come say hi

How darn adorable Tiffany!

So cute . . .what else could I say. So very very Cute

you’ve got some fancy stuff going on there…

Oh Tiffany~ I think my heart just started beating a little bit faster. And I was ooing and aweing over all of your amazing photos and then I read the story about your daughter and your first chicken coop and thought that was even more amazing. You have the prettiest chickens I’ve ever seen!

Seriously spectacular! When I was growing up in PA, it was my job as the oldest child to collect eggs every morning from our many hens — and it would have been far more fun if our hen house had looked like yours!!

UMMMM….that coop is nicer than many homes! can I come live with your chickens? It is lovely….gees thanks for sharing, I loved it!
Lori

I LOVE your sweet coop complete with chandy! Poop or no poop, who wouldn’t love to gather eggs there and plan with such sweet peeps! Tell your daughter it is most precious that she and her Dad built a coop for you. xoxoxo H

I wanna be a chicken.

Tiffany I almost peed my pants!
You are living my DREAM life – from the farmand the country life, to the chickens to the garden. Sigh.
I can’t wait to see it all in PERSON!
Oh my gosh – Now I’m never going to go to sleep for the next two weeks. Joy googled all the antique stores up your way and called me yesterday to tell me we are in BIG trouble! Good thing SouthWest flies bags free! The hell with the clothes! HUGS! Karen

Holy moly, you could rent that out as a guest cottage, chickens and all! Stunning!!!

Can I move in?
Tiffany….this is so amazing, gorgeous, incredible….and any other fabulous word you can think of! I can hear the love in your words when you write about your chickens. They are lucky cluckers indeed!
Laughing out loud at “wheelbarrows full of poop”. I don’t know why….but I can’t stop laughing at that.
Miss you! Love this post & you!

Tiffany, I LOVED this post!!!! I can just see your cute self all dressed up quickly feeding the chickens before you run off to do something divine! Emma is beautiful. But, I’ve always wanted the ones that lay Easter Egg colored eggs. Thanks for sharing you chicken mansion/coop. It is over the top adorable! HUGS! Charlene

Beautiful!!!

Wow, Tiffany! I have been casually reading about raising a few chickens since spring and I’m not sure if I’m ready to clean poop all of the time, but your pictures are making me want to push forward! Stellar post!

oh my word
i’m blown away impressed
OF COURSE you have a glamorous chicken coop…love it
love it all!

I love how stylized those photos are – gorgeous you make me want to go buy property and shop at a flea market. Thank @looneyttunes for send me your way she’s right you are all sorts of awesome!!

Well done.You have a new FAN!!

Ok, if Chickens had the equivalent of Better Homes & Gardens…your chickes home would be in an issue for sure!

Simply amazing!! Holy cow…chickens that have chandeliers…now that should make Oprah’s show the next time she has an episode about knowing where your food comes from and are the animals raised well!

Just beautiful, I am in awe.

~mary~

Tiffany!!! Thank you soooo much for showing your amazing & inspirational coop(s)! I am in awe and speechless ~ just absolutely gorgeous, but of course I knew they would be! I’m so glad you talked about responsible chicken raising – they need lots of love, care & a safe place to live! Your girls are just beautiful, and so well loved!

Have fun at CC!
Hugs ~
xo Heidi

Holy Mother of God! Sorry, but it was the first thing that came to my mind. I am speechless!!! You are amazing!!!
And I love the coop L made with W for “you”! oh man, you are seriously amazing!
Luckiest chickens in the whole entire world!

new here .. but it’s love at first sight …
you’ve left me speechless …

can we be friends pretty pretty please?