Chicken shelters come in many designs, shapes and sizes. Some designs are in the shape of mail boxes, little houses or even log cabins. You can get them in wood or fiberglass and will vary in price from relatively inexpensive to thousands of dollars. You can visit your local pet supply shop or livestock store to find what you are looking for. Better yet, you can go online and have an enormous selection to choose from.
Some designs also offer separate sections for laying eggs, for exercising and another area for young chicks. Almost all offer nesting boxes and perches. Some have roofs that simply lift up and some with ramps that go from the upper level down to the bottom landing.
Why buy instead of build?
Ease of purchase. Building a coop takes time you may not have and it may be difficult to determine what options you may desire for your birds. In all reality, you may very well be full up with all that you have on your plate for daily chores, so making your own coop may just seem out of reach. In that case, purchasing one from companies that specialize in making them is more efficient.
There are many online sources, so you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home to compare many different varieties. You can see what will work best for you and your poultry set up and have it delivered right to you!
Amazon offers affordable prefab kits so you can build your own coop, if you prefer. Most coops will require some assembly but not anything that would be difficult to perform.
Shop around for pre made chicken coops on Amazon! Here are our Top Picks – several coops that have options of types, prices, portability, and size for the flock you have.
The Best Chicken Coops Kits in 2018
1.TRIXIE Pet Products Chicken Coop Kit with Outdoor Run
Capacity:2 standard size chickens or 4 bantams
2. Pawhut 63” Farmhouse Wooden Coop with Display Top, Run Area and Nesting Box
capacity:3-4 chickens
Advantek The Tower Chicken Coop
Capacity:2 chickens
Keep your chickens looking cute and classy in this Advantek coop that’s perfect for two birds. Designed to look great in your backyard or barnyard, this coop is space saving and a safe place for chickens to roost in comfort. Made from fir that is lightweight and rot and insect resistant, this coop is designed to withstand every attack from nature for years of use. A removable roof and hinged door gives you easier access to the eggs in the nesting box, and the included ramp closes to keep your chickens completely safe and contained. Everything you need is included in this easy to assembly coop kit, once you add your chickens you’ll be good to go.
Petsfit 53″L X 25″W X 28″H Outdoor Chicken Barn Chicken Coop With Nesting Box
Capacity:3-4 chickens
You can bring the ‘big red barn’ aesthetic to your own backyard with this brightly colored chicken coop. The perfect size for three to four standard sized birds, this coop provides a comfortable home for your feathered friends. The waterproof paint and endothermic roof ensures the coop can withstand all weather conditions in safety, and the side of the chicken coop is an easy-access nesting box. Clean up and access to your birds is simple with a removable bottom and two doors, while the roof can’t be removed to ensure your birds stay safe. Made with cedar wood, some assembly is required before use.
Ardinbir Deluxe 58″ Wood Chicken Coop Hen House Rabbit Hutch Pet Cage w Run Nesting Box
Capacity:1-2 chickens
The perfect home for chickens, rabbits or other small animals, this coop is designed to last. Constructed from high quality solid fir wood, each timber is T&G plained to avoid splintering. Joints are mortise and tenon, and two ease access doors make it simple to catch your pet when necessary. The wire play area is non-toxic to ensure that even chewing animals stay safe, and a zinc pull out tray allows for easy cleaning. The included nesting box makes collecting eggs more simple than ever, and the entire coop is constructed to be portable, lightweight and durable with plenty of ventilation for your beloved creatures. Some assembly required.
Best Choice Products 80″ Wooden Chicken Coop Backyard Nest Box Wood Hen House Poultry Cage Hutch
Capacity:2-4 chickens
Pawhut Wooden Backyard Poultry Hen House Chicken Coop – Green
Made to be strong yet subtle, this coop is the perfect addition to any backyard and garden. The soft green color is completely nontoxic, and the coop itself is constructed with high-quality China fir to ensure it withstands years of use. The spacious indoor living area and expansive outdoor space ensures that two to four chickens have plenty of space to move around in safety. This ensures you get open air flow throughout the coop without compromising on the safety of its inhabitants. Easy access to the included nesting box makes collecting your daily egg breakfast simple as well. Some assembly required.
