Raising chickens is one of those hobbies that, when done correctly, can yield enormous benefits. Whatever your reasons are for keeping chickens, you may be successful if you know what you're doing, whether it be for their commercial worth for their meat and fresh eggs, their value as pets where chickens make better pets than you think, or just as a creative way to spend your time.
Establishing a top-notch home for your chickens is one of the finest methods to raise your chances of success. Chicken coops can be useful in this situation as they are constructed in a way that offers sufficient shelter for your chickens. Dive in to learn more about the best chicken coops and how to choose the best.
What Is a Chicken Coop?
A chicken coop, also known as a hen house, is an enclosed building where you raise chickens. It provides weather protection, isolation from other animals, and safety from predators for the chickens. To keep its chickens safe, a coop needs to have secure nesting boxes for egg-laying hens, which can either be elevated or ground level.
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Most of the best chicken coop options have flat wooden roosts, which protect the chickens' feet from freezing to the roost and ensure they can cover their feet with feathers while sleeping.
In addition, some of the best chicken coops have built-in nesting boxes with hinged rooftops giving new chicken keepers easy access to collecting eggs.
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1. Best Choice Products Wooden Chicken Coop
- COMFORTABLE LIVING SPACE: This multi-level coop has ramp access to the second level and a run to hold between 3-5...
- SECURE HOUSING: Galvanized wire walls and a series of locks on each access point keep your household animals...
- DURABLE MATERIALS: Made of 100% natural fir wood and galvanized wire mesh for a sturdy construction that will last...
- EASY TO CLEAN: Comes with a removable bottom sliding tray for easy cleaning, and a metal wire fencing for...
- LARGE NESTING BOX: This deluxe chicken coop comes with a built-in nesting box and removable divider. Keep nesting...
Last update on 2022-10-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Our favorite pick has to be this chicken coop we have enjoyed using. I was impressed with how it came with a metal locking system that ensured my chickens stayed safe, and the rain-resistant fir wood gave me maximum durability.
It is also one of the best chicken coops for people looking for a small yet compact coop that will still offer adequate space for their chickens to move around. In addition, I enjoyed assembling my own chicken coop as it was easy, and the included removable tray made it easier to maintain even with my busy schedule.
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Other customers also praised the Best Choice coop since it could house two large chickens, four medium chickens, or six bantams at a time which is enough for a chicken owner with a few chickens. In conclusion, you will benefit from the raised design and the chicken run, which is an added advantage, especially at a price.
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2. Petsfit Weatherproof Outdoor Chicken Coop
- 【A COMFORTABLE HOME FOR HENS】: The large chicken coop can comfortably hold 3 to 5 normal grown up chicken for...
- 【DURABLE MATERIALS】 Made of 100% natural thicker solid fir wood, eco-friendly water-based painting and...
- 【EASY TO CLEAN】：Reach every inch of this chicken coop with the help of 3 Access Areas. One of the front...
- 【LARGE NESTING BOX】： Side nesting box with removable divider, suitable for 2 hens using. The top roof could...
- 【SECURE HOUSING】: ALL SOLID WOOD PANELS and a series of locks on each access point keep your household animals...
Last update on 2022-10-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Another option for raising backyard chickens I would recommend is this hen house. It features a main area that can house three or four chickens. It also comes with an adjacent nesting box and a hinged roof with space for two more, offering easy removal of eggs.
The coop's two front entrances and one with stairs make it simple for the chickens to enter and exit, and it is made of sturdy fir wood resistant to rain. To prevent predators from entering, the doors can be closed and locked. Safety benefits from the higher design as well. For ventilation, air flows from openings in the bottom slabs.
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The coop is simple to clean, thanks to three removable floor panels. The coop's drawbacks include the inability to open the top and the requirement for the addition of your roost and run for the birds. However, since the hen house comes with detailed instructions and the holes in the building's walls are already drilled, assembling this model is quite simple.
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3. Aivituvin Chicken Coop 65" Wooden Hen House
- 【OVERALL DIMENSION】 65.2”(L) x 26.4”(W) x 47.6”(H) Spacious areas is perfect for chickens, bunnies, other...
- 【PULL OUT TRAY & PERCH】Chicken house come with removable pull out tray, easy to clean !Two round edge perches...
- 【WEATHER RESISTANT】 Waterproof Asphalt roof in the sleeping area!100% UV proof panel in the playing run...
- 【LARGE NESTING BOX】Poultry cage comes with 2-section nesting box offers easy way to deposit and collect eggs,...
- 【STURDY MATERIAL】Chicken coup with heavy duty galvanized wire mesh and predator-resistant spring latch keeps...
