These chicken farms are self-cleaning, and we still have things to learn. If you read this article, then follow up with the blueprint below; you’ll be able to spend just a few hundred dollars to outcompete the biggest chicken factories and franchises in the world. Yes, it’s a big statement, and I will back it up. High-quality food should be free. I’m not monetizing it—sharing blueprints and all of it for free. From avalanche areas to desert sands or constant monsoon rains, it works perfectly, and I have blueprints and explanations for every environment. It won’t destroy the land but will enhance it and make it fertile. Kind of like terraforming, if that makes sense.

Let me give an example. Chicken farms might cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars, including land, construction, and equipment needed. The problem is that one side is the corporate world, and the other side is the flower-power, do-it-yourself, free-range folks. I believe in both. It creates a space where money-hungry Wall Street types can coexist in peace with flower-power unicorns, and both are happy and best friends. Pinch me, but it’s true. You’ll see the free blueprints and videos below in a moment, but I would like to summarize it.

How to build industrial chicken farms with pennies compared to usual chicken farms? The issue is that we don’t listen to nature and physics. We want to fight it. So we fail miserably. I know I will be exorcised here—literally. Sorry, but take a journey with me and come down to toddler level for a moment. I struggle to phrase this in a way that won’t get me exorcised alive. So let’s say a little toddler asks you, “Why can’t chickens fly like other birds?” The answer would be that, technically, a chicken is a bird, but…

So, long story short, chickens are not designed to sit on tiny branches like typical birds. They are mostly on the ground, hiding naturally in bushes and such. The only reason they do things differently now is as follows. Scroll down to get the “real estate” blueprints and explanations so you will be able to outcompete the biggest players . Not exaggerating here. Read some ideas below as well. I find this to be a good story. So, nobody wanted chickens sitting in their own poop, so they invented branches in the coop. Since chickens don’t have bushes or thick branches to sit on, they started moving higher and higher to avoid predators.

So we put more branches, some low and some high. And peaceful animals started to become fighters, competing for the upper branches. But if we put branches at the same level, there would be almost zero fighting compared.

Second: Imagine cats and dogs in a blizzard or heavy rain. They’re done. Not built for that. Birds are way more resilient. They don’t mind rain that much. And from my understanding, down to minus 35°C, they feel great. But … Birds are far more resilient to weather than dogs and cats. However, they have two issues: (1) if their feathers get wet underneath, like in rain and extreme winds, that’s an issue; and (2) their feet. Chickens are designed by nature to sit down and sleep on their feet. When they sit on them, they avoid frostbite, and predators can’t bite them. The rest is easy.

So we blow millions of dollars on things like heaters that’s an overkill, even at DIY homesteading levels, which makes no sense. Sure it is great but we just need to protect their feet—not with heaters, but by letting them sit on a thick and wide piece of wood. All at the same level. No wind and rain. Millions of dollars saved. Let them jump up so predators can’t reach them. Fertile land covered with snow and zero nutrition, or desert land, can be terraformed easily this way. I know it might not make sense now, but the idea is we don’t buy land as an investment; we occupy and terraform land that others can’t even use. And we improve it.

While others spend hundreds of thousands on land that eventually gets destroyed, here you terraform it, and they might even pay you for terraforming the land. Check the blueprints and explanations below . Sorry, it was written, a few years back. Videos were rendered then as well. Highly advise opening it on a desktop or laptop computer.

Make it cheap … biology?

The following section was written a few years back. It reflects the ideas, challenges, and vision at that time. While the tone might differ from today’s introduction, the insights remain valuable and relevant.

Chickens are covered with feathers. Temperatures as low as -30°C (-22°F) shouldn’t be a problem for them. However, their feet are vulnerable to freezing. The biggest issue is the cold, moist wind penetrating their feathers. Let’s reverse-engineer this problem: how can we build a chicken coop that prevents moisture from getting into their feathers?

How can we ensure their feet are protected from the cold? You might think I’m not saying anything new here, but unfortunately, I am.

The usual approach is to spend 10 times the money on structures—coops we shouldn’t have built in the first place. Chickens don’t need those types of structures, or at least not in their current form. And most importantly, the feet—their most vulnerable part—are often not protected at all.

Let me give you a few extreme examples to illustrate my point.
Follow my logic for a moment:

Let’s find the cheapest, thinnest, and most durable material on Earth—a material that blocks the wind, requires no maintenance, and can endure extreme weather for years. At the same time, we need to figure out how to insulate their feet. (Later, we’ll also discuss solutions for hot climates.)

Again and again: we don’t need to insulate the chicken; we need to insulate their feet. This is a critical difference. As strange as it may sound, insisting on this distinction is crucial. You’ll see why in a moment.

Let’s consider another idea in the meantime:

Chickens would naturally choose to sleep or hide within bushes on the ground. Their feet, anatomically, are not designed like those of flying birds. The only reason they sleep on “artificial branches” is because of us. They would hide lower like a bush … or on a thicker wood.

We wanted to keep chicken coops clean. We didn’t want them sitting in their own poop. Artificial branches seemed like a good solution, and we never revisited it. It kind of worked, so why bother? Planting bushes in the coop wasn’t our first option, that’s for sure. it just sounds stupid.

So now, chickens sitting on these artificial branches seems natural. But the only reason they even consider jumping onto this uncomfortable solution is survival instinct. The higher they are in the crowd, the less chance a predator will reach them while they sleep.

It’s like pairing humans with alligators. We would climb trees or cliffs to avoid danger, fighting each other for the safest spots. But that doesn’t mean we live in trees or cliffs—it just means there’s an alligator down below. Chickens think the same way.

Their instinct is not to sleep on branches. Their instinct is to find the safest place available. We created an unnatural, uncomfortable situation for them. They can’t hide, so they go higher. Big farms nailed that part. All chicken same level. They can’t afford fighting. That’s not the first choice of chicken.

Here’s the irony: large industrial chicken coops are actually built the right way in this regard. They allow chickens to sleep on flat ground. Meanwhile, farmers who pride themselves on being more “natural” force chickens to compete for high perches—or let their feet freeze in the cold.

Don’t hate the messenger; hate the message. We’re not talking about free range, natural light, or sunshine here—just their sleeping position. Just that.

Unfortunately, most of these artificial branches are not even at the same height. So, naturally peaceful animals end up fighting to establish a hierarchy, competing for the safest, highest spots. This fighting, combined with the stress of sleeping in unnatural positions, can negatively affect egg production and weaken their immune systems.

If we position their sleeping areas at the same level, the hierarchy vanishes instantly. We can place their “beds” close together so they can choose to sit near one another—or slightly apart. (Chickens usually like to sleep close enough to lightly touch each other.) This is great news for us—it means free-range chicken coops can be extremely small, requiring minimal investment.

Most chicken coops are made of wood, a material where bugs, diseases, moisture, and bacteria thrive. These pests hide easily, and wooden surfaces are nearly impossible to clean.

Now, back to the main idea:

We need to focus on their feet first. Only then should we think about the structure.

Quick Fixes

We need to keep the coop completely dry, free from wind—especially in cold climates. A thick wooden wall is not the best solution.

