Last summer, we were pleased to announce the Poultry Project's inaugural Chicken Coop Design Competition. The US-based non-profit is "committed to providing HIV/AIDS-affected orphans with an opportunity to earn income as poultry farmers," collaborating with TASO, an indigenous Ugandan AIDS service organization, to "provide participating families with chickens (4 hens + 1 rooster), veterinary services, training, a bicycle, ongoing support and a chicken coop."

Inaugural (2010) winner Emily Axtman with her finished coop; she posted excellent documentation of the process and experience on her blog...

For this year's competition, they're inviting "designers, architects, dreamers, thinkers, chicken keeping fanatics, farmers, carpenters and everyone else with a good coop design" to not only design a "community garden chicken coop" but to adapt it for use in rural Uganda.

It's arguably an area of design that doesn't see much innovation—RAAD Architects' Chicken Co-Op aside—though the Poultry Project is happy to help entrants with their designs, "especially with the Uganda-use modification process (we can suggest local materials; tell you about the weather and landscape; direct you to helpful resources)." They also note that "your community garden coop design should consider YOUR local environment."

Entries close on December 31, 2011, so check out the Competition Brief & Entry Form (PDF) and register today!