Where Do I Get A Chicken Coop? – Buy vs Build

At this point, before I got chickens or raising chickens, I was wondering “Where do I get a chicken coop?”.

There are two options. You can build a chicken coop, if you are comfortable doing DIY projects.

There are Plans you can buy to build a chicken coop but there are still going to be adjustments for you to make as you build.

I enjoyed building my coop even when there were times the plans left me scratching my head. It wouldn’t be much of a hobby if it doesn’t challenge us some.

The second option is to buy a chicken coop. All kinds of kits can be found or you can buy them built for you. Of course the price goes up with the less you do yourself.

It makes no difference if you buy or build a chicken coop but you must have a place for your chickens to live.

You just will not be able to raise productive chickens without a chicken coop.

Building a Chicken Coop

The first thing to consider is how many chickens you are planning on… then add a couple more… it’s just going to happen.

Plan your coop for about 4 sq ft per chicken unless it will also be your run, then plan on 10 sq ft per chicken.

Do you have a place picked out to build your chicken coop?

If at all possible close to water and electricity is really handy.

I like not hauling water clear around the house and I have easy access to electricity to run an extension cord to keep the water from freezing in the winter, or a heat lamp for young chicks that get moved in.

When you have your site picked out to build a chicken coop, and you know how big of a chicken coop you are going to build, and you have the design in your head, then it is time to start building.

Buying a Chicken Coop

If you have thought it over and think a chicken coop from scratch is more than you want to do there are still options for you.

Buy a chicken coop for your chickens. Of course, you still need to pick a spot for your chicken coop and how big of a chicken coop you will need.

Keep in mind that there is no reason why you can’t purchase the chicken coop you like and then raise the number of chickens the coop is designed for.

When buying a chicken coop you will want to know if it can be purchased pre-built, or if it is going to be in a kit that needs to be “put together”. Either way is fine, and which way you go will depend on your skill level.

Here some chicken coops I recommend for you.

Outdoor Wooden Chicken Coop Wire Fence Hen House Poultry Cage, 80in, Brown, for 4 Birds

• COMFORTABLE LIVING SPACE: Sliding door and ramp allows chickens to easily enter the comfortable, raised housing area
• SECURE AND ACCESSIBLE: 2 doors include a metal locking system and open/close nesting box that allows for easy access into both cage areas
• WEATHER-RESISTANT: A solid rainproof fir wood construction makes the cage durable even in unfavorable weather conditions
• EASY TO CLEAN: Comes with a removable bottom sliding tray for easy cleaning and metal wire fencing for ventilation
• OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 79.5”(L) x 26.5”(W) x 51.5”(H)

Merax Chicken Coop Wooden House Cage

• Overall Dimensions: 67″l x 26″W x 47″H (including the size of the roof ). Green asphalt roof and natural wood color combination Blends well into the scenery in your garden.
• Spacious activity areas and warm sheltered resting room is perfect for chickens.
• Removable tray is easy to slide out for cleaning to ensure a neat regularly maintained environment.
• Complimentary steel slide pole built to easily to control the door between the ramp and resting room.
• Fir wood with safeguard waterproof paint is makes hutch resilient and durable for outdoor use.

SnapLock Formex Large Chicken Coop Backyard

• LARGE CHICKEN COOP – 4 nesting spots with removable dividers, three 36” roosts.
• STURDY – Water and chemical resistant, impact and ultraviolet resistant.
• MAINTENANCE FREE – Removable litter tray, large adjustable ventilation, easy access for egg collection.
• EASY ASSEMBLY – No tools required – just snap together. Lightweight!
• MADE IN USA – Built in the United States.

