What To Consider When Buying a Chicken Coop Capacity of Coop

Overcrowding a chicken coop can lead to health problems, poor hygiene, pecking, low egg production, and even cannibalism.

In addition to having a secure space for resting and laying eggs, chickens need ample space to flap their wings and participate in normal behavior, such as dust bathing, preening/grooming, socializing, and even exploring.

When buying a chicken coop, you’ll need to take into consideration the size of the flock, breed of chickens, and how much outdoor space your birds will have to meet their needs.

Be sure to buy a coop with:

At least 2.5–4 square feet of indoor floor space per bird

One nesting box for every four chickens

8–10 inches of roosting (aka resting/sleep) space to perch per bird, and spacing of at least 14 inches between each perch/bar to optimize comfort

Adding outside space is important for each bird too. They need to have at least 5–10 square feet of outdoor space per bird.

It’s essential to choose a well-made chicken coop constructed from durable materials that are sturdy and designed to protect your flock from any predators outside. Chicken coop materials range from treated wood to polyethylene plastic to galvanized steel.

Slight modifications might be needed, depending on your area, to make a coop more robust for predators, like raccoons.

Panelist Jessica Hockaday, DVM, recommends reinforcing the enclosure used for rest and nesting with chicken wire that is buried 6–12 inches into the ground for added protection.

Most chicken coops have wire mesh screens around the run area. However, “added reinforcement and other measures may be necessary for protection for your chickens,” says panelist Molly Price, DVM.

A fenced yard and supervision are also suggested.

Contact your local college or university to see if they have veterinary extension services for poultry and can offer support at the local level.

On average, chickens defecate 10–20 times a day, which means you should spot-clean your chicken coop daily, replace bedding and clean nesting boxes weekly, and do a deep clean every month.

Keeping the waste down in your coop is key to maintaining good air quality for your birds.

“This effort helps keep the litter and coop dry, lower ammonia levels, and provide your flock a safer, more comfortable place to roost,” Dr. Hockaday says.

Walk-in chicken coops and those with removable trays tend to be easier to clean.

Speaking of good air quality, ventilation is important all year round.

Chicken coops should have ventilation panels that you can open to provide airflow (cross ventilation is best). You also might need supplemental airflow, e.g., using fans for areas that are over 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you’re just starting out, you’ll want to choose a chicken coop that’s easy to set up, clean, and move around the yard, which you may need to do a few times before you find the right space when considering the sun, noise level of the chickens, and proximity to other things in your yard.

As you gain more experience, you may want to combine multiple structures to create a bigger space and add more birds to your flock too.

Chicken coops exist for pretty much every budget, ranging from a couple hundred dollars for small, simple setups to a few thousand dollars for extra-large, state-of-the-art coops.

No matter your budget, it’s essential to consider the size of your flock and make sure you provide appropriate space for the birds to express their natural behaviors.

The coop also should be manageable for you and your level of expertise as it pertains to things like flock size, breed of chickens, and region (which may require winterizing).

This list of the best chicken coops was meticulously curated by a panel of veterinarians who are employed by Chewy, the publisher of PetMD. They were asked to provide their honest opinions about the best chicken coops across multiple categories based on the following:

Their knowledge and practical experience

Reference of scientific journals/publications

Review of information published by the manufacturers

Attributes such as durability, security, size, number of nesting boxes, practicality, ease of cleaning, and price

Opinions and product recommendations in this article belong solely to the review panel
of vets and animal health experts.

Manufacturers and vendors cannot buy placement in Vet Verified content or exert influence on our panelists as they evaluate products.

Our sole goal with this program is to provide pet parents with the information they need to make the best decisions for their pets.

Q: What are some features of a good chicken coop design?

The best chicken coops are easy to clean, movable, durable, and secure, and they have adjustable ventilation.

Look for chicken coops with lots of secure doors and a hinged roof over the nesting box. These openings make it easy for chickens to move into and out of the coop and for you to maintain and clean.

When it comes to materials, wood makes for a sturdy structure, but it might not be as easy to disinfect as plastics like polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride.

Q: What is the best thing to put on the floor of a chicken coop?

The best material to line the floor of your chicken coop depends on how many chickens you have, because the more chickens, the more odor, waste, and moisture. Wood shavings are a good option, because they are absorbent and help fight odor and ammonia.

Q: How much space do chickens need?

Adult chickens each need about 2.5–4 square feet of indoor space and about 5–10 square feet of outdoor space.

Q: How much roosting space do chickens need?

Chickens need 8–10 inches of roosting space on a perch per bird to be comfortable. The bars need to be spaced 14 inches apart as well. So be sure to choose a chicken coop with enough room for your entire flock.