Over the last few years, homesteading has EXPLODED! Food Insecurity and rising costs have put fuel on the food-growing fire. Whether it’s a basil plant in the window sill or chucking it all to move to the country, FOOD has become DIY.

Countless have followed the spirit of Lucas Nelson and they’ve turned off the news and built a garden… or tended a chicken (or both).

The Problem

There’s a lack of reasonable infrastructure to host said endeavors. A quick look online for chicken coops for example, and all you’ll find is something MEGA large, expensive, stationary, and things that require the user to clean out its evil chicken poo<<< Gross! Which is something I don’t have to do anymore, save a few exceptional cases.

Over ten years ago, when I set out on my own crazy chicken lady adventures I wondered… could I just build something practical, mobile, affordable, uncomplicated to build, AND easy to use?  Inspired by Elliot Coleman’s concept of a chickshaw (a chicken coop designed like an Asian rickshaw), I set out to build the ultimate (mobile) chicken coop.

Welp, I succeeded…

Developing Plans

And now, we’re living the dream life with over a dozen homestead builds sitting at the core of our food-growing success.

I’ve improved the ChickShaw along with dozens of other designs and tens of thousands of people have downloaded them online at AbundantPermaculture.com

My online plans are free but have sadly become outdated. Folks can get by, but we’ve made so many improvements over the years we’ve perfected our designs… Our structures are now easier to build, easier to use, and maximize abundance while minimizing input and you might even say they are more aesthetic (well, I know the PrettyShaw is ;)

Finally, a BOOK to share my Designs

After getting requests day after day for updated plans, I’ve finally gotten to the point where we can release something legit. Like a book! For one, I wanted to test out my prototypes. And secondly, I’m not a carpenter per se, and I’m definitely not an engineer or a graphic designer. So, I’ve partnered with Chris Slattery of Polyface Designs fame and enlisted a graphic designer from my team to put together a legit book with step-by-step actions on how to build the ultimate homestead structures.

Your NEW Core

Let these builds rest at the core of what you do with your chickens and gardens and these practical (no frills) solutions will allow for max efficiency with less input. Since homesteading is so much work, you might as well enjoy sensible and easy-to-use infrastructure. These structures can literally be the difference between homestead misery and pleasure.

More than Just Structures

These aren’t just the foundational structures of your chicken and garden operations, they are strategic tools for making your work easier. The raised garden beds mean more control over your growing medium, and because they’re elevated, you won’t have to crouch or bend over as much. Furthermore, ALL the chicken builds are designed with work in mind. Each and every build will take full advantage of chicken power and you’ll soon be sitting back and watching your chickens fertilize, till, and aerate your gardens, yards/pastures, and compost piles.

Simple to build

The finished product is simple, minimalistic and takes advantage of readily available hardware and supplies. As for the building process, you’re guaranteed to enjoy our crisp and colorful step-by-step plans that anyone can follow. Dare I say they resemble the ease and simplicity of a Lego manuel. Yeh, they’re that easy.

Practical designs

No bells or whistles here. You’ll find just what you need for your chickens and garden structures with nothing more. Think multi-purpose everything. For example, the handle becomes the roof prop, underneath the coop is their daytime shade, and the floor is also their perches.

Easy to use

Because I have kids (and a wife) who help out on the homestead it was important to me that each design be built in such a way that any one person can do it. Raised beds eliminate a lot of bending, and it’s more difficult for children to step on the beds. The ChickShaw's wheels are in the center of the frame (wheels handle most of the weight) and there’s an optional pull bar for pulling the coops behind a machine. Oh, and we’ve got you covered with flat-free tires, so no messing with a flat way out yonder. Those are just a few examples of many ways homestead life becomes more pleasurable with these simple builds.

More than just plans

Getting these things built is one thing, but you’ll also want to know how to use them to take full advantage of their potential. For the first time, I introduce each build with practical tips on how to take advantage of all the features to maximize your homestead while minimizing your labor. For example, on the chicken tractor, I explain several different ways you can use it to have your chickens do the work of your little farm.

Plans Include:

• Chicken Tractor Plans

• Chickshaw 5.0 Plans

• Chickshaw Mini-Me plans

• Raised Garden Beds

• TurkeyShaw

• Meatshaw

• Compost Corner

• Poultry Drying Rack

• Produce Curing Rack

• Compost Sifter

• The Brooder

• PrettyShaw
  

Carpentry Masterclass with Co-author, Chris Slattery

This video companion will not only walk you through the necessary carpentry skills to peacefully get through these builds, but it will also give you critical carpentry skills you’ll need on the homestead. Whether you’re a beginner and need all the help you can get or an experienced homesteader you’ll be surprised by all the helpful little tricks for piecing together your dream homestead.

Learn How to…

• Understand the basic tools for the job.
• Handpick lumber at the store to ensure quality.
• Safely cut a board several different t ways (chopped, mitered, and ripped)
• Marking and drilling holes in wood (without splitting it).
• Check for squareness to ensure everything fits snug and tidy.
• Measure and cut corrugated roofing, hardware cloth, and metal rail.
• Drill through metal (round rail and the corner bracket) (center punch, pilot hole, cutting fluid).
• Fasten eyebolts and hinges for perfect security.
• And lots more (almost 30 succinct videos)
  

Homestead Builds the Course

How to use your homestead builds for max abundance

• Learn how to put your coops to work fertilizing, building gardens, and/or working the pasture.
• Find out which build is right for you in what situation.
• Discover how to lay out your homestead with each build for max efficiency.
• See how to use each feature to take full advantage of your investment.
• Understand possible problems and learn how to troubleshoot them