A thick wooden beam, instead of a thin branch, makes sense. Chickens can sit on it naturally, just like they would on the ground. The thick wooden beam will insulate their feet from the cold and protect them from potential incidents, such as a rat suddenly biting their feet while they sleep. The gap between the wooden beams, combined with their constant movement, will allow the poop to fall through. (More on cleaning later.)

To start, we have two options here.
In both cases, the chickens cannot jump down onto the poop.

The wood is placed close enough together that they can’t jump down.
A rectangular, thicker chicken wire is placed between the beams. The poop and feathers will fall naturally, while the chickens cannot follow. 🙂 That’s regarded to smaller ones. Bigger chicken call fall accidentally nothing bad will happen. So the wires beneath has absolutely no sense.

If we position them high enough the predators can’t get to them and that’s the main point. On the renders I let the wires beneath them but as told most of the cases we shouldn’t use them. Or we just position the wooden “breches” close enough so it is impossible for them to fall down at their current size. Depends.

Simplified versions. (02)

Notice here, everything is simplified. Compared to traditional construction methods, it costs “pennies.” In this version, the metal poles (covered with zinc or rust resistant paint) are hammered directly into the ground. Or we just anchor them down with cables so it can be moved easily. The black material on the edges is HDPE.

Check video 02 A

Other examples of hdpe as the most cheapest version. Sure you can make it more expensive but mostly anything above this is an overkill most of the cases. Hdpe resists years. The idea is not to spend money upfront but make money. In 5 years you can change it.

We can choose HDPE. It’s an extremely cheap construction material, yet it is extremely strong and durable. Resists UV quite well. For a few years no issues. It’s easy to clean, and bugs, mites, and ants cannot hide in it. When it’s sunny, it overheats naturally, killing bacteria and decomposes viruses. Thick wood is 100x worse. Again “99%” not the cold is the problem. Anyways …I will show the extreme cold solutions later.

HDPE handles rain and ice deposits with ease (we might reinforce the roof with rectangular chicken better sad rabbit wire in colder climates so it sustains the snow ). Rectangular one is way stabile than the hexagonal version. That’s quite a cheap and easy-to-implement solution. Ferrocrete, metal or any other option makes absolutely no sense. We spak about mass production here not designer ego. HDPE material is designed to drain water away from the foundations and can withstand the pressure of earth and rocks. It has a patterned surface, and setup is quite simple. We just need to screw it directly into the poles and beams.

All the structural (metal) parts should be covered with zinc to achieve a longer lifespan.

The foundations can be as simple as hammering down the piles. However, a more durable choice would involve creating a circular hole and using foam or concrete. This prevents water from reaching the metal parts, extending the lifespan of the piles significantly. However I would make it movable so we can just drag it with a car, atc. Or just put some wheels under it while moving easily on rough terrain. I wouldn’t let the wheels under it because they are expensive.

That’s the first version. We’ll discuss around 20 designs, each with pros and cons based on temperatures, location, climate, or microclimate—from the Sahara to Alaska. I may contradict myself a few times due to context, so keep that in mind. For example, while this particular design isn’t the best for Canada or Northern Europe due to the extreme cold, in a later section, I’ll say it’s perfect for Alaska or Canada. You’ll see why. One thing is producing fresh organic eggs year round in the Arctics for the research station … and one is mass producing meat in Iceland hillside for 9 months. Day and night difference.

Presented design might work well in Central Europe, especially if the chickens are sold in autumn. Think about it: if the chickens are sold for meat and you don’t keep them over the winter, there’s no reason to build a massive industrial heated hangar that costs “3,000,000” times more.

At the end of the day, the profits would be the same, but you can keep tens of thousands of chickens with minimal investment. Chickens make you money—not the building. You can buy more chickens and smaller coops, enabling you to sell more.

You might not agree, but think about it. With the same budget you’d use to build one industrial-sized hangar, you could build “limitless” coops like this (slightly exaggerated to emphasize the point). This means bigger profits. Sure, it might sound like I’m exaggerating, but I’m being conservative here. (We’ll discuss how to get the land for free—or almost free—later.) Or they pay of to use their land type of deals. If we think about it we can go full sustainable and flower-power but the main question is : money inn and money out. These solutions strive at both parts.

In this version, poop falls directly onto the ground. A small fence around the construction would prevent chickens from stepping into it. Like right underneath. Is this a good solution overall? I’d say yes and no. However if it’s moved no need for that. Is it moved: weekly, monthly, or yearly ? See ? Depend. Adjusting to local nature can make it extremely cheap. Not listening would just make things expensive.

It depends on your farm and seasonality. The grass around the coop will need time to recover. In Norway, Finland, Alaska, or Iceland, this might be a perfect solution. 🙂 (See the contradiction—like the Fight Club guy.) In England and Bulgaria, where it rains day and night, poop gets covered, and the grass recovers on the spot.

Spain and Greece? Not quite. In Nevada and Africa, you want the chickens to poop as much as possible in the same location. You want them to poop day and night during the first cycle, then move them so the grass can grow—mimicking natural migration. See? Here, we need to go to extremes. It might seem like we’re destroying an area in the worst-case scenario, but afterward, it can thrive. Makes sense?

The issue arises when we stay in the middle—nobody wins. Nature loses, and we lose. I’m telling you, we need to listen to nature, not fight it. When we do, everything becomes incredibly simple and cost-effective.

In Alaska, Norway, or Northern Russia, you can push hard during the summer, then pause until the next year. From early fall to late spring, the land and grass have plenty of time to recover. A single batch of meat chickens per year would fit this version well. It’s better than nothing or forcing a year-round version. It’s like refusing to drink French champagne because the grapes weren’t harvested on January 1st—laughable. Practical example. With a 1 million dollar chicken coop you can produce maybe not even 1/100 of meat with this versions. Not exaggerating. And return of investment its not years but months. We are just to selfish to listen to nature.

Check video 02 B

The wooden beams (where chickens sit) can be positioned either close together or farther apart. You might decide to place rectangular chicken wire below—or not. In this version, I’d recommend using it. Nobody wants chickens jumping down directly onto poop. See I contradict myself. Is it moved. Is it rain ? Million different questions.

Positioning the wooden beams too close together could skyrocket costs and block airflow, leading to overheating. I’d go with the rectangular chicken wire for warmer climates. Up north, I’d use more beams to block the wind from below. This depends on the location, especially the microclimate. Is it in a windy valley?

The height isn’t that dangerous. Chickens jumping down shouldn’t be an issue (except for really small ones). There’s no universal answer here—it depends on the context.

Small chickens might need one type of coop, while larger ones could use another. This approach can significantly cut costs because you can go bare minimum with engineering.

Notice again: the wind won’t be able to wet their feathers. They won’t be exposed to direct wind. That’s the key takeaway. Meanwhile, the thick wooden beams protect their feet from the cold. It might sound insane, but this method should work down to -30°C (-22°F).

Sure, it’s not the most comfortable option year-round, but if extreme temperatures suddenly hit in late spring, none of the chickens will die or suffer. No frozen legs, no illnesses, no fainting from a lack of “luxury”.

This structure might work even better in France or Germany. You could keep at least two batches of chickens instead of just one (like in Iceland).