3.Pawhut 64″ Chicken Coop Hen House w/ Nesting Box and Outdoor Run
Capacity:3-4 chickens
In this coop, the happiness of your chickens will be infectious, and you might crow with pride yourself when you open the roof flap in order to collect the farm fresh eggs they lay every morning! Completely safe and predator proof, this cook is easy to take apart and put back together.
4. Pawhut 91” Large Wooden Bunny Rabbit Hutch/ Chicken Coop With Large Outside Area
Capacity:1-2 chickens
5.SmithBuilt 7ft Wooden 2 Story Coop
Capacity:3-6 chickens
Give your feathered flock the maximum amount of space to roam in this innovative coop design by SmithBuilt. At 7ft tall, it provides two stories of play area for your birds to roam through, harvesting nutritious bugs right from your yard. Built from the highest quality fir wood, this coop has been especially designed to withstand the natural elements for years. This two story coop provides both a nesting space and a roosting space for your birds, ensuring that you will be be able to keep up to half a dozen chickens in comfort. Egg collection is easy because the nesting boxes are accessible, and your your cleaning tasks are kept to a minimum with a sliding aluminum pan.
6. Merax Chicken Coop Kit For Small Animals
When you have your own backyard chickens, you can be sure you’ll be looking at the coop every day. Why not make it easy on the eyes? With this specialty coop designed by Merax, you can do just that. With a cute red indoor section, you can be sure that your birds stay snug and secure no matter what the weather conditions are like. When it comes time to scramble your own breakfast, reaching into the nesting boxes to grab fresh eggs couldn’t be easier. Constructed from high quality cedar wood, both the coop and the outdoor run have been designed to withstand the elements, and the waterproof roof will keep your chickens dry no matter the situation. Cleaning the coop is as simple as pulling out the included cleaning tray.
This cozy coop provides the perfect living space for up to six full size chickens.
7.Pawhut Outdoor Raised Leg Hen House Coop
This 43 1/2″L x 29 3/4″W x 47 3/4″H coop can comfortably fit two to four chickens with ease, and your birds will find their well designed indoor living space to be the height of luxury. The coop gives you the option to open side doors for ventilation in the heat, while allowing you to shut it tight to conserve heat in the winter.
8. Formex Snap Lock Large Coop Backyard Hen House 4-6 Large 6-12 Bantams
Capacity:4-6 large chickens or 6-12 Bantams
For extra fun, you can add on an external run space to let your chickens roam around your yard while staying healthy and well exercised.
What To Look When Buying Pre-Made Chicken Coop
You raise your poultry for so many reasons: eggs, meat, visual pleasure, and overall healthy food and manure. You work hard to care for your animals, but it goes beyond the feeding, cleaning and health awareness. There are many predators that would love to make a meal of your birds. The number one way to protect your chickens is to have good, secure chicken coups.
Your chickens will thrive in an environment that makes them comfortable. They need space to roost, play, lay their eggs while they stay warm and out of the wind.
Your birds will appreciate a coop and a steadier temperature allows them to produce eggs with more protein. The temperature stability also helps maintain their health throughout changing seasons. The weather resistance of the coop will protect your birds from harsh weather no matter the season.
With a secure coop, your chickens will be safe from the predators in your area, that would otherwise injure your birds or even reduce your flock size.
When considering your coop needs, there are things to keep in mind.
Chicken run
A chicken run is generally considered outside protected space where your birds can exercise, eat bugs and plants, and access sunlight which enhances egg production. Free range eggs are from chickens that have access to daily outdoor activity.
All chickens need to have access to the great outdoors for their overall good health. There are many designs that will dictate just how often they will have outdoor access. Depending on your needs, there are coops that have doors giving access to a fenced-in area or enclosure. Others simply open to the outdoors without any fence enclosures.
Extra Coop accesories for creature safety and comforts
Electricity in your coop gives you a way to add heat and light, which increases egg production during the darker months and allows for you to raise your chicks with heat lamps. In colder climates, chicken owners often even put in place a heated waterer to keep the chickens’ water from freezing during temperature drops.
Types of Chicken Houses
When you start looking for a low cost hen house, you will find many different kinds, different options and add-ons. You will be focusing on your chickens’ health and comfort, and the choices can get confusing as you evaluate the options. Materials, sizes, designs, and forms all vary widely.
Size
How many birds do you have? You will find coop options that range from just two birds to ones for commercial production that will house thousands. Consider what type of chicken you house. Is it a small Bantam breed or a giant breed? Be sure and check for the specifications on the coops regarding what type of bird they rate it for.
