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Buying Guide

Buying Guide: Selecting the Right Chicken Coop for Your Flock

A chicken coop is designed to keep your flock happy, healthy, and safe from bad weather and predators. A chicken coop does the following for your chickens: 

  • It provides a stable place for your chickens to rest, feed, and lay their eggs.
  • Protects your chickens from changing weather conditions such as wind, temperature changes, and inclement weather such as heavy rainfall, ice, and snow.
  • Protects the flock from outside predators such as racoons, foxes, cats, and coyotes.


Anatomy of a Chicken Coop

There are a wide variety of chicken coop designs. They can be permanent, mobile, new, repurposed, custom, and incredibly innovative. Chicken coops can as fancy or as frugal as you desire. However, chicken coops must have certain features to adequately house chickens.

Here are some of the top features a chicken coop should have in order to keep your birds happy, healthy, and safe:

  • Enough space. Adequate space in the coop and the run to avoid overcrowded conditions, which can stress your chickens and prevent them from laying eggs. A good rule of thumb for determining coop size is five square feet per bird.

  • Sturdy construction. Chicken coops need to protect chickens from extreme weather, hot sun, heavy rain, and snow, and from all danger. The roof construction should be sturdy with no visible leaks, holes, or missing pieces. The walls of the coop should be solid and impenetrable by predators. Remember, chicken wire is very flexible and good for making temporary structures designed to keep chickens confined, but it will not stop predators from gaining access to chickens.

  • Good location. Your coop should be well-placed for climate and weather conditions and should be facing an area in your yard that receives daily sunlight but also provides shaded areas to keep your chickens from overheating. You should also avoid areas of high moisture.

  • Good drainage and proper flooring. If your chicken coop attracts condensation and moisture forms, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria and mold that can cause infections or diseases in your flock.

  • Good ventilation. A well-ventilated coop has windows, doors, and vents that are adjustable to allow air to circulate. Chickens naturally give off ammonia and moisture in their droppings, which build up without removal and adequate air circulation. Excess moisture can cause mold and mildew and a nasty medium for disease organisms. Air circulation prevents disease, mold and even the potential for frostbite during the winter.

  • Free from drafts. Drafts are a constant unwanted air blowing that can cause chickens to get sick. Sealing a leak, erecting a barrier wall, and paying attention to the cause of a draft can correct drafts.

  • Proper Temperature Control. Chicken coop temperatures can fluctuate throughout the day and throughout the year with the different seasons. Access to a chicken coop can help shelter chickens from heat in the summer and cold temperatures in the winter. A chicken’s body operates optimally between the temperatures of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Chickens are however surprisingly adaptable to a wide range of temperatures, from sub-freezing to heat over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It is wise to raise chicken breeds suitable for your climate, especially if you experience high heat or very cold temperatures.

  • Cleanliness. A chicken coop should be easily accessible to chicken keepers to making cleaning as easy as possible. The coop needs to be free from dust, dirt, and cobwebs and the roof should be watertight. Make sure there are no holes for mice and other rodents to get in and remove any nails or sharp objects that may stick out and potential injure chickens.

For additional information on the essential items that every chicken coop needs, check out our Ultimate Checklist for Chicken Keeping Beginners.


Types of Coops to Consider

While there are a wide variety of chicken coops you can consider, the four main coop types include:

  • Stationary Coops
  • Semi-Permanent Coops
  • Elevated or Raised Coops
  • Chicken Tractors


Stationary Coops

Stationary coops are exactly as they sound - coops that cannot be moved. These typically are either existing or new structures designed to be used as a coop. They have permanent structure to their walls and may even have a concrete floor.

Most of these are of a DIY variety and are bought as a building kit, personally designed, or converted from a shed or other structure already in place. There are many amazing plans and blueprint patterns you can consider.

Semi-Permanent Coops

Semi-permanent style coops are probably the most popular, simply because they encompass a wide variety of styles that you can either purchase or build. These coops are designed to mostly stay in place but can be moved if needed. Many chicken keepers move their stationary coops seasonally, to take advantage of seasonal shade or sunshine, or after harvesting a garden, or to fertilize different areas of soil.

These can be raised coops or coops that set on the ground and can be used in conjunction with a fencing system that is easy to move when needed. Ideally, chicken keepers plan ahead and place their coop on slabs that can be pulled from area to area.

Elevated or Raised Coops

An elevated or off-the-ground coop allows additional area under the coop to extend the size of the chicken run and provides shelter in the run from inclement weather, sun, and arial predators. This type of structure also ensures air circulation in and around the coop and helps prevent high moisture or flooding, particularly in flood-prone or areas with run-off. Additional benefits include protection against burrowing predators, rodents, and rats.

Chicken Tractors

Chicken tractors aren’t actually tractors, but the term is used to describe an easy to move and mobile coop. These coops typically have a run and coop combination that has a mobile point set on wheels for easy mobility. These are popular for small flocks and in areas that have smaller yards so you can provide your chickens with a fresh area every few days, to keep them safe and happy.

So, there you have it! Now that you have an idea of the different types of coops as well as the necessary coop features, you are ready to select the best home for your happy, healthy backyard flock.

 

At Violet & Bee, our chicken coop experts are here to help with your questions and make your chicken coop dream a reality today with our egg-cellent range of chicken coops, chicken runs and accessories! Be sure to contact us if you have any questions and check out our list of FAQs for additional information.