Mabel Chicken Market Coop Plans
This DIY Mabel Chicken Market Coop is the perfect display for showing off your crochet Mabel Chickens and other market and craft show makes! Follow along with these free step-by-step plans to make your own beautiful farmhouse chicken coop that will help you stand out at your next market!
The Mabel Chicken Crochet Pattern has become popular among market makers, and it’s easy to see why -she’s adorable, quick to make, and always a hit with shoppers! With so many makers crafting flocks of Mabels, I wanted to design a display that would showcase them beautifully while maintaining a clean, farmhouse look. And so, the Mabel Chicken Market Coop came to life!
If you prefer a fully formatted and ad-free PDF which includes extra printable pages and photos, you can grab your copy HERE or on Etsy.
The Perfect Market Display
When designing this little Mabel Chicken Market Coop, I had some key goals in mind:
- Easy to Make – I wanted uncomplicated plans that were straight-forward with easily sourced supplies.
- Farmhouse Feel – I wanted something that felt right at home in a rustic, country-themed market setup but could also fit seamlessly with different display styles.
- Minimalist & Versatile – The design is simple enough that you can make it your own, whether that means adding a distressed paint finish, using natural wood tones, or incorporating fun decorative elements.
- Market-Friendly Size – It needed to be large enough to make a statement at your booth while still being compact and lightweight enough to transport easily.
Up-level your Market Game
A great display can really change how people see your work at markets! When your space is set up in a way that’s inviting and fun to browse, shoppers are more likely to stop and take a closer look. The Mabel Chicken Market Coop makes your booth feel intentional and eye-catching while keeping that handmade, cozy feel.
This blog post will go over all of the steps to make your own beautiful Mabel Coop. If you prefer to pick up an ad-free copy of this pattern that you can print or download onto your device, the Mabel Chicken Market Coop Plans are available in my shop This 30 page PDF also includes modifications for making your own beautiful Fable Dollhouse. You can also check out the Fable Dollhouse blog post to grab the all the details for free!
Let’s get started!
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NOTES:
- Drill pilot holes before nailing to help prevent the wood from splitting.
- Countersink nails by tapping them in with a nail punch; you can fill the holes with wood filler afterward for a clean finish.
- Wait until the house is fully assembled before cutting the backing piece, so you can get an exact fit.
- A nail gun can also be used if that’s your preferred method.
TOOLS:
- Table saw
- Miter saw
- Hand saw (optional)
- Drill
- Tape measure
- Square
- Adjustable Bar Clamp (24″)
- Air nailer (optional)
- Hammer
- Nail punch
- Side cutters (for faux tin roof)
MATERIALS:
- 1/2″ Plywood (I used maple plywood)
- 1 1/4″ finishing nails
- 1/16″ drill bit
- 1.5″ air nailer brads (if using a nailer)
- Wood glue
- Sand paper
- Wood filler
- Primer and paint
- Painter’s tape
- Small paint rollers
- Paint brushes
OPTIONAL:
- 1/4” beechwood stripping for faux “tin roof” (can purchase or cut your own).
MEASUREMENTS:
1: DRAW OUT AND CUT PIECES
You will need one sheet of 24″x48″ and one sheet of 24″x24″ plywood.
Remember to cut a 45° angle on the ends of the sides and roof pieces.
Lightly sand all cut edges.
2: ATTACH BOTTOM SHELF
Start by glueing, drilling and nailing the bottom shelf between the sides. Make sure the angled cuts are at the top and facing outward. Use clamps while drilling and nailing.
Clean up any excess glue with a rag.
3: ATTACH NEXT TWO SHELVES
Use the same method to glue, clamp and secure the next two shelves into place, leaving 8″ between each shelf. (An 8″ scrap of wood works well as a spacer for measuring.)
4: ASSEMBLE THE ROOF
The peak of the roof must be secured before adding to the house.
Add a small amount of glue to the angled edges and carefully hold together while drilling and attaching with nails. It is helpful to have two people for this step. Drill holes first then nail the peak together from both sides. A nail gun also works well. (See photo above.)
5: ALIGNING THE ROOF
It is easiest to lay the house on a flat surface to line up the roof. Keep in mind that the roof is 10″ deep, while the house is only 8″ deep. To line up properly, use 1″ wood scraps to lift the house so the roof aligns correctly.
Measure on both sides of the roof to make sure it’s sitting evenly. The overhang should be equal on both sides. Lightly mark where the sides meet underside of the roof with a pencil.
6: ATTACHING THE ROOF
Once marked, remove the roof and apply glue to the angled peaks of the house sides. Place the roof back onto the house, using pencil marks as a guide. Clamp in place to drill and nail.
The base of the house is complete! The house can now be lightly sanded, using wood filler if needed, and painted as you wish.
TIN ROOF DETAILING (OPTIONAL)
1: Cut fourteen 1/4″ strips from a 12″ x 17″ basswood plywood sheet. While pre-cut basswood strips are available, they’re often not long enough to span the 16.5″ slope of the roof, so cutting them from a sheet ensures the right length.
2: Mark out 7 lines on each side of the roof for the strips. Make sure lines meet at the peak of the roof. Lines should be spaced out every 1.5″ with the first and last line 1/2″ from the ends.
3: Lightly sand the basswood strips to remove any rough edges. You can use coarse sandpaper to create an approximate 45° angle on one side of each strip where they will meet at the peak of the roof. You can begin glueing strips over the marked lines onto the roof. The strips may hang over the edge of the roof for now – they will be cut later.
4: Once glue is completely dry, use cutters to remove excess length from the strips. Sand with coarse sandpaper to shape and smooth out edges. Finally, use fine sandpaper to go over all of the strips to remove any rough edges.
PAINTING
1: Before painting, make sure all nail holes and blemishes are filled, and all rough edges are sanded. Add some extra filler on the corners inside the house, and some of the more porous spots on the plywood to smooth them out, then gave one final sand to prep for paint once dried.
2: Prime all sides of the house. Use both a bristle brush and a small roller.
3: Once primer is dry, finish with paint. For this Mabel Chicken Market Coop, small tester pots from Benjamin Moore were used in the colors Flint, Sonnet and Hot Apple Spice.
Hope you have as much fun building your Mabel Chicken Market Coop as you do making your little Mabels! It’s a sweet way to help your flock stand out at markets—or even to display them at home.
For a fun twist on this Mabel Coop, check out the Fable Dollhouse Mod blog post for all the details to turn this little build into the sweetest dollhouse for your modified and perfectly sized Fable Collection animals.
You can get the ad-free, downloadable version of these plans which include details for both the Mabel Chicken Market Coop and the Fable Dollhouse HERE of on Etsy.
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