Sounds like a real outside of the box kind of dude. I've always liked people like that, but then there's some that just creep me out after they go a bit too far. Either because they try too hard or they're really just freakin nuts. Anyway, if he needs some suggestions, and a community to rally up some support and ideas, I'd recommend this site.
Raising BackYard Chickens, Build a Chicken Coop, Pictures of Breeds