A high-end chicken coop (it seems to be in cypress), priced beginning at $5,200, is being sold by Frederik Roijé, a design agency located in Amsterdam. A large version sells for $8,200.

Roijé pushes the limits of the chicken coop concept, but the design makes sense - the typical homemade chicken coop is usually slapped together from pine 2 x 4s and 2 x 2s with a lot of chicken wire nailed or stapled to it. That can cause a clash of styles when placed adjacent to a high end home. 

Chicken coops are trending, as foodies and health conscious consumers seek really fresh eggs from free-to-roam chickens fed unadulterated food. Chickens have also endeared themselves as pets among develops products for brands and for market as for private clients.

"Raising chickens in urban environments is a growing phenomenon in the United States," according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which surveyed four cities in 2010 to get a handle on the trend. "While less than 1 percent of households had chickens, nearly 4 percent of households without chickens planned to have chickens within the next 5 years, illustrating the growing acceptance of urban farming (range: 2.0 percent of households in New York City to 7.4 percent in Denver)." At the time of the study, Miami had the most urban chicken coops, and  homeowners with more than a 1 acre plot were more likely to raise chickens. 

Within the past five years, reports WorldWatch.org, a sustainable living website, the trend has expanded to large cities where raising hens was already legal, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago.  MyPetChicken.com chronicles the colorful and exotic breeds people raise as pets.

Roijé, meanwhile, says he "welcomes co-operative ventures with partners who are willing to cross borders and distinguish themselves by exclusive and innovative design. For more information about working together please contact the office.