Last update on 2022-10-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
We recommend this Aivituvin Chicken Coop for your yard thanks to two easily accessible nesting boxes allowing you to obtain your eggs every day easily. This was a top contender when we were shopping, thanks to the screened run on the ground floor of this hen house. We also noticed the UV-proof panel covering it to shield your chickens from the sun.
Another benefit we realized was the walls of the run were covered with wire to allow for enough ventilation while protecting your birds from predators. In addition, the main part is shielded from the elements upstairs by a waterproof asphalt roof, and it also comes with a removable tray included for quick and easy cleanup.
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However, we found the assembly to be difficult to align the few predrilled holes correctly. Lastly, our main downside was the flimsy wood that built this coop since it was incredibly thin, and we were unsure of its durability.
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4. Formex SnapLock Large Backyard Hen House
- LARGE CHICKEN COOP - 4 nesting spots with removable dividers, three 36” roosts.
- STURDY - Water and chemical resistant, impact and ultraviolet resistant.
- MAINTENANCE FREE - Removable litter tray, large adjustable ventilation, easy access for egg collection.
- EASY ASSEMBLY - No tools required – just snap together. Lightweight!
- MADE IN USA - Built in the United States.
Last update on 2022-10-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Another top recommendation on my list was this sizable chicken coop. It comes with three roosts, four nesting boxes divided by removable dividers when necessary, and everything else your birds might require.
Despite being lightweight, this large coop claims to be strong enough to withstand water, severe impacts, and UV rays. Another top feature is its removable litter box and the vast and adjustable ventilation, which I found very simple to maintain. Additionally, simple access to egg collection is provided by the manner this coop was built.
Image Credit: amazon.com
Depending on the size of your yard or the available space for an exterior run, we noticed you could place anywhere from four large to up to six chickens and roughly 6 to 12 bantam chickens.
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5. OverEZ Large Chicken Coop
- SPACIOUS DESIGN - 74" chicken coop comes with 2 screen windows to allow fresh air and a 5 chicken nesting boxes to...
- STURDY & DURABLE - These chicken coops are constructed with high-quality natural wood flooring &. Eco-friendly...
- WIDE USAGE - The chicken coop crafted with superior strength and stability makes the coop become a perfect shelter...
- EASY INSTALLATION - The chicken coop's instillation instructions are very clear. This item will be shipped to you...
- PACKAGE INCLUDES - OverEZ large chicken coop is designed to house up to 15 chickens. This chicken supplies package...
Last update on 2022-10-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Are you interested in raising backyard chickens, and are you willing to splurge? I fell in love with this OverEz large chicken coop. Although it was way over my budget, it is one of the best choices to hold 15 full-sized adult chickens.
I noticed that this hen house has five nesting boxes offering sufficient nesting room and two roosts. In addition, you won't need to assemble it, which is a relief as it looks like a complicated setup.
Image Credit: amazon.com
Most chicken keepers also appreciated the thick wooden construction making it the perfect coop to keep out unwanted weather. In addition, the good chicken coop has two large vents that provide enough ventilation to cool the chicken house during summer.
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Do Chickens Need Light in Their Coop?
In their coop, chickens don't require light. However, some chicken keepers opt to add various lights for various reasons. For example, you can use lights to mimic daylight in places with little access to natural light. This enables hens to continue egg production even when there is insufficient sunlight.
Equatorial climates are where chickens are originally from. In the winter, they typically do not lay eggs, thus. For their circadian rhythms to function properly, chickens require at least 12 to 14 hours of sunlight daily. But chickens may experience stress from the addition of lighting. So use extreme caution and only small doses when doing it.
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It would be best if this type of light were just used for an hour or two at most. The egg-laying season will benefit from being extended. Other chicken keepers add a direct light that they only turn on when eating, collecting eggs, or cleaning their coop.
Finally, because of the advantages, some chicken owners install a red light in the coop that operates for longer periods. Some of these include enhancing vision, assisting in the prevention of pecking, and generally maintaining their happiness.
Factors to Consider Before Purchasing the Best Chicken Coop
When raising backyard chickens, you may wonder what you need to look for when shopping for the best chicken coop for your home. Let's look closely at the factors you should consider before purchasing.
1. Accessibility
This is a factor that applies to both you and your chickens. Every chicken lays an egg daily under ideal circumstances, so if you keep chickens for eggs, you know this. Thus, you require a simple, efficient, and practical method of egg collection.
