Welcome to Cluckingham Palace, a posh chicken coop in Kittanning Township

It’s a chicken coop worth crowing about.

Buttercup, Harper and Wren are coddled chickens residing in a custom-built henhouse on two acres in rural Armstrong County.

Homeowners Debbi and Dave Reefer decided in 2016 to raise chickens on their property in Kittanning Township.

“I always thought chickens were cool, and our neighbors had free-range chickens that would visit us daily — probably because we gave them treats — and we enjoyed them and decided to get our own,” Debbi said.

The Reefers hatched a construction plan after drawing inspiration from unique coop plans they found on Pinterest.

“Yes, they’re very spoiled. I call them my girls,” Debbi said. “We think of them as our family pets and give them the same level of care as we do our dogs and cats.”

The coop measures 6 feet by 12 feet with a 15-by-10 attached enclosure. The coop took several weeks to build and cost more than $1,200.

“This was my first time building a chicken coop, and I liked the design, and it wasn’t hard to build. I’m happy with how it turned out,” Dave said.

Providing a predator-proof dwelling was a top priority.

“When we first got our chickens, we actually had hawks sit up in trees and swoop around their pen,” Debbi said. “We have tons of predators in our area — coyotes, raccoons and foxes. I supervise them when they are out of the coop. The way the coop is built, nothing can get to them.”

A front door sign welcomes guests to “Cluckingham Palace.” Although the hens love hanging out inside their tricked-out hen house, Debbi said she always takes the girls outside for free-range opportunities.

The coop includes a full-sized glass front door, wooden deck, enclosed outdoor area, electricity, heat, heated water, an electric door opener, fans, chicken-themed decor, interior upper level nesting boxes and clear PVC siding panels that Dave installs during the frigid winter months.

“The last couple of winters there were some days with temps in the single digits, but it was over 40 degrees in their coop. The sun warms it up, like a little greenhouse,” Debbi said.

When the warm weather arrives, the PVC panels are removed, making way for a breezy open-air coop.

Debbi said her chickens are “outgoing and social.”

“Buttercup and Harper are extremely affectionate and love to be held. Wren is more independent and spunky,” Debbi said.

The girls enjoy climbing and sitting on the logs in their attached and fenced-in enclosure. They love to eat. Daily treats include hanging cabbage where the girls peck at it like a tetherball, fresh blueberries, broccoli, lettuce, grapes, bananas, mealworms and sunflower seeds.

“Right now two of them are still molting so they’ve been getting extra protein like scrambled eggs, tuna, and canned cat food,” Debbi said.

All three chickens contribute by laying eggs, a bonus said the Reefers.

“They are pets that give back. Harper wins in the egg-laying department. She lays five eggs per week year-round.” Debbi said.

Debbi has a daily cleaning routine that keeps the coop pristine.

“We put vinyl flooring on the floor of their upstairs roost, and I lay newspapers down at night, then roll them up in the morning and put them in a compost pile,” Debbi said.

The bottom of the coop is coarse construction-type sand, and Debbie uses a cat litter scoop to pick up after the hens.

“Their daily care is very easy and low maintenance,” Debbi said. “Everyone loves meeting them, especially kids. People are surprised to see how friendly, outgoing and tame they are.”