PawHut 83″ Wooden Backyard Chicken Coop with Covered Run and Nesting Box

• ✅EXTRA LARGE SIZE: Different from those 67″L x 26″W x 40″H medium sized cages, this cage is 83.85 “L x 35.8″ W x 48” H, lager size for multiple chicken.
• ✅LARGE OUTDOOR RUN: This backyard chicken coop has a hen house attaches to a wide open fenced enclosure that allows them plenty of room to move around without the fear of predators.
• ✅COMPACT FOOTPRINT: Its compact, low footprint design easily fits a smaller space. This outdoor chicken coop kit makes chicken ownership possible without sacrificing a whole lot of room!
• ✅WELL DESIGNED: A variety of accommodating features await your chickens including a chicken nesting box with hinged top that offers an easy way to deposit and collect eggs, perches inside for your chickens to roost on during the day or night, a ramp for quick access to the inside and screened windows that allow for proper ventilation and airflow.
• ✅EASILY ACCESSIBLE: It’s never been easier to care for your animals with a roof that opens to the inside for easy cleaning and maintenance.

Trixie Chicken Coop Duplex with Outdoor Run

• Suitable for up to 6 standard size chickens or 10 bantams
• 2 Sleeping houses with removable roosting poles, sliding doors and ramps
• 2 Nesting houses with hinged roofs, removable dividers and fixtures for padlocks
• Spacious outdoor run with partition door to restrict access
• Front and top doors for easy access to your flock

Must Haves in a Chicken Coop

There are a few items that you will want in your chicken coop for the comfort and well-being of your chickens.

A happy chicken is a productive chicken. I’m sure you are wondering now what exactly keeps a chicken happy?

Let’s start with being safe from predators. A lot of animals like eggs and chickens to eat: skunks, raccoons, hawks, owls, mean alley cats are a few of the animals that will steal your eggs and chickens if given a chance.

Also read: How Long Do Chickens Live: The Ultimate Answers

Keep them safe with a completely enclosed wire area to run in and completely enclosed draft free rooms for roosting and laying.

The wire should be deep enough in the ground to keep predators from digging in and small enough to keep predators out and strong enough as well.

Make the chicken coop a covered area so that the chickens have a dry place in bad weather and a dry place to sleep and lay eggs.

The inside should have roosts with enough room to give each chicken about 10 inches of space.

Roosts should be rounded on the edges of any square cut boards, much like a round perch in a bird cage, for comfortable griping to sleep.

The laying boxes need to be about 12 inches square and in an area away from activity. Let’s give the girls a quite dry warm place to do their job. It’s all about the incredible edible egg.

Plenty of fresh water and plenty of dry food are the last touches in my chicken coop. Both are 6 to 8 inches off the ground.

As long as your chickens have food water and time to run from sun-up to sun-down they will be happy.

Room to Run

Chickens like to get out and look for bugs and worms. Hopefully you will have room to let your chickens out to roam. Even a large confined space to let them run in each day is very good for your chickens.

I have a large fenced area adjacent to my chicken coop that’s about 700 square ft. It doesn’t have to be that large or it can be your entire back yard. Chickens will return to the coop on their own.

I went through many plans on letting my chickens run. I started by giving them run of the yard. It worked out great until they found the patio.

Going to the hot tub in the dark at night and stepping in chicken fertilizer convinced me I needed to keep them off the patio.

I fenced the patio in with chicken wire to keep the chickens out. That worked great also except it made it hard to use the yard.

Next I fenced half the patio and then straight across the yard, half for the chickens and half for people to play. Then we got a puppy.

He loved the chickens but he was too rough and they were scared of him. I then built a permanent wood fence that keeps the dog out and the chickens in.

The run is roughly 12 ft wide and 100-150 ft long. A big area for our chickens to run in and the chicken coop is connected at the end.

Everyone seems happy. Experiment with different ways and be flexible until you figure out what works best for you and your chickens.

Deciding on a Chicken Coop

Now you are ready to sit down and decide on a chicken coop that works for you. Will you buy or build? Where will you put it? How many chickens can you have with your chicken coop?

I’m looking forward to reading your stories about building a chicken coop. Good luck and please if you have any questions feel free to contact me. Together we will find an answer. Shoot me a comment.