Don’t you just like chickens and their funny gestures? I Know I do, they are adorable, gentle with children, and there are they organic yummy eggs! Raising backyard chickens for meat and eggs has been a wonderful experience for I and my best friend.
Good water, and regular food is vital for your chooks survival but that is not all they need. Poultry require a good place to stay lively and engaged almost as much as they need water and food. Some people, especially those who keep them as pets will allows them free-range during the day and at night, the chickens go in their coop.
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The Best Backyard Chicken Coops – Top 5 Reviews
FORMEX SNAP LOCK LARGE CHICKEN COOP REVIEW
“Editors Choice For The Best Backyard Chicken Coop”
This is our most voted best urban chicken coops you can ever buy if you love to free range your flock like I do. It is designed to easily accommodate 4-6 large chickens or 6-10 bantams. It has a ventilation system that can be adjusted with ease and a bottom that slides out thereby offering simple access to eggs.
Because this coop snaps together with no hassle there is no additional tool(s) needed to assemble it. The materials are also UV and chemical resistant so it will last you a long time and can be cleaned with water and soap to look like new. The locking mechanisms is also great for ensuring your flock is safe at night when they are in the coop and the sturdy construction will keep any unwanted predators out.
Even better is the built-in roost bars and the birds will enjoy roosting safely at night. The walls are insulated which makes this a great option for cold climates as your flock will stay cozy and nice all through winter.
Although lacking windows, it has excellent ventilation. Due to the lack of built-in run and windows , this coop is definitely better suited to those who will either provide a run, a completely enclosed pin or can let the free range during the day.
The simple construction, low maintenance, and durable materials makes this a perfect backyard chicken coop for beginners!
PAWHUT WOODEN BACKYARD CHICKEN COOP REVIEW
“Easy access to eggs and catch tray for cleaning.”
This attractive and functional chicken coop is great for chicken keepers who just want to upgrade their backyard garden to the nice little building their chickens deserve. This henpen is built out of fir wood which is resistant to the weather. It provides a lot of space for your birds and an outdoor fenced run where they can run around in the sun and still stay safe. This beautiful chicken home offers enough space for two-three birds.
Easy to assemble, this coop can be done fairly quickly while taking time to read the manuals carefully. For extra guarantee, I would recommend a good sealer to boost the longevity of the coop. Already; It is well built so a good wood sealer will give you many more years out of it.
The configuration of this coop is also amazing if you would like to expand the run and make it even larger. To be honest, there are a lot of values packed into this coop and you will definitely get its worth out of it. The other thing I admire about this coop is the ability to practice the deep litter method with this coop which will make flock maintenance a little bit easier.
ARDINBIR DELUXE WOOD CHICKEN COOP REVIEW
“Best Small Backyard Chicken Coop For Limited Space”
This is the best backyard chicken coop for people with limited space. I call it the best urban chicken coop for beginners. Super compact yet well built with quality materials, this coop will fit the small area in your existing garden.
Since this has been mentioned earlier that it is a very small coop, you will not be able to keep more than 2 hens in this coop. I also strongly recommend not getting this coop if you lack the time to letting them free range in the yard almost all the days of the week. The flock will need to be out of the confined space to stretch their wings, flap it, and stay healthy.
A coop that is assembled with ease, you will have the coop ready to house the hens in no time. All of the hardware is zinc coated or powder coated as well as so it will last. For anyone in need of the best small chicken coop, I recommend this one. Just don’t forget to let them free roam!
MERAX WOOD CHICKEN COOP REVIEW
A step up in size compared to the Ardinbir, this Merax chicken coop is also manufactured from fir and is excellently built. You can house double hens with ease and if you’re consistent in letting them out to forage, 3 hens is a possibility as well.
Construction is already straight forward but since it is a little bigger, it will take longer as well.
The is a little slick on this coop but if you get some grip tape you can improve the traction with ease for your hens. The way the run is created, it also makes it simple to add extra run space should you need to better the size to house 3 chickens.