In Spain, Africa, or Dubai, however, chickens would overheat. I wouldn’t recommend this version. 🙂 No contradiction here—never use this design in the Sahara. Even doubling or opening the roof wouldn’t be the best way to keep them cool. We have other versions for that. Desert version will be lower on the page.

Check video 02c

If chickens aren’t allowed to sit on the wooden beams near the walls, the HDPE will stay clean. I’m not saying we should tell them they’re not allowed to sit exactly near the wall. Maybe pictures of wolves ? Or pigeon needles objects ? (Greenpeace would hang me for suggesting … And they’d be right).

No spiders, mites, or poop will collect on the walls. Who knows what pests could make their nests in wooden or foam constructions? Here, when the sun shines, the HDPE heats up and disinfects itself. When? When it’s sunny.

Opening the rood would cool down the coop itself shading and creating ventilation for chicken. However mites and such wont like it. The 1mm HDPE and metal would make their life miserable. Cleaning the wooden “branches” with a power washer here and there would be easy. Now as writing it we shouldn’t even use wood. Maybe some material that insulates well but all parasites hate it miserably.

Not a chemist here but I know Teva sandals put some chemicals within the rubber that kills bacteria. Not sure here. Maybe silver particles. I have no idea what I am speaking here so I stop but the main idea is we have options nowadays.

Opening the roof creates natural airflow, a chimney effect, allowing hot air to escape and cooling the enclosure.

To recap: thin, black HDPE is disinfected by the sun. Meanwhile, hot air escapes through the open roof (chimney effect), cooling the chickens in warmer climates.

Let’s jump back a bit: Tunisia, Mexico, or Africa are not ideal places for this version. It would turn into a huge oven.

Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, or northern Greece would work well. Even Alaska and Iceland, if breeding is limited to one batch per year. In the Mediterranean, this design could work year-round.

However, you’d need to move the coop! We’ll show you how in the next version.

Bacteria and viruses decompose at higher temperatures. Sure, it won’t happen in three minutes, but it will definitely happen within a few hours. Thin black walls provide free disinfection. At sea level, solar energy might reach 800130 watts per square meter, while in mountains, it can peak at 1300 watts per square meter.

While others make thick insulation to trap viruses and bacteria, we do the opposite.

Chickens can’t sit directly near the walls. Will this method keep the varnished wooden beam below hospital-grade clean? No. But the roof and walls will be clean—2 out of 3 isn’t bad. If the roof is open, the chimney effect creates airflow, maintaining steady temperatures for the chickens.

Obviously, we don’t use this design in the desert.

P.s. Notice how: rats, mice ,snakes, fox, wolf, even bears can’t jump up to chicken at night time. No way that can happen. And thanks a.i…. or like common sense, there are million ways that chicken can go up. And other’s would struggle big time.

More with the same money?
Banks like it.

You can build cheaply and the return on investment is light-years faster. Banks—even after 2-3 rounds or sometimes right from the start—will lend you money easily and at low interest because you’re not a risk. You make money. They give you money and you give it back fast. Like “water village”. They started to dig lakes and because of hot climate they harvested 3x. Government gave everybody money and it ended poverty. So, while others struggle to secure funds or get them at favorable rates, you’ll become their favorite. Most importantly, you don’t need billions of dollars upfront.

Note that in the previous version (01), the downfall (as with free-range chickens in general) is that we need a huge amount of land. Chickens will eat up the grass near the construction. Dividing the area into 6-8 clusters would require even more space. Rotating the chickens (and other animals) on pastures is a great idea. Regeneration could occur in a natural, organic way. Parasites would die out as the environment and potential hosts constantly change. Chickens eating bugs and organic food (that they find) could help you sell your chickens at a premium price. Sure, it sounds great—but where is the money for that? (Without selling our soul, of course. :))

Filming such a farm, putting it on YouTube, maybe hosting open days, and managing a membership with direct delivery could pay back the initial investment.
And here’s the catch:
- Sure, land costs money, but I wouldn’t buy it. I’d make a deal with someone who already owns the land.
- A piece of land that is literally good for nothing. I would pay a percentage of sales or a small yearly fee.

I might even find someone who would let me use their land mostly for free.
Essentially, really bad-quality land or hillsides—“worthless” places.
Don’t judge—just stay with me for a second and follow the logic.

This way, it wouldn’t cost the landowner money to cut down the weeds. There are thousands of lands that have been depleted of minerals or are generally unfertile for agriculture. The Sahel in Africa. hey would kiss you on the mouth of you let chicken poop allover an terraform it after. Steep hillsides are another example—no award-winning tractor of the year is going up there.
Rotating chickens, cows, rabbits, and goats on it for a few years would skyrocket the soil quality. Even unfertile land would become fertile. That would cost the landowner a fortune otherwise. They can’t just go out and buy 100% organic poop. Basically, they should be paying you fortunes to boost their land—think of places like the Sahel or the outskirts of deserts as examples.

And look, worst-case scenario—if you don’t get along with the landlords, you can disassemble and move all of the constructions within a few days. This is a far better option than praying for million-euro investment funds, dealing with banks, or being bought out by VC capitalists.
Sleepless nights worrying after a storm? Nobody wants that.
Think about a mountainside with sparse forest. A light rotation of chickens within the area would work wonders. We need to cycle animals in light moderation.
Poop is good. Overusing it and not rotating animals to improve it is bad. Impossible actually. Just think about the migration of buffalo across America. They periodically “destroyed” the land, but in reality, they fed the grass. Now we’ve depleted it with corn syrup. So where is the truth? When was the last time when animals pooped last time on farmlands? Not you and me hahah I mean real ones? haha See?

Even in the forest. Where are the wolf packs that hunted down the pray and everybody pooped. What wolf? What prey? What poop? And at the end of the day poop is poop or no poop is worse then poop. Se we are getting intellectual here. Great.
Again, control, rotation, and moderation are the key. And we’re not talking about Yosemite here—we’re talking about planted forests like Gigafactory Berlin. Places where literally nothing grows: Maybe borderline Alpine areas, the Sahel, and similar somehow extreme environments.

Movable version 03

Note that this version is movable. Grass covers the structure, and you can’t see it on the video. Covered with grass. It sits on a metal frame along the construction. You can easily pull it with a tractor or a 4×4. It’s lightweight. Wheels could work as well. Wouldn’t let the wheels on just while moving so things get cheaper.

Even a small car or ATV could relocate it. Note the cables—they counterbalance the wind. This design would work quite well in most of Europe. By periodically moving the coop, parasites can’t spread widely, and damaged grass can recover easily.

Greenhouse 04

The only difference compared to the previous version is the greenhouse “foliage” and the wiggle wire.

To maximize profits without investing much, we can extend the HDPE with greenhouse “nylon” and wiggle wire. Nowadays, these materials are quite durable, with a 6-7 year guarantee. As a fancier solution for the lower part, poly-plexi could replace the “greenhouse nylon.”

This way, the entire construction acts as a greenhouse. The hot air rises to where the chickens are, potentially increasing the temperature by 15-20°C, especially in late fall. This version would be great for keeping them warm for 1-2 months in spring and another 1-2 months in autumn. Daytime they can stretch their legs. In the evening they sleep anyways. On their feet. Than cold is not an issue.

