Backyard chicken coops, explained plainly
Honest, practical guides to keeping backyard chickens.
We write practical buying guides and how-tos for people keeping a small flock at home: how much space hens actually need, what makes a coop predator-proof, and which features are worth paying for. No fake reviews, no invented test results — just clear reasoning, typical price ranges and the trade-offs that matter.
Buying guides
- Best Chicken Coop Bedding: Pine Shavings vs Straw vs Sand
Pine shavings, straw or sand? Here's what poultry extension experts say about absorbency, dust, cleaning and which bedding suits your backyard coop.
- Best Chicken Coop Kits for Beginners: What to Look For (Buying Guide)
How to choose a chicken coop kit as a first-time keeper — real floor space, materials, predator resistance, ventilation, cleaning access and the kit types worth considering.
- Choosing Chicken Feeders and Waterers (Buying Guide)
The main types of chicken feeders and waterers explained, what to look for in each, how much capacity you need, and how to cut waste, spills and pests.
How-to
- Chicken Coop Ventilation Explained
Why ventilation matters more than insulation, how much your coop needs, where to put vents, and how to avoid drafts in summer and winter.
- Chicken Run Size and Fencing Guide
How big a chicken run should be, which wire actually keeps predators out, how tall to make it, how to stop diggers, and what to put on the floor.
- DIY vs Prefab Chicken Coop: Cost, Time and Quality Compared
Should you build your own chicken coop or buy one? An honest comparison of cost, time, skills, durability and flexibility to help first-time keepers decide.
- How to Clean a Chicken Coop (and the Deep Litter Method)
A practical daily, weekly and seasonal coop-cleaning routine for first-time keepers, plus how the deep litter method works and when it makes sense.
- How to Predator-Proof a Chicken Coop
A practical, layer-by-layer guide to keeping raccoons, foxes, dogs, hawks, rats and snakes away from your hens — mesh, latches, digging barriers, the roof and daily habits.
- How to Winterize a Chicken Coop
A step-by-step winter checklist for backyard chicken keepers — ventilation, drafts, bedding, water that doesn't freeze, light, run protection and whether you need heat.
- Nesting Boxes: How Many, What Size, Where to Put Them
How many nest boxes your hens need, typical box dimensions for bantams through large breeds, the best height and spot in the coop, and what to line them with.
- Where to Place a Chicken Coop in Your Backyard
How to choose the best spot for a backyard chicken coop, covering drainage, sun and shade, wind, neighbours, local rules, predators and everyday access.
Planning Your Coop
- How Much Space Do Chickens Need? Coop and Run Sizes Explained
Square feet per hen inside the coop and in the run, plus roost, nest box and ventilation rules of thumb — and how to size a coop before you buy.