If this past tough time has taught us anything, it’s that being in control of your food supply is invaluable. Chickens can add to that supply by providing you with eggs. If you are thinking of keeping a few chickens, getting them a coop is the first thing you should do but not all coops are created equal.
If it’s your first time looking for the best chicken coop and you don’t know what you are looking for, the search can be a little bit tedious. This is why we have put together a list of chicken coops and runs which we think are some of the best models available when it comes to ease of build, quality, cleaning and more. We have also put together a handy buyer’s guide at the end so that you know what to consider when you buy one.
Before we go through the list, let’s look at our Best Pick, the Pets Imperial Savoy Large Chicken Coop With its 1.4m Run as it is a good size coop and run in one. We like that this coop is large enough to accommodate up to 10 chickens depending on their size and breeds, if you have fewer, no problem they will have more space. The coop also comes with 2 nesting boxes with 6 compartments, a lot of space for your hens to lay eggs in. The coop also has 4 removable roosting bars. The wood is joined using the tongue and groove paneling which makes it strong and durable. Overall, this is one of the best coops you will find on the market that can house up to 10 birds effectively.
BEST PICK
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Runner-up
The run is made of strong wire which is predator-proof which is obviously a must. If you want to provide more space, there is an extension run available too which is worth knowing. Overall, it’s a good chicken coop for a couple of chickens and its a great alternative to our Best pick for anyone keeping a couple of chickens.
Best Chicken Coops and Runs Reviews
1. Pets Imperial Savoy Large Chicken Coop With 1.4m Run
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
No products found.This is one of the best chicken coops you will find on the market currently if you are looking for a coop that can house more than just a couple of chickens, up to 10 in fact depending on the breed. In terms of dimensions, its approximately 1 x 1.5m coop with a height of about 0.96cm so just under a meter or just over 3ft at the highest point.
The coop comes with 2 nesting boxes on either side of the coop. The nesting boxes have 3 compartments each. Chicken are perching birds and this is why the coop also comes with 4 removable perching bars, this means you can remove them for easier cleaning too.
in terms of built quality, the coop is made using the tongue and groove construction which makes the coop strong and durable. The wood used is treated with an animal safe treatment so that it’s protected from whatever the UK weather throughs at it. However, as with all wooden coops, I still recommend treating it every 1-2 years to keep it in good order.
The coop is easy to clean. It comes with a pull-out galvanized cleaning tray that makes cleaning as easy as possible. The roof of this coop also opens to help you do some maintenance work easily in the coop and again just easy to clean overall.
To provide the chickens with more space, this coop comes with a 1.4m run extension made of strong metallic wire, completely fox proof, and any other garden predator that may take a liking to your chickens. Your chicken will be safe in this coop.
Everything comes to you in a flat pack as is the case with most keeps, especially the one purchased online. It’s easy to assemble and instructions on how to assemble the coop are provided so you shouldn’t find it too difficult. Finally, in terms of the number of chicken it can hold, this really depends on the size of the chicken but for small breeds, this coop can easily house up to 10 chickens.
Pros
- It’s easy to clean with the galvanized pull-out cleaning tray that can be pulled out from the front or the back.
- It’s easy to assemble with easy to read and follow instructions.
- The roof opens, which makes the coop easily accessible for maintenance and cleaning.
- Features a 1.4m run
- The coop’s wooden parts are made using tongue and groove panelling which makes the coop strong and durable.
- The wood used to make the coop is treated with an animal-friendly treatment which helps protect it against the UK weather.
- This coop can house up to 10 chicken depending on size and breed.
Why do we recommend it?
If you are looking for a chicken coop that can house multiple chickens, something that a fairly decent size, this will be an ideal choice as it can house up to 10 chickens. The coop has 2 nesting boxes with 3 compartments each so plenty of room for nesting. The coop is safe for your chicken as the wire used for the run is predator-proof but we would expect no less for a chicken coop.
