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Our Top 7 Chicken Coops You'll Want to Grab Now

Your feathered friends will love their new home

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In This Article

Chicken Coop

The Spruce

Raising chickens in your yard is incredibly fun and rewarding, and you'll need to provide them with a spacious chicken coop to live, play, and lay eggs. Chickens also benefit from living in a coop for a safe, secure place to sleep away from nighttime predators.

Shopping for a chicken coop can be mystifying for first-time chicken owners, so we're here to help. First, come up with a coop plan that comfortably accommodates your flock, according to expert Chris Lesley, a fourth-generation chicken keeper and blogger.

“How much room they need per bird will vary a bit from breed to breed, but one good rule of thumb is 10 square feet per bird for standard breeds," Lesley tells us.

Consider the number of nesting boxes and roosting spaces available within a coop, too. Account for one nesting box for every four chickens, and 8 to 10 inches of roosting space per bird. Also, look for coops with a chicken run so your chickens spend some time outside.

What Is a Chicken Run?

A chicken run is a fenced-in area either attached or next to the coop that gives your chickens extra wiggle room to roam around.

The good news? You don't have to go at it alone. We evaluated coops based on their size, materials, capacity, and special features for a thorough list to help you decide.

What We Like
  • Draft-free ventilation

  • Double-wall insulation system

  • Easy to clean

  • Multiple run sizes

What We Don't Like
  • Modern look might fit everyone's aesthetic

For a secure and reasonably priced coop for up to 10 small chickens, consider our top pick, the Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop. This one is packed with helpful features, from a handy side door to collect eggs and a slide-out droppings tray for easy cleaning.

The coop stays warm in winter and cool in summer thanks to its double-wall design, and its draft-free vents help the chickens get fresh air. It's also great for cleaning since you can step right into the coop.

The interior of this coop has two areas—one for roosting and one for nesting—and the nesting box is large enough to hold three chickens at a time. The coop is designed to accommodate the brand’s popular automatic door, which lets your chickens out in the morning and closes them into the coop at night.

The coop's side door opens into the nesting area so you can easily collect eggs, and an interior divider lets you close the nesting area at night. When it’s time to clean the coop, the slide-out droppings tray is easy to empty, and the smooth surfaces can be wiped or rinsed down with a garden hose.

This coop has other optional features that may be useful for your flock, like a chicken run or wheels. It is a modern-looking enclosure, which might not suit everyone's taste, but we love the innovative features and sleek look in the yard.

Size: 91 x 61 x 46 inches | Materials: UV-stabilized polyethylene, powder-coated steel | Capacity: Up to 10 chickens | Chicken Run: Yes

What We Like
  • Stylish design

  • UV roof panel

  • Spacious nesting box

What We Don't Like
  • Assembly required

For beginners, you can’t go wrong with the Tucker Murphy Pet Cicely Chicken Coop. This coop can accommodate up to 2 chickens, which is recommended if you're just getting started. Although you might long for a larger flock of chickens, starting with a smaller one will give you the experience you need to care for them properly.

This thoughtfully designed coop has several features to easily tend to your flock. It includes two nesting boxes with a hinged lid for egg collection. It's attached to a run that is covered in heavy-duty galvanized wire mesh to protect your chickens from predators.

This coop doesn’t include assembly, so you'll need at least two people and basic construction knowledge to put the coop together. We love the classic look of the coop and the spacious interior, leaving lots of space for your chickens to roam and enjoy.

Size: 47.6 x 21.3 x 63.5 inches | Materials: Fir wood | Capacity: Up to 2 chickens | Chicken Run: Included

What We Like
  • Knock-out panel can attach to coop

  • Walk-in design

  • Expandable

  • Hard mesh roof

What We Don't Like
  • Need to purchase a coop separately

Unless you plan for your chickens to roam free in your yard, you need some run where they can spend time during the day. The Producer’s Pride Universal Poultry Pen is a top choice for this, as it’s extremely well-built and designed to protect your chickens from predators when they’re outdoors.

The run is 8 x 8 feet and over 6 feet tall, and its full-size door allows you to walk inside without crouching. It is made from rust-resistant powder-coated steel, and its hard mesh roof can protect your birds from predators (like hawks).

There's a knock-out panel for connecting it directly to your chicken coop, and the door is compatible with most padlocks if you want to provide an additional layer of protection. While this run is fairly pricey, it’s extremely well-made and should keep most predators out. Just remember that it needs to be paired with a coop, like our best overall, the Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop, to provide sufficient housing for your birds.

