Our new coop is in the pasture-Here's how we built it for happy hens!

We’re excited to share a big upgrade here at Cedar Valley Farms—our brand-new mobile laying hen coop is officially in the pasture and full of happy hens!

As our flock continued to grow, we quickly realized we were running out of space. Our trusty converted cotton wagon, which had served us well, was simply no longer big enough to comfortably house our expanding flock of laying hens. Not only did our hens need more space to thrive, but we also wanted a setup that made daily chores and egg collection easier on us.

After careful consideration, we decided the best solution was to invest in a purpose-built mobile range coop. Unlike our previous wagon, this new coop was specifically designed with both hen comfort and farmer convenience in mind. Being fully mobile, it allows us to frequently move our hens to fresh pasture, enhancing their well-being and reducing our workload. This upgrade ensures happier hens, healthier eggs, and more efficient management of our flock.

The Coop Design

We built this coop from the ground up with both durability and function in mind. It’s a spacious 16x24-foot structure set on heavy-duty skids, making it easy to pull across pasture as needed.

The frame is built with sturdy greenhouse-style tubing—lightweight yet strong enough to withstand the elements year-round. We added roll-up sides that allow for excellent airflow during the dog days of summer, keeping our hens cool and comfortable even in peak Kentucky heat.

Inside, we installed lateral roosting poles about a foot off the ground to keep the birds elevated at night. This simple feature not only gives them a safe, natural place to sleep, but also keeps the floor cleaner and healthier for the entire flock.

Every part of this coop was built with purpose: to give our hens the best living environment possible while making daily chores faster and easier for us.

Building Process: From the Ground Up

This coop wasn’t thrown together overnight—it was carefully planned and thoughtfully built to meet the needs of both our hens and our farm workflow.

We started with a strong greenhouse-style frame mounted on skids, giving us the flexibility to move the coop easily across pasture. From there, we added roll-up sides to allow for cross ventilation during hot summer days, helping keep the hens cool and stress-free.

Next came the roosting poles, which we mounted laterally about a foot off the ground. These provide the hens with a secure, elevated place to sleep at night and help maintain a cleaner, healthier coop environment.

One of our favorite features is the roll-out nest boxes mounted to the sides. These specially designed boxes allow eggs to gently roll away from the hens after being laid, keeping them cleaner and reducing the chances of cracking or pecking.

We also installed solar panels on the roof—a sustainable power source that charges the lighting system inside the coop. Since hens need about 16 hours of light a day to lay consistently, especially during the shorter winter months, this feature ensures steady production while staying off-grid.

To top it all off, we surround the coop with portable electric netting. This gives our flock a secure area to forage while protecting them from predators. It’s easy to move with the coop, making it a perfect fit for our rotational grazing system.

From start to finish, every element was added with intention—to raise happier hens, make daily chores more efficient, and produce better eggs for our customers.

Benefits to Our Customers

When our hens are comfortable, healthy, and well-fed, it shows in every egg we collect.

This new mobile coop allows us to keep our flock on fresh pasture year-round, which means better nutrition for the birds—and in turn, better nutrition for your family. Pasture-raised eggs are known for their deep golden yolks, rich flavor, and higher levels of essential nutrients.

Plus, when hens are raised with care and consistency, you get a product you can trust. Everything from their housing to their diet plays a role in the quality of the eggs we deliver each week.

If you’re curious about what our hens are eating out there on pasture, check out this behind-the-scenes breakdown:
👉 What Our Pasture-Raised Hens Eat at Cedar Valley Farms

Want the full story on how we raise our chickens, from chicks to layers? We’ve got that too:
👉 All About Our Chickens

At the end of the day, our goal is simple: raise happy hens and deliver eggs you feel good about eating. It’s one more way we’re committed to transparency, sustainability, and good old-fashioned quality.

Wrapping It Up

This new mobile coop is more than just an upgrade—it’s a reflection of our commitment to doing things the right way. By creating a healthier, more comfortable environment for our hens, we’re able to bring you the kind of eggs that are better tasting, more nutritious, and raised with care from start to finish.

We’re excited for this next chapter and can’t wait for you to taste the difference.

Thanks for following along—and as always, thanks for supporting local, pasture-based farming.