Chicken coops are structures that house birds in order to protect them from predators and the elements. Cype is the Old English word that means a ‘small structure for confining birds’ which is where the word ‘coop’ has derived from.
It tends to go unknown that there are multiple types of chicken coops, both portable and stationary. Stationary structures that are larger, tend to be surrounded by fencing, also known as a pen or a run. Fun fact: chicken farmers like to give their coops and pens interesting names, for example Cluckingham Palace, Eggs-Mart or Coop Mahal.
Before coops were formed years ago, chickens were left to forage in the fields; they would find shelter with other animals in the same farm or they’d hide in trees and bushes, similarly to when they were exclusively wild animals. Chickens used to only be raised and eaten by individual families and weren’t typically sold onto others.
The industrialisation of chickens occurred in the 1900s after a woman called Wilmer Steele raised 500 chickens and sold them on, making herself a generous profit and enabling her to build a house that would fit 10,000 chickens. After this, the interest in chicken breeding increased rapidly and the popularity of domestic chicken coops developed from there on. Chickens would go on to be bred for either eggs or meat, increasing efficiency.
Currently, chickens are still farmed for eggs and meat but many chicken owners keep them safe and healthy purely as pets or for companions to other animals. They can require a lot of attention and maintenance but they can be great and friendly birds to take care of!
We know that chicken coops are an uncommon-but-desired feature for some photoshoots; we have some wholesome locations that house wonderful chicken pens, including Bumble, Fuchsia, Pine Hill and Walnuts Farm. If you’re seeking something closer to London, then take a look at the fantastic Tring.