Choosing a Chicken Coop might seem a bit daunting, after all there are so many options available! We're here to help you choose by pointing out the the things to consider and look for.
Firstly, you are going to want to consider where it is you will be keeping your chickens; in a walled garden? and exposed garden next to farmland? an allotment? and what kind of space is available there for you to allow your birds to roam and scratch around? Is your area rife with potential predators like foxes? What type of material is best going to suit your chickens and your needs?
We're sorry if that has begun to sound overwhelming, it shouldn't do and we've broken each element down to help guide you on choosing a coop but first we want to tell you about the essential features all of our coops have.
Each coop is built using a solid wood frame, we then use either tongue and groove panels or twin wall polycarbonate panels to make up the walls of the coop. Every coop features a galvanised slide out tray for the floor which ensures it can be cleaned regularly and thoroughly. We have in built ventilation holes across our coops and every one has the option to secure birds away at night via a pop hole door. Nest boxes are included with every coop as well as handles and latches for security, a number of our coops are also sold with an integrated run which can be used to keep the chickens safe or left open to allow them to roam free.
Now you know what we consider as the essential, standard features of our chicken coops we'll run through some questions you might want to answer to help narrow down your search for a chicken coop.
1) How will your birds be kept during the day? are you able to give them free range access to your garden or allotment? If so a coop that has no run attached to is likely to be your best option, it means you will be providing somewhere safe and secure for them to sleep, perch and lay eggs whilst giving them the maximum amount of space during the day.
If the area designated for your chickens does not feel safe enough for them to be free range without supervision the compromise is placing a coop in a large chicken run, you can still offer plenty of square footage with the knowledge they remain safe from predators, we sell a number of chicken runs that are prefect for gardens, allotments or farmland.
If neither of these options are suitable and you intend to keep your chickens in an integrated run attached to the coop we suggest looking at your budget to ensure you can purchase the largest run space possible; this is the key determining factor to your birds health and happiness. The coops we sell that also have a run attached can all be extended by adding multiple runs to them, we believe at least one should be added as the bare minimum once you have more than 2 chickens in our coops.
Below is our top pick depending on which of the above applies to you;
House Model;
This chicken coop is perfect for broods which are going to be free range, the large interior space and 4 perches mean you can comfortably house 8 smaller birds quite happily. The Coop features an adjustable ventilation at the roof ridge, a front and back door and the option to add in an extra nest box if required. It is raised of the ground to help keep birds comfortable and dry during wetter periods and the entire floor slides out for easy cleaning.
Walk In Chicken Run
If you have the space for free range but are concerned about security then placing your coop inside a walk in run might be the best solution for you. We do 3 sizes of walk in Chicken Runs and each of them will fit our coops in them. Below is our largest Chicken Run and it comes with a latched opening door, heavy duty chicken wire to encase the whole frame and strong galvanised metal work to ensure stability.
Chicken Coop with Integrated Run
If the space in your garden is limited and you may only be able to allow your birds free range access some of the time because you are concerned about predators then a Chicken Coop with integrated run might be the best option. All of our Coops that have an integrated run can have multiple runs added meaning you can increase the space as your flock grows, below is our Large Windsor Coop shown with the run that is included, additional runs can be added as required.
We hope our 'Choosing a Chicken Coop Guide' has helped answer some questions, remember we are always here to offer advise if you need it!
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Feel Good UK are specialists in Lifestyle & well-being products. We are UK based distributors of products that have been specially manufactured to meet our specific requirements.
We have over 20yrs experience of the retail industry. Being a family run business based in Leicester, we pride ourselves on our honesty and integrity. We specify our products to the standards, we as a business expect, to allow us to meet the high levels of product satisfaction we endeavour to achieve.
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