Size: 96 x 100 x 78 inches | Materials: Rust-resistant powder-coated steel  | Capacity: Up to 6 chickens | Chicken Run: Yes

What We Like
  • Houses up to 15 chickens

  • Heavy-duty construction

  • Easy to assemble

  • Suitable for all climates

What We Don't Like
  • Small air vents

If you’re planning to have a dozen or more chickens, the OverEZ Large Chicken Coop is our top choice for your flock. This large coop can comfortably house up to 15 fully-grown chickens, five more than our best overall pick.

The design features two windows and five nesting boxes with a hinged lid. Its moisture-resistant design is ideal for warm and cold climates, helping to keep your chickens comfortable year-round. One of our favorite features is the simply assembly—this coop can be assembled in around 30 minutes using just an electric screwdriver.

The interior features two spacious roosting bars where your chickens can sleep, and the slanted roof profile ensures that rain and snow run off in the opposite direction of the nesting boxes. The only downside of this large chicken coop is that its air vents, which are located on each gable, are quite small. It might not be sufficient for airflow when the windows are closed.

Size: 74 x 60 x 72.5 inches | Materials: Solid wood | Capacity: Up to 15 chickens | Chicken Run: No

What We Like
  • Attractive cedar design

  • Built-in run

  • Integrated garden planter

  • Includes white glove delivery and assembly

What We Don't Like
  • Small capacity

  • Not ideal for cold climates

This adorable coop is perfect for housing a small flock of up to four chickens. It is handcrafted from solid red cedar and has a 25-square-foot run attached for your chickens can hang out, as well as a built-in planter box to grow herbs or other plants.

The coop is hand-built in Washington State at a family-run sawmill. Your purchase includes white glove delivery, which means they assemble the structure exactly where you want it. The coop's interior includes two nesting boxes with a drop-down door for egg collection and a perch where your chickens can sleep at night.

The run is wrapped in heavy-duty galvanized wire mesh that’s too small for predators to reach through, and the coop’s door is lined with the same material, providing plenty of ventilation. 

The one big downside of this coop is that the interior floor is only lined with mesh, which makes it easy to keep clean but won’t provide sufficient wintertime insulation in cold climates. For colder weather, consider the OverEZ Classic Large Chicken Coop (our best large option) instead.

Size: 63.25 x 61.75 x 83.25 inches | Materials: Solid western red cedar | Capacity: Up to 4 chickens | Chicken Run: Yes

What We Like
  • Walk-in design

  • Many customization options

  • Built-in storage compartment

  • Free personalization

What We Don't Like
  • Assembly can be time consuming, depending on the features

The Roost & Root Round-Top Stand-Up Chicken Coop has a convenient walk-in design with a full-size door, making it easy to check on your chickens, clean the coop, and refill food and water dishes. The coop, which can comfortably house up to six chickens, is built from solid cedar wood and has a sizable run covered with heavy-duty welded wire to deter predators.

Inside the coop, there are several roosting bars and two nesting boxes, but you can customize this chicken coop to suit your flock. For instance, you can purchase a larger run area, “EZ-fill” water and food containers, as well as storm panels that can be mounted to the walls of the run (which are helpful in inclement weather).

You can stash food and other supplies in the built-in storage compartment within the coop, and the design can even be personalized with your farm name, free of charge. This coop does require assembly upon arrival, and because it’s fairly large, freight shipping can be pricey—but considering the durability and size of the coop, it can be worth the investment.

Size: 58 x 66 x 85.88 inches | Materials: Solid cedar | Capacity: Up to 6 chickens | Chicken Run: Yes

What We Like
  • Accommodates up to 12 chickens

  • Thorough step-by-step instructions

  • Easy to customize

What We Don't Like
  • Requires basic construction skills

If you are fairly handy and own a few basic power tools, such as a cordless drill or tape measure, you can build a beautiful chicken coop using the CoopExpert Plans. The plans include detailed step-by-step instructions for constructing a large coop that can hold up to 12 chickens.

As the plans are written, the coop includes two single-hung windows, three roost rails, and five nesting boxes that are accessible via a hinged lid. Of course, your chicken coop can be completely customizable since you can tweak the design to suit your needs, adding additional roosts, ventilation, access doors, and more.