This could mean an additional round of chickens in colder climates—doubling sales. On cold days, they might choose to stay in the greenhouse (lower parts), allowing them to stretch their legs a bit. The biggest advantage here is stopping the wind and preventing convection (heat transfer). It can be paired with a normal greenhouse as well to increase area. If its way above they will go back naturally in the evening.

Cows, rabbits, and goats could also be rotated on the same fields, further increasing profits. Additionally, parasites could be “eliminated” more easily this way.

If we think about it, in some cases, using a static version might be cheaper than constantly moving the coop with a car or tractor. Moving it would require time, effort, and money. While the materials might cost a bit more for the static version, you wouldn’t need to own a 4×4 or a tractor, nor would you have to pay for constant relocation.

The neighbor’s kid could move the chickens for an ice cream. (Yes, I think like someone who’s lazy—why do you think I sell digital products here? :)) )

So, the kid runs your business and “travels” the chickens from cluster to cluster for an ice cream. Modern slavery. Tax-free. No paperwork for an offshore company is needed. It all depends on what you want to achieve. When I get rich this will be used against me for sure.

As for leaving the constructions empty, it’s not like they wouldn’t be used. Horses, goats, and cows could shelter under them from the sun or rain while they wait their turn. Because its so cheap to build its cheaper just to change the location at every batch of meat chicken or to just change the location of the chicken. Everything is the same inside. Telling you .One ice cream for local kid … problem solved.

The only difference compared to the previous version is the greenhouse “foliage” and the wiggle wire.

Cows, rabbits, and goats could also be rotated on the same fields, further increasing profits. Additionally, parasites could be “eliminated” more easily this way.

The neighbor’s kid could move the chickens for an ice cream. (Yes, I think like someone who’s lazy—why do you think I sell digital products here? :)) )

The only difference compared to the previous version is the greenhouse “foliage” and the wiggle wire.

Cows, rabbits, and goats could also be rotated on the same fields, further increasing profits. Additionally, parasites could be “eliminated” more easily this way.

The neighbor’s kid could move the chickens for an ice cream. (Yes, I think like someone who’s lazy—why do you think I sell digital products here? :)) )

Mountains 05

An opportunity exists at the mountainside (at higher altitudes). Usually, the land is good for nothing more than growing trees. It “can’t” be used for anything else. However, if chickens are rotated, they won’t harm anything. On the contrary, they will improve the soil. The key is to rotate them—I keep repeating this because it’s important. And I’m not talking about wild untouched forest. I mean monocultures with like pine trees as an example. That killed all wildlife for decades. Rotating chicken here. So they are just there briefly. Would compensate a bit the wildlife poop. That is we can say it out loud non existing. Germany has some initiatives now to mix different species of wood and such. Hope most will follow.

The main reason we don’t keep chickens in the mountains is the sudden weather changes, even in the summer. A sudden blizzard or heavy snowfall, avalanche could cause trouble. Here, the strategy would be different from any other place: survive those few hours or a day of extreme weather in “luxury” conditions by providing the chickens with a warm and dry environment. Then things return to normal.

I highly recommend learning about walipinis first. It means “place of warmth.” In the Andes/Bolivia, they were/are quite popular for growing vegetables.

https://maverickmansions.com/walipini-aquaponics-aeroponics

They can even grow bananas!!!

We’ve taken the idea even further in many ways. Here, you have double-layer roofing, and the roof is extended, improving the thermal gap.

Note: Hot air rises, so the chickens will stay in the warmest, driest air at all times. Having two clusters will keep the cold far away.

We’ll have much more efficient versions than this one (to fight the cold) later in the examples. However, we don’t need them 99.99% of the time—those are the overkill of an overkill.

Note that the walls/hole are excavated, and the layering is totally different than expected. Basically, we use sailboat building techniques.

Positioning a super thick concrete wall would cost a fortune. Not to mention the metal wire-mesh reinforcement needed. That would cost even more. And unfortunately… the odds are… it might crack quite easily.

And the winning solution is:

Ferrocrete
YouTube search results for Ferrocrete

Ferrocrete in our case is a 1–1.5 inch (2.5–3 cm) layer of concrete with one or a few layers of chicken wire within, used as reinforcement. It’s extremely strong, and despite the thinness, it will “never” crack.

The strength of the metal wire holds everything in position. It gets the best out of both materials. German invented and started to use it at war. Boats where made from this. It can deal with meter-tall waves smashing the boat like nothing. Not going much into that for now, but the conclusion is we might use it.

A famous architect, Nervi, used it in various projects. He could get away with really—really thin thicknesses (at great openings).

Google image search results for Nervi Ferrocrete Architecture

Important Note:
You need to consult with a certified engineer here. Most will say you are crazy and it will collapse. Talk with the cool ones. Most persons in every industry are not that good. Don’t talk with them. Talk with the awesome engineers. Or just call us. You also need geological studies. I finished university in architecture, so we might say I am a professional giving advice. And the advice is work with us. If you than don’t do irresponsible things. You need a local, certified engineer to calculate how it should be done! However they will put 100x more material because most have absolutely no clue and they don’t want to face jailtime. They are mad engineers so they will design you a 100k$ pool. hahaha Using all the metal from Eiffel tower.

Don’t be surprised: most would say that’s the stupidest idea they ever heard. They are lazy to calculate it. Better said, the problem suppresses most engineers knowledge and capability regarding engineering, or they are just plain lazy to learn about it. They don’t want to end up in jail if something bad happens, so they stay at the routine, basic knowledge they know. I don’t want to be mean here, but unfortunately, that’s the case. Nobody asks them to learn about it, so they don’t. Just talk with us first.

The main idea is not to be cheap here. Find a good local engineer and pay them. Sure, it costs money, but it will bring you back “million” times the investment. Don’t do it yourself with thicknesses and such. Please listen here—you really need a certified professional. I am cheap everywhere but here never ever ever make a do it yourself project.

At the same time, be aware that most engineers will put you at five times the thickness so they are covered legally. They don’t care about your project or budget; they care about covering themselves to get the money. You need somebody—a good one—who will calculate it for you. It should be within 2.5–4 cm (1–1.5 inches) roughly (building in desert sand, etc., could be an exception).

There are three versions from the start:

The second the excavator finishes, the chicken wire is positioned on the walls. It can then be covered with a layers of concrete. And concrete sprayed or put on it manually. But you need some geo studies and some samples to see. You need local engineers here. Don’t start at your own.

You might ask how the whole thing won’t collapse on the inside and why we don’t need huge slabs or beams to hold the earth.

Consider these tools—they could make miracles:

Galvanized earth anchors:
Google image search results for Galvanized Earth Anchors

They will use the earth as anchors. We just need to screw them into the walls.

Making the ferrocrete slabs separately. When they are ready, we can position them in their place, maybe filling up with earth.
A hybrid between the two. Usually, it’s pretty easy to decide. You just need a good engineer, geo studies, and some price calculations for both versions. And don’t forget to calculate the workmanship as well. After that, it’s an easy decision. I praise to God levels your local engineer here. Pick the best one!!!