The nest box or egg crate can be accessed by a convenient hinged lid making egg gather extremely fast and simple. Aside from the slight larger size, this backyard coop is just like the other 2 wooden coops as far as quality and construction is concerned.
If you have or want two hens, this one is a perfectly equipped coop.
PAWHUT DELUXE WOODEN BACKYARD CHICKEN COOP & RUN REVIEW
“Spacious Run and Hen House”
This is the uneatable coop with the largest run on the list, what it lacks in features and space in the house, it makes up for in run length. This poultry house is ideal for 3 hens and possibly 4 if you let them free roam a bit. The house part of this box lacks a hen box for laying and the floor is made of sheet metal so it is advisable to add a bedding material for the hens to walk on.
The construction of this house is really not as solid or robust as the others as it does come with some plywood or wood pieces in some parts so it will not be as durable as some of the rest. Certainly a trade-off of quality for larger run size.
I advise against using this coop in harsher climates however it is a good coop for mild climates. If your primary focus is run size then go for this chicken coop.
How To Choose: A Buyers Guide To Backyard Chicken Coops
While there are many great backyard chicken coops to pick from, it is not that hard to discover the top backyard hen house for your needs if you consider some important details while searching.
Many factors are to be considered before purchasing the best walk in chicken coop. These factors may vary based on weather conditions, flock size, and location so the properly outfitted chicken coop can be picked.
Things To Consider Before Purchasing A Chicken Coop
Size Of Your Backyard Chicken Flock
The size of your flock is always important in selection of a chicken coop and it can’t be overemphasized in the case of an urban chicken coop. The rule of thumb states 2-4 square feet of spacing for every 3rd bird you won and even more for larger breeds and this for fair weather.
In areas where cold climate is persistent, a larger space is required per chicken as they would be spending a lot more time cooked up inside the coop.
To determine the kind of coop to buy, ask yourself questions such as:
- How many chickens do I intend to acquire?
- What breed(s) am I buying? Various breeds of chickens comes in different sizes.
- Do I seek to expand my flock in the future? If yes, how soon?
- What is the climate condition of my area like?
Ventilation Of The Chicken Coop
Proper ventilation is vital to the survival of any living creature, especially in their environment. Chickens are living creature and the problem of ventilation should not be taken lightly.
Poultry easily fall victim to respiratory diseases most of which are as a result of poor airflow in the coop. A well-ventilated coop is the easiest and best prevention to these respiratory diseases and will help keep the carbon dioxide level in check, allowing enough oxygen to flow in thereby enabling your chickens to breathe without difficulty.
In a proper chicken coop, there should be plenty of openings and windows and more of the vents should be situated above the roosting areas in the coop.
Protection From Predators
Like it or not, other humans and predators love the taste of organic eggs and at the slightest opportunity or opening to get access inside your coop, will cause more harm than you can imagine. These predators are both ground and air-bound. Before buying a coop, you should search for the kind with systems are in place to prevent occasions of predator attacks.
- How sturdy are the materials used in construction against elements of weather such as sunlight and rain?
- Does the lid on the nesting box has a well-secured latch?
- What are the odds of the door hinges standing against resilient predators?
- You should also look out for vents and small openings and what systems have been placed to keep rodents and creeping predators from going through them.
Elevation And Flooring
An elevated coop has proven safer than coops that are built on the ground. Some coops that are produced from wood can be consistently attacked by predators via burrowing and chewing through the material. An elevated coop makes it super hard for such predators to damage the main box.
Most floors give in to continuous attacks from predators. The quality of the floor determines how long it will stand against predators before it falls. One smart move is protecting the floors with predator fencing.
Plus, the floor type determines how simple it will be to clean. Plywood floors are easier to clean and cheaply priced which will be cheap to replace.
Considering these and many areas into consideration, there are indeed a lot of chicken coops out there that fits the profile based on personal experience with raising chickens and knowing what they need, I have found many I consider being the best backyard chicken coop.