Easy-to-care-for, productive, inexpensive, and full of personality, chickens are popping up in backyards throughout the country—in the suburbs, rural towns, and even on city plots. All it takes to keep a small flock is a bit of land and a properly designed coop.

Just like houses, chicken coops come in all sizes and styles to meet the needs of any chicken family. Author Judy Pangman has combed the country identifying the top chicken coop designs, from utilitarian to high-style. The result is this ultimate collection of 45 building plans that are sure to meet the needs of any chicken owner.

The featured designs include basic easy-to assemble hoop houses, A-frames, and multi-storied wooden structures, as well as larger models for small commercial farms. There are also a variety of moveable coops that can be rotated around the yard, and low-budget coops constructed fromfound and repurposed materials.

Pangman shares inspirational and instructive stories about the participating coop designers/ builders. Enthusiastic communities of chicken-keepers have organized chicken tours in cities such as Seattle, highlighting the fun andfantastic imagination of some coop architect/builders. There are designs echoing the house styles of the neighborhood, as well as the most contemporary trends in architecture. Building a chicken coop offers a great outlet for any would-be architect who wants to stick to the miniature, scaled-down building!

A 16-page color section shows detailed photos of many of the featured coop plans, as well as some amazing kits and one-of-a-kind coops built from recyclables.

With its comprehensive building plans and chicken-laden stories, Chicken Coops is sure to inspire a sunny-side-up, no-yolks-barred attitude in all chicken owners who dream of building a bigger, better coop to house their flock.