You can position some beams as well in the inside that keeps things separated. If things are not connected: there are gaps between sections than in case of an earthquake nothing brakes. The earthquakes usually is a problem outside of the earth not within. Like waves. Submarines are not affected. Lots of prefab beams in the inside could keep things apart.

Here, the engineer, geo studies, and the final price estimates should decide what exact method to use.

With this layering: water, snakes, wolves, bears, avalanche … you name it… will stay outside. An additional rectangular chicken wire on the rooftop could keep predators away in the evenings.

Self cleaning explained.

We built a Walipini greenhouse. It will moderate temperatures—cool in the daytime and hot in the evenings. The walls that heated up daytime will store the heat for the nighttime. When a minus 10,000 trillion Celsius/Fahrenheit hits the night… inside, it will be super comfortable. However, we are not doing this for the chickens. We are doing this to keep red wigglers alive.

Learn about red wigglers here:
How Vermicomposting Works
Red Wigglers YouTube Search

Red wigglers are unique. A really unique creature. Like earth worms. They crawl out (after dark) to the surface and eat up fresh organic matter. They won’t wait until it’s rotten or composted. Basically, these little monsters eat up the chicken poop while it’s fresh and transform it into “sterile earth.” Wow. Isn’t it?

(You can use or sell them for extra money). They stay in the earth if it’s cold. Within these structures, they are kept at perfect temperatures even in cold climates. They will be able to crawl up to do their work. Even in the winter. Throwing some leaves, already rotten hay or straw, cut grass, or dead plants on the poop here and there will achieve the perfect Carbon to Nitrogen ratio for composting. The enclosure will heat it up even more. It will be a “furnace”.
The red wigglers will feast on the warm surface, even in the winter.
They will clean up the mess in “real-time.” No pests, diseases, or house flies.

Note that the chickens stay at the upper part. They can’t get to the compost/poop to eat the red wigglers all the time. Not sure here … after my knowledge they just crawl up just at night so maybe we can let them in same area sometimes. So it depends.

Over time—basically years—the new earth will rise higher and higher. Every few years, a mini bulldozer or bobcat can take out the precious earth. It could be sold quite well. It will be of superior quality.

Note that there is a drainage pipe. Water won’t accumulate to harm the red wigglers. “Warm tea” can be collected, and it is a perfect fertilizer. That’s the name of it. Collecting the wigglers is quite easy. Flood the enclosure, and they will crawl to the surface. Collect them, then let the water drain out through the pipe. With this design, months or even years can pass before you need to clean up the bin. Note that hot composting, as a bonus, will kill bacteria and decompose viruses. Check the machine I built here .

These underground constructions will keep the chickens in more than perfect conditions year-round. Even in arctic areas. You get protection from predators as well, along with the cleanup and a storage place for the new earth. In case the coop is located in Alaska or Siberia and we don’t keep chickens in the coldest season, we can use it as a deposit for a few months.

Did you know that plants yield way better with CO2 enhancement?
Save fortunes and increase profits.
CO2 enhancement for free:
Free CO2 for Greenhouses

Roof materials.

Double or triple poly plexiglass, with or without rectangular chicken wire.
Foliage material used in greenhouses combined with wiggle wire (rectangular chicken wire supports to hold snow or sand).
Maybe black HDPE in hot climates to block the Sun.

Transparent, semi-transparent, or full blockage (like HDPE), depending on the climate or season.

Terraforming desert 06

Compared to the previous version (05), we made a small modification in the design and jumped into a desert-like environment.

Here, the biggest problem is the heat of the sun in the daytime and the extreme cold in the evenings—not just the extremities, but the constant fluctuation that’s really hard on any organism.

Within the peak hours of the extremes, the chickens can hide or find refuge within the “chicken coop.” In the videos, I used a transparent material so we can see inside better.

Obviously, it needs to be shaded. It can be a non-transparent greenhouse “nylon” on a rectangular chicken wire for support, a darkened plexiglass, or HDPE that’s not transparent at all.

Note that the best versions for the roof are the ones that do not slide but rotate, controlling the airflow. The secondary roof (right above their heads) is more to keep them down there and to prevent wind from blowing directly on them.

They are not allowed on the roof or near the openings all the time. This way, the grass can grow a bit. Their home will be shaded even better.

Both roofs are movable—the rectangular and the vertical one as well. This can achieve the best results and flexibility. It becomes like a living organism.

Note that here we do the opposite of anywhere else. We want poop all over the place—terraforming at its best. Chicken poop will stop and slow down the evaporation of water through sand. If chicken farming is done on an industrial level, then as a long time consequence water levels will start to rise. It will put the right nutrients and microbes within the earth. It wild start growth of mycelium and such. That’s essential and mostly missing in those areas.

Evaporation of water will be slowed down tremendously. Chicken poop will form a thin layer of soil in no time. Like an umbrella from the sun. Slows evaporation of ground water. Within a few months to a year, seeds will have a great chance to grow. The terrain will be prepared to plant small bushes or trees.

Under the shade, grassland can appear. In most cases, the lack of rainfall is not the problem, but the quick evaporation (and the accumulation of salts caused by it).

Water slipping away is the issue. Solving the microbiome and using the right fertilizers would solve the water levels naturally. The irony here is that you can terraform arid desert land while you feed people with chickens. At first, chickens shouldn’t be rotated at all—just hitting hard terrain. Poop like crazy. The second that something shows tendencies to grow, then we can start rotating chickens so the greenery has time to grow and recover. The whole thing accelerates. The problem is that most places are fertile, but we didn’t let the land recover—we destroyed it. This version could kickstart nature again. Poop and leave method :)) First just poop. Than poop and leave it for months. Goats and sheep are an alternative as well. They can hide and rest within these enclosures. But they need to be rotated after nature takes over.

Bringing 10,000 goats , sheep or billion chicken onto the sand would be the quickest way to start terraforming an area. Poop will do its work. We just need to make sure to come back a few months later. That’s the main idea. In the morning and evening chicken could do their work. At peak times they hide from the sun.

Avoid this errors 07

The bushes are a great idea in general. They stop the wind.
At the surface of the rooftop, they “stop” the wind. Convection as heat exchange will go way down.
Imagine your hand putting out of a moving car. We plant the bushes so no moving car.
It will stay warm. We can gain a few degrees for free. Isn’t that cool ?

The bushes will create a warmer microclimate,
a wind-free area. However, it needs to be calculated how far they should be from the construction. We need to make sure we have plenty of sun.
Contradiction again: we don’t want the sun in the desert. We need bushes here.

Note the existence of the fence. Chickens are not allowed all the time in the strict vicinity of the roof.

As an error on purpose, we have a roof that “sits” in an asymmetrical tilted angle. At great wind speeds, the construction has to be quite powerful to deal with the extra force. It could act like a sail. We don’t want that. Wind will push down the chickens. They might get sick in the constant wind, even in the middle of the summer.

