Chicken Coops For Sale

Buying Guide

A flock of well-groomed hens loitering in urban yards no longer invites freakish glares from neighbors. That’s because backyard chicken farms have gone mainstream. Everybody who has a wee bit of experience (or not) and interest in breeding chicken, are diving head over heels into it.

And why not? Who wouldn’t like a daily supply of farm-fresh eggs right in their backyards? But before you take the bait and go chicken shopping, consider the bare essentials that you need to grow a flock of happy and healthy birds.

Among the gazillions of chicken growing paraphernalia that stock supermarket aisles, the coop is undoubtedly, the most important one. A good coop will keep your flock happy, protected and make it easier for you to collect eggs. A nasty one, on the other hand, will be reduced to a rundown pile of cheap lumber in a few months.

Here’s some help for first time chicken coop shoppers.

What are the benefits of chicken coops with a run?

The term ‘Chicken coop’ somehow makes it sound like it’s everything you need to safely grow chickens. Sadly, that’s not the case. The coop is the place where the chickens will roost (at night), eat, drink and lay eggs. The rest of the time will be spent foraging in the chicken run or in the garden.

While chicken droppings provide natural manure for your lawn and they peck off critters, letting chickens run amok in the garden is not recommended. Hence, if you are planning to buy a new coop, buy one with an attached chicken run. Else, just use temporary nets or stakes to keep them contained to an area.

How much room do your chickens need?

Are you planning to breed egg laying chicken or meat birds?

Egg laying chicken need at least 1 ½ square feet of space per bird inside the coop and at least 8 feet of space per bird in the run. Bantams need less space whereas larger birds will need more.

Premade chicken coops will be advertised with a maximum number of birds that can be housed in it. As a rule of thumb, house at least one bird lesser than what’s advertised.

How to make sure your chicken will be safe in the coop?

Chickens are on every predator’s wishlist. And both, the coop and the run need to be safe from raccoons, hawks, dogs, coyotes, owls, foxes and dogs.

However, most mass-produced chicken coops for sale don’t cut the mustard when it comes to durability and security. If you aren’t looking for a custom build yet, you can pick one off the shelves and reinforce it to make it secure for the bids.

Look for coops made of solid wood that has been weather treated. Good quality wood won't swell when it rains or shrink in the heat. The vents and windows might be covered with chicken wire. Remove this and install a stronger gauge hardware cloth. It will make it impossible for raccoons to reach in.

The coop itself should be raised off the ground as it makes it impossible for skunks and dogs to burrow their way in. If it’s not raised, then you can easily make a frame and place it on it.

What are some desirable features of chicken coops?

The chicken coop must have at least one nesting box for every three birds. The nesting boxes should be in a dark and well-ventilated part of the coop.
The perches, where the birds roost every night should be positioned above the nesting boxes. The average perch space for each bird is 30 cms.
Look for easy access doors to the inside of the coop and to the nesting boxes. Egg collection should be easy. Not a chore you start to hate.