We review a number of chicken coops in detail giving the pros and cons. Hopefully these chicken coop reviews should help show you what to look for and choose the coop that’s right for you and your hens.
The Perfect Chicken Coop
I’m often asked which is the best chicken coop to get. Sadly there is no ‘one size fits all’ perfect chicken coop. Different tastes, how many birds and your budget will all influence your final choice.
Buy or Build Your Coop?
Your first choice is whether to buy a coop or to build your own or to adapt an existing shed. Building your own chicken coop assumes you have the time and skills to do the job. If you’ve got woodworking skills and time then you can build the ideal house for your needs and save money.
Second Hand Poultry Housing
I’m all in favour of re-using and recycling but wooden coops can hide pests and problems. I’d suggest only buying second hand wooden housing from a trusted source you know and even then giving it a thorough cleaning before using.
Plastic poultry houses, such as the Omlet range reviewed below, can be more thoroughly cleaned and pests like red mite are easily dealt with. Subject to condition, they are often well worth buying second hand.
Cheap Chicken Coops
Super cheap coops from Ebay etc can often be a false economy, well in our experience, always a false economy. They look fine but the longest lasting we had was 18 months. In one case it was warping and falling apart in six months but the seller was long gone.
Some guidance as to what size of coop is required for hens and other poultry along with some general tips. Based on The Poultry Club of Great Britain Welfare Guidelines.
Location of Chicken Coops & Poultry Houses
Secure from vermin, predators...
When it came to choosing a poultry run for our garden we were faced with a few difficulties. Firstly, not a foot of this garden is level. It means that movable runs will never sit flat to the ground risking both chickens getting out and predators...
I've had the pleasure of reviewing the Easicoop ECO over the last month. The Easicoop range from Chartley Chucks are made from HPL – high pressure laminate - which should last a lifetime. High Pressure Laminate (HPL) is a very hard material that i...
The Easicoop Farm model comes in at a reasonable price for those who can't afford the more expensive plastic coops on the market, but offers many of the same benefits. It measures 120cm wide x 105cm deep x 98cm high including 3 nesting boxes. Two...
The Easicoop Gothic model is great for those with a larger flock who want a durable and easy cleaning chicken coop for their garden. The Gothic measures 135cm deep x 115cm wide x 98cm high including the nest boxes. Two perches each 75cm long will...
This is the starter coop in the Chicken Coops Direct range. It would be ideal for back garden keeper with 3 or 4 hens, especially when used with the optional run or better still, double run.
Space & Capacity
This chicken coop has an internal...
This stylish coop with integral run has been designed to securely house 4 or 5 medium sized fowl and offer protection from wet and windy weather.
Space & Capacity
This chicken coop has an internal housing area of just over 5 square feet...
This is a traditional looking coop, house-shaped but with the benefits of some modern thinking. It has a controllable air vent, a benefit in very hot or cold weather. Unusually it has a door at the back and front. It can also be set to work with...
This is a straightforward but attractive coop for 6 hens that makes full use of space, Traditional looks combined with modern design for easy maintenance It's raised above ground level, providing a sheltered run area underneath. This sheltered space...
First of all, this is actually the Boughton Chicken Ark & Run by Foresham Cottage Arks. They've been around since the late 1970's and everyone just seems to call them the Foresham Chicken Ark or just the Foresham.
Boughton Chicken Ark from...
Following the success of their chicken ark, Foresham introduced a larger coop, the Lenham. Once again it was a very high quality construction using pressure treated Canadian Spruce.
Full information, current pricing etc. see: Lenham 12 Chicken...
When Omlet's Eglu – now called the Eglu Classic - was launched back in 2004 I must admit I didn't like it. It struck me as a fad rather than a serious product. I think I described it as an overpriced plastic triumph of slick marketing for the trendy s...
Eglu Go Up on Omlet Web Site
Following on from the very successful and iconic Eglu Classic, Omlet introduced the Eglu Go. It shares many of the features of the Eglu Classic but it is slightly smaller and lower in price.
Space & Capacity...
Eglu Cube on Omlet Web Site
Last and largest of the Eglu family, the Eglu Cube shares the best features of the original Eglu Classic but on a larger scale. It's an elevated house and so makes very efficient use of ground space with the...
