Fellowship of Living Systems

Implementation Guide: Chicken Coop Catalyst Project

Developing Grassroots Urban Food Production Capacity in a Broken System

This guide provides a detailed walkthrough for implementing the first Ground Game project – a chicken coop (or several in different backyards) that serves as both a demonstration of regenerative principles and a catalyst for further development.

Project Overview

The Chicken Coop Catalyst is designed to:

Timeline: 30 Days from Concept to Completion

Week 1: Planning & Preparation

Days 1-3: Team Formation

Days 4-7: Resource Strategy

Week 2: Resource Gathering

Days 8-10: Corporate Engagement

Days 11-14: Materials & Knowledge Preparation

Week 3: Pre-Build Preparation

Days 15-17: Site Preparation

Days 18-21: Community Engagement

Week 4: Implementation & Documentation

Days 22-23: Build Weekend

Days 24-30: Finalization & Knowledge Capture

Resource Requirements

Materials

Tools

Human Resources

Corporate Engagement Script

Home Depot Materials Donation

Initial Approach: “Hello, I’m [Name] from [Nonprofit Partner]. We’re working with community members to implement a food security project that will serve as both an educational resource and a source of fresh food. We’re interested in learning more about Home Depot’s community support programs for materials.”

Key Points to Emphasize:

Specific Request: “For this specific project, we’re building a community chicken coop that will produce approximately [X] eggs per week, serve as an educational site for [X] community members, and demonstrate sustainable waste management. We’ve developed a materials list that totals approximately $[X] retail value. Would it be possible to discuss how Home Depot might support this initiative?”

Corporate Volunteer Recruitment

Initial Approach: “Hello, I’m reaching out about [Company]‘s employee volunteer program. We’re implementing a community food security project that might align well with your corporate social responsibility goals while providing a meaningful team-building opportunity for your employees.”

Key Points to Emphasize:

Specific Request: “We’re looking for [X] volunteers for [specific dates] to help with construction of a community chicken coop. The project will take approximately [X] hours and will include both skilled and unskilled tasks. We’ll provide all materials, refreshments, and a recognition component for your team’s contribution.”

Documentation Strategy

Photo/Video Plan

Knowledge Capture

Distribution Plan

On-Chain Integration

Contribution Tracking

Impact Measurement

Resource Coordination

Ongoing Management Plan

Daily/Weekly Operations

Monthly Activities

Quarterly Development

First 90 Days Impact Projections

Tangible Outputs

Community Building

Knowledge Creation

Movement Building

Scaling Strategy

Immediate Next Projects

Connection Mechanisms

Common Infrastructure Needs

This implementation guide serves as both a practical roadmap for the first project and a template for future Ground Game initiatives. By thoroughly documenting this process, we create the foundation for a scalable approach to regenerative infrastructure development—one backyard at a time.

This article is part of a larger map. If you want the connecting lines between food systems, climate strategy, community power, and regenerative economics, explore the full collection at livingsys.org/blog