With This State-of-the-Art Coop, Anyone Can Have Chickens in Their Backyard

Suddenly the humble egg has become a precious commodity, with their prices skyrocketing as of late. You might have seen a meme going around with a man on one knee offering up a dozen eggs to his beloved ― the most expensive gift he could afford. Perhaps, these rising egg costs and recent shortages have got you thinking of raising your own chickens ― you’re not alone. What started as a quirky hobby more than 15 years ago, has turned into a passion project for all things backyard farming, for Jordan Barnes and her partner A. J. Forsythe ― owners of Coop Co-Op.

Currently, Dallas-based Coop is a subscription service in eight cities (Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Denver, and St. Louis), but on Tuesday, March 14 their services will spread their wings a bit with the introduction of their own branded, state-of-the-art chicken coop.

“We’ve been focused on the design and manufacturing side, and are just ramping up our marketing with our big debut coming soon. We plan to launch Coop Co-Op on March 14, at South by Southwest [SXSW],” Jordan Barnes told PaperCity Fort Worth ahead of the Austin festival. “It operates pretty similar to Peloton; you rent the equipment and choose the added services that you prefer.”

Backyard Farming At Its Finest

These ovo-preneurs know that interest in what they call “backyard farming” has been on a steady rise in recent years ― thanks in large part to those lingering supply chain issues, empty shelves, and soaring egg prices.

“It became a tangible moment. We posted the shell of our website last August, just to gauge demand for our products and services. It blew up,” Barnes laughs.

“We had 172 applications to become service providers ― what we call “Chicken Tenders” ― within the first two days. And, so many people who already have their own chicken coops and backyard flocks were requesting our cleaning services that I quickly had to don a company hat and head out to fill those orders.”

“Chickens are tiny dinosaurs, with funny personalities,” Barnes says. “I have so much fun with them.”

The subscription service will allow customers to have an expertly designed Coop set up in their yard, complete with the flock and all that’s required to get things started. All you really need is a backyard, there’s no knowledge required, she says. Some people might choose to maintain it all themselves, while others might want to add regular cleaning services, which start at $150.

A Coop Refresh includes all the dirty work ― bedding bagged and removed, bedding or nesting pad replaced, dry brush scrub, followed by a double wash with organic cleaning solution, and even photo progress updates ― which can be booked as a one-time service or scheduled on a repeating basis.

“Our early focus groups highlighted the biggest challenge to owning chickens was that people felt they wouldn’t be able to go out of town and leave their chickens,” Barnes says.

Problem solved. Coop’s prototype chicken coop was crafted with all that in mind, and its certified Chicken Tenders can take care of your chicks while you’re away. So, there’s no need to postpone that ski trip to Aspen or that long-term stay at a Tuscan villa. Backyard farmers can rest assured that their chickens will be tended.

In fact, your Tender can even maintain your garden while you’re away too (for $40 per visit). Coop understands how one heat wave or hard freeze can wipe out all your hard work.

Behold The Chicken Coop Of The Future

The thoughtful design of the Coop itself takes things to another level. It has a heavy-duty attached run, keeping your chicks safe from predators and in all weather. The ladder leading to the elevated coop is specially designed for chicken feet and ease of cleaning. But the most convenience-minded feature is its automatic door, which can be timed to open in the morning ― letting your chickens out to their run — and can coop them up all by itself at night.

Chicken owners can relax with the coop’s two cameras ― one mounted for exterior views, and the other for interior viewing. Its design provides ample ventilation during warm summers and insulation for cold temps too. The nesting box is lockable ensuring the safety of your most prized resource ― the eggs.

“Our goal is to make backyard-to-table a reality for all,” she says. “We want to make it practical to become a backyard farmer.”

Barnes and Forsythe have been working with a Silicon Valley accelerator called Boost VC to fast-track Coop from the design of its very special chicken coops to its full range of services. And yes, there will be an app.