Note that the second roof (right above their heads) should be moved up and down depending on the circumstances. It protects them from direct wind. It’s a bit of trial and error and depends on the location and microenvironment. We can adjust and automate the roofs perfectly. Among the best options would be an Arduino-type small computer. It uses almost no energy. One small solar panel and battery could save the day. So in cold climates the roof looks like a normal roof and here is inverted. So moving air speeds up and cools the chicken. If no speed just heat than it should be closed so the basement keeps them cool. And let them on lower levels. Near the red wigglers.

https://www.arduino.cc/

Palm trees 08

Note here it was a desert before the chickens arrived. Or it just had a bit more rainfall, so a little grass and a few palm trees could grow naturally. And we made them thrive. Chicken poop will skyrocket the fertility of the land. Grass will flourish and block the earth from the sun, especially under the protective shade of palm trees. One thing is important, especially here: we need to rotate chickens. We need to let the land rest for grass to grow back. Or just not to overpopulate it. And again I’m not tying to destroy Narnia here but terraform an ecosystem that had absolutely nothing. And the main idea is to kickstart nature again with poop, nutrients, mycelium, periodic grazing etc etc.

We need to mimic the natural migration of animals. Just imagine the buffalo. They “destroyed” huge grasslands, then they disappeared for months. We humans destroyed nature by stopping the cycles. We were selfish and kept the animals in the same place to maximize short-term profits, so nature couldn’t recover. Nature needs animals but moderately or in waves. I keep repeating this on purpose because it’s important.

If we keep chickens, goats, etc., on an industrial scale, the microclimate—and then the climate—will change. Dew points will appear in the mornings. Rain will become more frequent, and constant streams of water will appear. Usually, it’s not the lack of rain that’s the problem but the uncontrolled animals that eat everything. Plants die, so evaporation gets even faster. Salts accumulate in the ground even more.

A small breeze under the trees will cool down the chicken coops and grass even more. The inverted position of the roof will accelerate the breeze. It will cool the second roof. We might even insulate it in extreme cases. Some hay, organic material, or sand could help.

Surely, both roofs have to be movable and non-transparent.

Here, I wouldn’t choose the greenhouse foliage. I would go with HDPE. It’s more durable for dealing with sandstorms. Poly or plexi would be better. The surface is smooth and slippery, so sand could slide down easily. However, we might want to keep the sand on the roof to insulate it even better. See? It depends case by case.
A rectangular chicken wire and metal reinforcement below HDPE could hold up sand easily.

In this example, the “wings” of the rooftop come down… the accumulated sand will fall to the margins. Swiping the sand is quite easy, and it can be automated with a leaf blower running along the peak of the rooftop once in a while.

Recap: The roofs are way more transparent than in reality, and both are movable. The lower part moves up and down, and the upper part moves like the wing of a bird. It modifies its position throughout the day. This way, chickens will thrive in hostile environments and will “terraform” the land. Or it’s reinforced with HDPE + metal to hold sand on the top at all times.

Alpine areas

We discussed the mountain area, but here we go even further. This is for the Alpine areas where even trees struggle. Places where, for most of the summer, we have high grass and perfect conditions. However, a sudden extreme temperature swing could make chickens suffer or die. This version is the best for the coldest colds and highest altitudes—the mountain range.

A place where nearby avalanches swipe all constructions in the winter. A slightly modified version of the rooftop could handle avalanches as well.
Note: we won’t keep chickens there under the winter ice, but from spring to late fall, it’s a perfect place.

Limitless land, basically. Nobody competes for it. And I can tell you: if we vlog about the “daily life” on YouTube, then it can be sold at a premium price.

Everybody would buy/want that. Don’t even start to argue—you know most will buy it. Direct recurring customers, especially if transportation is taken care of (it appears at their door). They will even pre-orders for the next year. Sure not Alpine area but lets see. French Alps and such and maybe even milder areas like Bulgaria.

Bulgaria is a perfect location. Low production cost and no extremes. Not so hot in the summer. And not extremely cold in the winter. Relatively “mild” winters compared to Nordic countries. And because of the constant rains in the country : The grass will grow back on the spot like wolverine. Not drying out in the summer like in Hungary or Greece. So at a marketing every chicken is in a half meter grass. Not sure any other country can even dare to think to compete with that. The country is quite sparsely populated, and most of it is a steep hillside. “Worthless” monoculture pine trees planted. Thanks to endless forests and evaporation, it rains quite often. Grass can recover easily.

Hills & extreme cold? 09

Note the subtle difference between version 05. Here, the spacing between the two roofs is engineered in a way that cold is directed away from the core of the structure. The cold air between the two roofs will flow away from the greenhouse. Meanwhile, the warmest air will remain in the vicinity. Notice that’s an overkill of an overkill. We talk about Northern countries or Alpine areas.

The bigger the distance and elevation between the lower parts of the two roofs, the more insulation we’ll have.

Some fabric or perforated nylon is needed on the small hill. This way, plants won’t start to grow between the two roofs. It won’t rain inside; however, the dew point will cause issues. It could water the weeds. It’s a simplified design.

I would continue with this fabric a bit further down the roof to make sure weeds won’t take over the edges of the rooftop.

The fence is to keep the chickens away from the roof. Letting them near the building is just an occasional thing to take care of excessive growth. Not that higher grass will stop convection as heat transfer, but it also blocks out the Sun. Hope I helped here to decide :)))) The answer is obvious :))

Inside, it can be surprisingly warm:

The Walipini itself works like a thermal battery.
In winter, adding grass, leaves, and hay to the poop will start to compost. That produces large quantities of heat.

The heat produced could potentially kill the red wigglers. Make sure to start with a thick layer of earth so they can hide under or near the hot piles. So when it’s minus 20C in the inside we don’t want to burn the red wigglers at 40-60C. Crazy isn’t it? Adding traditional earthworms might be an idea as well. Not sure about compatibility (we need to check this).

This design encourages snow to accumulate on the roof—and we kind of want that. It will insulate the whole thing even better. Notice that all of the water is directed outwards, far away from the walls. Heating up some wires on the rooftop (plugged into some solar panels) or a small windmill could melt the snow.

The coop will start to work as a greenhouse again. In extreme cold and blizzard week, it’s better to just leave the snow on the rooftop. Best insulation. No heating needed. As we talked why. So you have no snow and greenhouse and thermal battery for the evening …. or really thick snow for insulation. Both are perfect. In between its not the best. With a small modification, this design could deal with avalanches and heavy snow accumulations.

Nordic Region & Mountains 10

This particular design works well in Northern countries, where the angle of the sun is lower: Finland, Norway, Alaska, Russia. However, as a contradiction—or the irony of the situation—these countries have way more sunlight in the summer.

The earth won’t cool down that much in the evenings. My cousin from Anchorage, Alaska, told me that lately (thanks to global warming), they started to buy air conditioners like candy… in Alaska!!!

Daytime temperatures aren’t the problem, but the nights. The building doesn’t have time to cool down before the morning. Every day, the houses get warmer and warmer.

With this modified design, the summertime could be extended a bit and start early. We could do two batches of chickens instead of one.

We don’t fight or clean the roof. We use it as insulation. While chickens are small, we can keep them closed within the structure. It will remain above freezing temperatures at all times. If we help them out with some composting, temperatures will be quite hot. However, as mentioned, chickens can deal with -30°C (-22°F) quite well. The conditions here are almost perfect in comparison.

