Buying a Chicken Coop

Many people are realising that keeping chickens can be beneficial. Keeping your own chickens will provide you with a fresh supply of organic eggs, and will give you the control of knowing that your chickens are free range and have been fed a correct diet. Eggs are one of the food products that truly do look and taste different when they are free range. Chickens are relatively easy to look after and make good pets. Chickens deal with grubs naturally and produce good quality manure.

If you wish to keep chickens, you will need to provide them with a chicken coop. This chicken housing will protect your birds from predators such as foxes, and also from the weather. Chicken coops will also encourage your chickens to lay eggs inside egg boxes, so that you can collect the eggs each day easily and in the knowledge that they are fresh.

Chicken Coop Features

The size of the chicken coop you will need to buy will depend on the number of chickens you wish to keep. There are guidelines as to how much space to allow per chicken:

3 – 4 square feet of floor space per bird inside the chicken coop
8 -10 square feet of floor space per bird for the outside run
At least one nest box per every four chickens
A minimum of 23cm of perch space per chicken

The overall quality of the build of the chicken coop is very important. A good build from strong materials will help to keep predators out, and should ensure that the coop is weather proof. The roof of the chicken coop should be waterproof, and the overall structure should be solid enough to withstand strong winds. Ideally a chicken coop will have good ventilation, but not have drafts in the roosting area. As well as ventilation, space will be a factor in keeping the coop cool in hot summer weather.

The components of a chicken coop that you may wish to look out for include nest boxes and perches. The nest boxes will be used for laying eggs, and these should be in a dark part of the coop in order to allow the chickens privacy during laying. There should be a small door that allows you easy access to the nest boxes for retrieving the eggs. Perches are where the chickens will sleep at night, and these need to be positioned higher than the nest boxes. Chickens will perch at the highest point at night, and if this is the nest box it will result in a lot of droppings going into the nest box. Perches should be removable for easy cleaning.

You will wish to ensure that the cleaning of the whole chicken coop will be easy to carry out. The main aspect to look for is a large access door, as this will let you get inside the coop with ease. If you are purchasing a portable chicken coop, consider how easy it will be to move onto a new section of grass. Portable coops without floors will save you from needing to clean the floor, whilst designs with a raised floor may help to deter vermin and will ensure that the floor surface is kept dry.

A final aspect to consider will be the run, as a secure outside area is needed for the chickens. The run can consist of a wired area that is attached to the coop. Alternatively the run can be a large enclosure inside of which the coop is placed.

Types of Chicken Coop

There are many variations and different designs of chicken coops available. Much of your choice may be determined by aesthetics, and what you believe will look good in your garden. There are three broad types of coops available, two made from wood and the third from plastic. Strong wood is the traditional material for chicken coops, as it will last for years and allows for ventilation. A wooden coop should stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A newer design of chicken coop is the plastic housing named Eglu coops.

Ark chicken coops are also called chicken tractors. These are a triangular A-frame design of coop that does not have a floor. The name chicken tractor refers to the fact that as the coop is moved onto fresh ground the chickens will dig, weed and fertilise and therefore perform the job of a tractor. This design of chicken coop is portable and usually easy to move around. They can also be one of the cheapest options to purchase. The nest boxes are often located on a second level at the top of the A-frame, with no separate perching area provided. The ark chicken coops are not the most spacious design of coop, and often only accommodate a small number of chickens.

Static or semi-static coops are usually shaped more like sheds, and can be stationary or portable. Static chicken coops are more stable than portable coops. The semi-static coops can be heavy to move around. The advantage of this kind of chicken coop is that they are usually more spacious and have separate perch areas. The extra space makes the coops easy to clean out. These coops often come with a run extension. The placement of the chicken coop will need extra consideration if it is not going to be easily moved. The best advice is to choose the highest part of ground available in order to prevent flooding, and where the chickens will receive good sunlight and also have shelter from nearby trees or a building.

Eglu plastic coops are the modern design of chicken coop. These are made from plastic and are predator proof as well as being insulated with adequate ventilation. The Eglu coops are easy to clean with a slide out droppings tray. Other features can include attached feeders and drinkers. The plastic chicken coops can be expensive, and are usually only suitable for a small number of chickens.

Buy Chicken Coops - Recommended Suppliers & Stores

These stores are worth a visit for anyone looking to buy a coop or housing for chickens.

PetPlanet

A good range of runs and chicken coops can be found at PetPlanet.co.uk. Go straight to the chicken section now.