This may entail purchasing a coop with a top opening so you can easily get your hands in and out. Or it might entail investing in a henhouse with a sliding or pull-out tray. A chicken coop with a sliding tray allows you to slide out of the box and collect eggs, but some henhouses come with sliding trays for chicken food waste.
For the chickens, providing accessibility may involve creating a ladder or set of stairs so they may climb to their covered sleeping space. It could also involve providing a chicken run outside so they can get ample fresh air and exercise where runs lessen crowding.
2. Construction Materials
Most chicken coops have felt roofing, a rust-resistant mesh netting, and are made of wood or plastic. For specific circumstances, these materials might need to be treated.
To make the wood waterproof, it should either be pressure-treated or painted and if not, when it rains, the wood can warp or rot. Additionally, it might grow termites and fungi and attract diseases that could infect your chicken.
You also need a material that can support the weight of your chicken but is still lightweight and strong. Since the best chicken coop should be elevated to fight against pests and rising dampness from the earth below, it should be sturdy enough to hold multiple levels. To extend the lifespan of your chicken coop, you could also choose materials with UV treatment or powder coating.
3. Flock Size
Choose the appropriate chicken coop size depending on how many chickens the coop must accommodate. On average, every normal hen within a coop needs 3 to 5 square feet of floor area since the chickens may pluck or peck at one another aggressively if there is insufficient room.
Less open space is required if you intend to let your flock roam freely during the day than if they are typically contained. Bantam chickens, for example, are smaller and therefore require a smaller coop, around 2 square feet. Additionally, each normal bird needs 1 square foot of room for perching and roosting bars.
4. Nesting Space
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A nesting area will give chickens a secure, personal, and peaceful location to lay their eggs. Therefore, it is appropriate to supply one box for every three to four chickens, although they will probably all try to fit into one. The typical nesting box is a 12-inch cube and can be made out of wood, but metal and plastic versions are more commonly found.
Typically, the nesting boxes are stacked in two rows or available in a row. To give chickens the peace they crave when nesting, place them at least 18 inches from the ground and away from busy and noisy locations.
5. Insulation
When raising chickens, you should ensure they are not experiencing a chill while it's cold outside. Ensure there are no gaps or places where a draft might enter your chicken coop to prevent drafts, which will interfere with the heat accumulation in their feathers. Caulk should be used to seal any gaps you may detect. In addition, you can line your coop with cardboard to provide additional insulation against chilly drafts.
The coop door needs to be shut at night when it becomes cold. Some more sophisticated techniques for winterizing coops include foam insulation or storm doors. Lastly, a thermometer makes monitoring the temperature within the coop very easy.
6. Ventilation
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The health of your birds depends on proper ventilation in the chicken coop. Their health may be negatively impacted by the ammonia fumes produced by an accumulation of manure, which can cause respiratory problems and eye irritation.
Additionally, effective ventilation can keep humidity out, creating a dryer atmosphere that will keep your chickens warm in cold weather.
At the top of the coop, close to the junction of the wall and the ceiling, there have to be ventilation openings, and vents might be placed in the same place in fancier coops.
7. Chicken Run
If you can't let your chickens out during the day, think about buying a chicken coop with space for a chicken run. A chicken run typically needs 8 to 10 square feet per regular chicken.
Due to their tiny size and ability to fly, which enables them to perch higher, bantams only require about 4 square feet of space. In addition, hens have a safe outdoor area to enjoy the sun, take dust baths, or feed in grass or soil thanks to chicken runs, which are typically attached to the coop. Your chickens will be more content if they have more area to do this.
8. Levels
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Consider a coop with many levels if you don't have enough outdoor space to fit a large coop's square footage but still want to keep a respectable-sized flock. For example, multilevel chicken coops often have two floors and a ramp connecting the bottom and upper levels.
This allows some birds to hang out upstairs while others can readily scratch away on the ground floor. To keep them quiet and away from the action, nesting boxes are frequently located on a higher level.
9. Ease of Cleaning
Cleaning the coop regularly will help to keep your chickens healthy. Cleaning will require more time if you own a large chicken coop. Reaching and bending to get into cramped, stench-filled, dark spaces makes cleaning tough. There will be more light and simpler access if the roof and doors can be opened.
Removable floors or trays, especially beneath the roosts, are another important element that will accelerate the cleaning procedure because they make it much simpler to clear collected droppings. You'll also avoid discomfort if you choose a coop with nest boxes that slide out for cleaning.
Conclusion on the Best Chicken Coop
As you have read above, there are plenty of choices regarding the best chicken coops, and each choice we have reviewed has unique features. However, to make your decision easier, you should focus on the main things in our buyer's guide, including coop space, ventilation, and ease of cleaning.