The second they grow bigger and spring is on the way, they are allowed to go outside.

Additional lighting might be added so they stay in a warm, dry, well-lit area.
If we want to keep them year-round, installing a heating system at the entrance would keep access open. Snow and ice won’t block it. They will be able to choose to go out in warmer weather. Transparent double or triple doors could keep the warmth inside. The entrance should be designed so they have to go upwards when they enter the lowest part of the coop. This way, the hot air (where they sleep) stays inside. Chicken always want to go upwards.

Sure, you might ask, why push this to the mountainside? Why not do it in perfect conditions near a city?

If you have hundreds of acres of land worth $10 million near the center, then do it. However, that business is called real estate development.

Branded as alpine/desert terraforming chicken. Invite “PewDiePie” to vlog… and it will be fine.

Like the Milka chocolate commercial, invite a few environmentalist YouTubers to the free-range pasture for a weekend. Give them a percentage and affiliate links. You’ll have hundreds, if not thousands, of pre-orders for the next batch. Basically, you’ll sell the chickens a year in advance.

My only problem with this design is that:

The hot air between the two roofs goes to the top. Therefore, the colder air gets to the second roof. On the right, this is solved quite well—cold air is directed away. We should make a similar modification on the left part (like in example 09). I left it like that to show a potential area for improvement. Error on purpose.

Various design 11

Simplified version with a totally different design for a milder climate.
It’s way cheaper and easier to build. Within this example, I left the roof transparent. Double poly would work out quite well. Greenhouse “nylon” on rectangular chicken wire (beneath it) is an option. HDPE could be used in warm climates.

Various design 12 a

Within this version, the sides can be closed or opened.

However, my huge mistake is that the rain will fall on the hill. After a few days of bad weather, the small hill will be filled with water. And the odds are that water will get into the construction. For example, constant moisture will cause mold and lots of diseases. Even with the best, thickest water insulation and workmanship, we will have problems. Constant ventilation is needed. The solution is great in the case of “dry landscapes,” but in areas where it can rain for days… it’s a bad choice.

More examples A13

Here we have the same flat roof as in the previous version (12). However, the gap between the two roofs is huge. All of the cold air slips to the sides. Note that between the sheets, the dew point could occur. It could be enough to water some weeds. To make sure we don’t have this problem, we need to put some “textile” or “nylon” on the ground.

The sides should be movable like Lamborghini doors. That could control the airflow quite accurately. It can be automated with an Arduino robotic system. Depending on the microclimate and geolocation, we need to consider the height of the bushes and the distances from the enclosure.

Air can be pre-cooled by the bushes. A few layers of bushes could handle the air conditioning. The air could flow through the bushes first. This way, it has time to cool down. Spain, Corsica, and the northern part of Egypt could consider the idea of pre-cooled air.

Needless to mention, in hot climates, the upper roof is not as transparent as in the video. Also, the lower roof is movable as well.

More examples B 14

Look… a similar design (to 13) can create a totally different microclimate. Thick, tall trees positioned further away block out the winds. This would heat up not just the structure but the outdoors as well. It slows down convection. Cold wind won’t blow between the chickens’ feathers, making their lives easier in the outdoors too.

If you think about an extreme situation—alpine grass fields—planting “juniper” bushes (not sure about the name) could stop extreme winds. The worst mountain breeze that could shatter trees and push humans to the ground (in an open area) wouldn’t harm chickens. Chickens could walk between the bushes without a problem. Except for the sound of the wind… they wouldn’t even notice the bad conditions. Not sure if chicken eats that bushes but Some rectangular chicken wire would solve the issue. This way heavy winds are stopped.

And back to the main idea here: absolutely “nobody wants” those places. That means they’re worth “nothing.” You got the upper part of the deal. Renting it or making deals. Sharing profits etc. So no money to be paid upfront.

More examples C 15

Notice the nuanced differences between the designs. Notice that there are no good and bad ones. It all depends on the microclimate, climate, budget, maybe workmanship, skills, and capital. A design might be better; however, if another one costs 1/10 … 6/10 less as an overall price (including workmanship), then it’s tricky to decide.

Consider this: if you double or triple your chickens, your profits won’t just double or triple. They might go even higher because you buy in bulk and sell in bulk. You get contracts that small companies will never have. And you can scale faster. If you have a few dollars, you can immediately reinvest to manufacture new coops. The money is not staying in banks. It works constantly. You won’t wait for $500k for a new “industrial chicken factory”

H … here the upper part is open. Basically, it works like an airplane wing. The airflow accelerates at the upper part. It grabs and pushes out the hot air. It does so with great pressure and force, like an airplane wing or a sailboat.

Rain won’t fall inside. In case of cold weather, both roofs automatically close. Here the upper roof now has four pieces instead of two. We might consider which versions are worth it in our particular case.

Here the structure wasn’t cleaned for maybe more than a decade. It’s filled with earth. The walipini lost its function (at least the cleaning part was skipped for sure).

The problem is that it lost its function as a walipini, so red wigglers won’t clean up the mess in the winter. Poop will remain on the surface.

We need a balance here. Let’s say every x years, we can visit with a bobcat and excavate the earth. It can be sold at a premium price. Collecting the red wigglers is quite easy. Fill it up with water, or shocking the earth with vibrations. They will get scared and come to the surface. We can sell them (they are quite expensive) or redistribute them in new coops.

More examples D 16

This is essentially design (15) with a closed roof system.

Notice how effectively cold air escapes and moves away from the core. The “only” issue with this setup is that we shouldn’t allow the enclosure to accumulate too much earth.

Additionally, note that chickens don’t require extremely bright light inside the coop—they’re not cucumbers! Two to four layers of insulation won’t negatively impact chickens their well-being.

V shape A 17

This version has its benefits as well. We skipped the ferrocene and chicken wire reinforcement. Maybe a pond liner, simple nylon, or even nothing at all. This version is suitable for warmer climates. Generally speaking, the climate in India could work here. However, we need to deal with the natural predators of red wigglers and the chickens.

A cheap nylon or pond liner could collect all the mess. Washing it with water and then pumping it out to the root system of nearby trees could be an option. The diluted poop is fresh; however, the low quantities dissolved won’t harm but will boost plant growth. You need to check your country’s jurisdiction to confirm this.

V shape B 18

The huge difference here is that the sides—the small hills—are covered with a roof, and they are closed. Three different enclosures form: 1) the V-shape in the middle, and 2), 3) at the sides. The small hills are slightly warmed, pre-heating the air and earth.

The air outside is usually cooler than the air inside. When colder, humid air gets inside, it will dry out in an instant. Basically, warm air can hold much more water. The relative humidity in warmer air becomes significantly lower—essentially dry air. Perfect for Panama. Constant rain? Bring it on.

During thunderstorms and heavy rainfall, the inside will remain bone dry (in a given context and climate). Mold won’t form. In this particular version, small Lamborghini-like doors rotate up and down to adjust the airflow. It’s far more efficient than traditional greenhouses or walipinis in a given context.