You probably know that a lot of chicken will actually fit in a smaller coop, but you might want to give them more space for their comfort. Hens,when sleeping, cozy up together to keep warm and roost on bars. Keep in mind, that you opt for a much larger coop, you are going to be shocked when you see the amount of unused space is available. Again, this is because they cozy up when sleeping.
You will want space for nesting boxes, and each bird will want its own nesting box. Most chickens prefer a nesting box at least 12 inches square. Your birds will roost together to stay warmer at night, so be sure to have room for roosting bars for your birds. They will take up much less space on these bars than you might think!
Chicken houses come in different designs and structures, from very simple to very large that accommodate a large number of chickens. Simple coops are usually smaller in structure but offer many of the same features as larger coops.
Small coop
When you start out, you will likely want to start small, maybe with just two or three birds. Coops designed for this size are very common as most backyard chicken owners have smaller numbers in their flocks. These coops are readily portable so you can relocate if you determine a better space for your birds.
Medium size coop
Slightly larger coops, medium sized coops generally house five or more birds and have some different options. You will want to consider the ease of cleaning the coop as more birds generate more manure. Most larger coops are up off the ground and have flooring that allows the manure to drop through, out of the coop. Some even have some kind of screening to maximize this.
Large coop
An even larger coop is designed to be more comfortable to walk into for care of the chickens and cleaning. These often look like houses or sheds. You will want to consider ease of entry, whether a human sized door or some other option, and a way for the chickens to come and go, most often some sort of trap door in the side.
Design shapes:
Classic Chicken House
The typical coop resembles a house that gives more room, is convenient for animal care and cleaning. You will want a sturdy one that has a secure foundation of wood and strong wire mesh to provide a secure barrier from predators, as well as having a run outside that is fenced and gives the birds access to fresh air and exercise while affording protection. Make sure there are plenty of nesting boxes and roosting bars. Some even offer windows that can be opened to give fresh air as well as protecting from drafts during colder weather.
Chicken ark (or A frame chicken coop)
Smaller triangular shaped coops that contain the chickens called “arks” allow the birds outside access and exposure to sunlight, but allow them to still be protected from animals that consider then a snack. Usually these are portable also known as chicken tractors, providing the benefit of free-ranging without the risk of attack.
Poultry shed
Chicken sheds are generally buildings that were used for general use sheds and have been converted for your chickens. Many small farms have these types of chicken house. Think of a roof that provides shelter and water run off, as well as windows that vary in opening for a good balance of ventilation and warmth. Quite often this is on a cement base, or with a wooden foundation to keep out other critters. Some are altered to be moved if needed. In general, as in the other coops, there will be roosts, nesting boxes, water containers and even storage space.
Raised versus on foundation coops:
In a raised coop, the foundation is not directly on the ground which may give your henhouse a longer lifespan over one on the ground, which may rot more easily. Hen coops on the ground may have lower entries which can make it more difficult for adults to enter and use. Your chickens will also enjoy running or resting under a raised coop, giving them more space than they would have just in their run while affording some protection from the elements.
Stationary versus portable coops:
When you have a coop that doesn’t move, it becomes part of your landscaping and can really lend some beauty as you express your creativity.
Chicken coop on wheels may not be as pretty, but can be moved throughout the area you want your birds to be able to cover, continually giving them new areas to forage. A permanent coop is more readily adapted to keeping predators out, and with a fenced and protected run, your chickens can have the benefit of outside forage and exposure.
With a movable chicken coop, you will have much less cleanup, depending upon how long you leave your coop in one area. Most portable coops are moved daily and allow the chickens regular fresh forage which gives you much more nutritional benefit from the eggs and meat.
Materials
Material choices: You will want to consider insulation needs, cleaning needs, parasite resistance, and overall durability.
Wood coops
Wood is most commonly use, particularly on sheds that are modified or repurposed. These have been used traditionally for an extensive time period. Different woods weather differently and have different lifespans so you will want to pay attention to this as you choose wood sources so you aren’t replacing things every few years.
Plastic coops
Many coops made commercially are now made with plastic, which may be a good choice for many reasons. Plastic won’t absorb water or hide bugs the way wood might. Generally, these plastic chicken coops can be pressure washed, or taken apart to completely clean.