These coop plans are extremely comprehensive, including 31 pages of detailed diagrams and CAD drawings and a material list, cut list, and recommended tools list. Depending on the cost of lumber, the coop will likely cost between $900 and $1,200 to build, but you’d likely pay twice as much for a pre-made coop of this size.

Size: 60 x 72 x 81 inches | Materials: N/A | Capacity: Up to 12 chickens | Chicken Run: No

Final Verdict

The Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop is our best chicken coop pick, as it's well-priced and thoughtfully designed for small-to-medium-sized flocks. Depending on your needs, it can hold up to 10 small chickens, and you can add on a matching run and/or coop wheels. If you're a beginner, the Tucker Murphy Chicken Coop is a small, budget-friendly option that can comfortably accommodate two small birds.

What to Look for in a Chicken Coop

The Right Size for Your Flock

The size of your chicken coop should be determined by the number of chickens you plan to keep. Starting with a bigger size rather than a smaller one is recommended for future flock expansion. After getting a few birds, many people end up wanting more chickens, so it doesn’t hurt to buy a coop that’s larger than you need initially, as long as your budget allows it. 

If your chickens can access outdoor foraging, allow at least 2 to 3 square feet per bird inside the coop. If your birds stay cooped up, give them around 5 to 10 square feet per chicken.

You may also want to consider whether or not you want to be able to walk in to your chicken coop (the Roost & Root Round Top Stand Up Chicken Coop, our best walk-in pick makes that easy), or whether you're comfortable reaching in to collect eggs and to clean.

chicken coop illustration

Daniel Fishel / The Spruce 

Nesting Boxes

When shopping for a chicken coop, it's important to consider the number of nesting boxes. Hens are more likely to lay consistently and regularly (more eggs to add to your egg carton) when they have a safe and cozy place to lay their eggs, and nesting boxes provide just that.

As a good rule of thumb, one nesting box is advised for every three or four chickens. The nesting box should be big enough for the hens to lie down and turn around for comfort.

If your flock is large, you might consider getting more nesting boxes to accommodate all those eggs. Our best large pick, the OverEZ Classic Large Chicken Coop, has five nesting boxes (the most on our list).

Included Chicken Run

Some chicken coops come with attached runs, which are typically where chickens spend most of their time during the day. We named Producer's Pride Universal Pet Pen the best run because it's durable, spacious, and has a walk-in design.

Of course, "The best exercise for chickens is free-ranging and foraging, or looking for their own food," says Lesley. "If it is at all possible to let your birds free range, you should; the exercise they get from roaming around is great for their physical health and their moods."

If your coop doesn't come with a run, you need to build one or place your coop inside a fenced-in area. The run's walls and roof should be constructed from welded wire fencing, ideally with openings less than 1 inch to keep out predators.

Protection from Predators

Many predators may try to access your coop and the birds inside, but proper predator-proofing keeps away unwanted animals such as foxes, hawks, raccoons, weasels, and more.

"For small ground-based predators, the best defense is hardware mesh and making sure your coop is thoroughly sealed," says Lesley. Most poultry pros prefer hardware cloth with half-inch wire spacing over chicken wire for predator protection since many predators can open chicken wire.

Cover any open coop area with hardware cloth, including windows and vents. Install secure latches or padlocks on doors, as raccoons can often open basic latches. While all the coops we've featured here offer protection, our best overall choice, the Omlet Eglu Cube, has an anti-tunnel skirt to prevent digging, too.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Cleaning out your chicken coop regularly is essential to prevent the spreading of disease, parasites, and germs. A clean coop is also less appealing to pests such as mice and rats. You can start by cleaning old droppings, feathers, dirt, and nesting materials.

Hose it down, scrub the surfaces with a brush, and let it dry before replacing any nesting materials. Adding things like floor bedding makes cleaning the bottom of your coop easier, as it helps keep droppings from sticking to the floor.

Certain features can make this process easier, so if cleaning is a concern, consider a coop with a mesh bottom like our best design pick, the Williams Sonoma Cedar Chicken Coop, or a coop with removable trays.

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article was written by Daniela Galvez, a senior editor for The Spruce, specializing in home improvement, gardening, and lifestyle. While she doesn't raise chickens at home, she's a big fan of buying fresh eggs from local farms in New Jersey. For this list, Galvez considered the materials of each chicken coop, its size, and whether or not a chicken run was included.

Our Experts:

  • Chris Lesley, fourth-generation chicken keeper and founder of the authoritative blog Chickens and More