Note the “doors” are closed. In the evening, they can preserve heat. For warm climates, shaded or even insulated rooftops might be necessary. An additional cover that blocks out the summer sun would be a great idea, depending on the climate. In Spain, I would use dark foliage right from the start. In Africa? We need no light “at all.”

V design C 19

This design is similar to the previous (18) version but with a subtle difference. The doors are open, allowing air to flow freely. Note that this shouldn’t be arbitrary. If opened too much, it can create excessive wind inside. If opened too narrowly, it might not allow sufficient airflow. Some trial and error, along with automation, could solve this issue.

I would use an Arduino-based rotating system—not sliding, but rotating doors. With this, we have limitless possibilities for fine-tuning.

Ferrocrete could either be poured on-site or prefabricated beforehand. With the prefabricated version, labor costs are significantly reduced. Note that with this version, we don’t need anchors. It’s a simple and cost-effective solution, saving a considerable amount on labor.

If the concrete is poured in a horizontal position, it’s much easier to manage. However, since the angles are quite small, we might pour the concrete directly in its final position. This should be relatively easy to manage.

V design D 20

The same idea again, with some small differences. We need to put barriers on the hills. Weeds might start to grow between the two roofs if we don’t. Even the morning mist or dew could be enough to feed the plants with water, and we don’t want that.

In the above example, the whole structure could be hung on metal cables anchored at the margins, with the roof remaining the same. However, this depends on the location, climate, local weather patterns, or the strength of the soil. Sand is one scenario, while building on granite is another. Rocky areas are ideal because drilling a hole into the rock creates a natural foundation for the structure. A $1 metal piece could hold the cables tight. The key is not the solutions themselves, but finding the right solution for the context.

Usually, the biggest challenge is what you’re dealing with. No heavy rainfall? Great—then there’s no need for an expensive roof. Two meters of snow? Perfect—that’s free insulation with no wind. It sounds funny, but a 2-meter snowfall on an underground construction is cheaper to manage than a building exposed to the wind. No rotational forces. Wind-exposed buildings require far-far-far more materials and craftsmanship. Rotational forces are curse. Static forces are the cheapest to solve.

How not to do it.

This design is a few years old. Compared to the new designs, it is far too complicated. The main ideas are good, but we need to eliminate 90% of the materials and workmanship required.

It’s a great example to demonstrate how following good principles can go terribly wrong. So now, we’ll critique the very first design of mine as a bad example. Don’t make the same mistakes. Don’t overcomplicate simple things.

At first glance, notice the “beautiful design” with the Maverick Mansions logo in it. Better described as ego in it. Sure, it’s beautiful—we can’t imagine better—but it’s not financially viable. We are not creating art here. We are building self-sustaining businesses on a grand scale where every penny counts. “Form follows function.” That’s not the problem—it looks good or not. The issue is the solution itself costs maybe 100x more than necessary.

Going wider, adding big openings, or even painting costs money. Are we in the Louvre? No. Sure, art has its place but it’s not the case.

The key is making it simpler—literally throwing out most of the parts. Like the famous saying, “less is more.”

Notice the underground: the walls are 15–20 cm thick, likely made of reinforced concrete—which costs a fortune. It’s not insulated from above. Frost could kill, sending red wigglers underground until late spring, where they’re easily accessible to their natural predators.

This means natural cleaning stops for months. Witnessing falling poop from above becomes more of a circus act than a daily activity we’d want to see. In case of strong winds or rain, most of the waste will end up on the concrete/rocks. It will look absolutely terrible.

Notice the use of three layers of rectangular chicken wire (and support). One holds the roof in case of heavy snowfall. Another is placed under the chickens to prevent them from falling. The third holds the farmer girl drinking (not beer—she’s driving later).

If the chickens choose not to stay near the lower fence (on the ground), that’s a problem. They have several reasons for this:

Poop will fall on them.
They likely dislike the hot metal in the summer sun burning their feet. The spacing is also quite large, making it nearly impossible for them to walk comfortably.
The odds are high that poop will accumulate. Same issue with the upper fence. Chickens need to jump down from the wooden beams. If it’s cold and their feet hurt, they’ll avoid stepping on it. Feathers and poop, bacteria, diseases will accumulate. Not even talking by a wind. It would cost a fortune to anchor it. And use extremely thick materials. That’s the issue we need to see it as a hole not parts of it separately.

End notes.

Not using the rectangular chicken wire directly below the chickens (wooden beam) could make cleaning easier. The beams should be closer together so chickens can’t jump down.

Varnishing the wooden beams (where the chickens sleep) would simplify cleaning. A large rotating brush running up and down on a rail could easily clean the beams, similar to an automatic car wash—or alternatively, a pressure washer. This solution would bring cleaning to a near-pharmacy level. It’s efficient in water usage and budget-friendly. Additionally, the waste is reused immediately by the red wigglers and compost below.

A small DC motor could operate the brush or pressure washer along the beams. This system could be controlled by an Arduino, a small camera, and heat sensors. We wouldn’t even need to be physically present to clean it. These practical, non-futuristic methods of extra cleaning are very effective and affordable.

We might not need all these solutions. The constant movement of the chickens could naturally clean up the mess, especially since they are mostly outdoors. So they just go inside sleeping. Nests are another story. Skipping it for now.

The beams themselves are triangular rather than rectangular. This design protects the chickens’ feet from the cold and makes cleaning from below much easier. It also costs less of what the rectangular version would. Their feet are at center when the wood or other beam is the thickest. So its efficient. If you think about it, it’s significantly cheaper and easier to maintain than a large concrete floor. Plus, it requires much less water and time to wash it..

The continuous movement on the wooden beams (and metal, if present) will keep the area clean. Periodically, when the chickens are not in the coop, a high-pressure water system could travel along a rail (fixed to the ceiling) to clean the varnished beams. This water would already be in use for composting and the red wigglers below. The entire process can be automated easily and inexpensively, solving 2–3 issues at once without extra effort. Or a battery driven pressure washer is the cheapest. It’s not like you need to wash it daily. Paying somebody to wash it periodically is cheaper than some fancy automations. And I am into that but here makes absolutely no sense. No infrastructure is a good decision. Simple.

The underground version, covered with a layer of earth, could protect chickens from wildfires. Heat and fumes wouldn’t reach them. The large volume of air inside the enclosure would be sufficient to prevent them from being poisoned by their own CO2 while the fire persists outside.

The underground versions are practically built to thrive in hurricane alley.

In flooded areas, placing wooden beams and ramps above the waterline and directing the chickens toward their home (until the water subsides) is a great idea. Even if they don’t reach the coop immediately, they’ll have plenty of time to figure out how to walk to the building from above. There’s no rush. We wouldn’t even need to be on-site—they’ll manage. A double ramp can also act as an umbrella, allowing them to walk above the water with a roof overhead.

For perfect composting and disinfection of waste materials, consider this machine: Free CO2 and heating for Greenhouses

Imagine how many people are required by the state to cut grass and control pollen levels. We can’t plant corn syrup everywhere, and tractors can’t access every area. Some landowners may not want to sell their land because they keep it for vacation homes or plan to sell it later. However, they may not want to spend money on maintaining it either. We don’t need hundreds of solutions, just one or two in our area. This creates an easy win-win situation.