This coop comes with a pull-out cleaning tray that makes cleaning super easy which is a nice feature to have. All you have to do is pull out the tray, brush it off and give it a wipe down with some cleaner. The roof also opens which helps with maintenance work, this feature can no be overestimated, it can make life so much easier when it comes to access.
Finally, it comes to you flat packed but most people should find it easy to assemble and clear instructions for the assembly are provided. It is no more difficult than putting together some IKEA furniture so if you can do that no problem, this will be easy.
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Check out our best rabbit hutch review, these are also great for rearing chicks in some cases too!
2. FeelGoodUK Chicken Coop with Internal Run
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
If instead, you want to keep just a couple of chickens, a smaller coop than our best pick would be more than suitable. The FeelGoodUK chicken coop is ideal if you’re keeping a couple of chickens for fresh eggs or just pets. This chicken coop measures 175 so just under 6ft long 66cm, which is just over 2ft by 100cm which is a little over 3ft. The coop is coupled with a chicken run under it with some extension on the side. There is a chicken ladder that makes accessibility of the coop easy for the chicken.
The wood is connected using the tongue and groove panelling just like our best pick which makes the coop very strong and sturdy and personally I also think it looks more appealing. The coop has an extended nesting box for your hens to lay eggs in. The wire used for the run is also strong and your chicken will be safe from even the most determined foxes and her cubs, just still make sure they still looked in the coop at night as you should never underestimate a hungry vixen.
To clean this coop all you have to do is remove the galvanized waste tray, brush the waste off and then wipe it down with some pet-safe cleaner. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
To ensure the coop gets to you without breakage, this chicken coop comes to you in a flat pack and all you have to do is screw the different parts together. Instructions on how to assemble the parts are included. If you want to provide your birds with more space, you would be glad to know that there is an extension run available.
Pros
- It’s made of quality tongue and groove panelling and strong wire, which makes it safe for your chicken.
- It’s easy to clean with a pull-out tray.
- It’s easy to assemble and instructions are provided.
- There is an optional extension run available if you want to provide more space for your chickens.
Cons
- It’s not ideal for multiple chickens as it’s small.
Why do we recommend it?
This is a great option if you just want to keep a couple of chickens. We love that the coop is easy to clean with the pull out removable tray.
The run is made of strong wire which is predator-proof which is obviously a must and something we look for. in the best models. If you want to provide more space, there is an extension run available which some might find is worth it. Overall, it’s a good chicken coop for a couple of chickens and a good alternative to our best pick for those with fewer chickens.
3. Cocoon Hatched Large Chicken Coop and Run
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
If you are looking for a chicken coop with a little bit of style, this one will be an awesome choice, I mean look at it, how amazing does it look? In terms of size, it’s around 176cm wide by around 82cm tall and 70cm wide, large enough for a couple of chickens. The coop also has an incorporated chicken run which is fully covered to give them a little protection from the rain.
The run is made of a strong wire mesh but if you want to keep your chicken safer at night, there is a sliding door separating the run and the coop that you can close at night to protect your birds from foxes.
This coop features a felted roof with overhangs on both sides that keep your birds well protected from the rainy brittish weather like rain which we get plenty of and snow.
The coop comes with a detachable rubber floor that makes cleaning easy for you, so again they have put a lot of thought into the cleaning of this coop. The removable nesting box also provides your hen with a safe place to lay her eggs. There are also perches for roosting included.
The whole coop is shipped to you flat packed as are most models and all you have to do is screw the sections together. It should be just as easy to assemble as most other coops.
Pros
- Amazing stylish design with a built-in run.
- Made of strong timber which makes the coop durable and long lasting.
- It’s easy to assemble.
- Comes with a removable rubber floor which makes it easy to clean.
- The felted roof has overhangs on both sides which protect the chickens from weather elements.
- Comes with a removable nesting box, a safe place for your hen to lay eggs.
- It features a sliding door between the run and the coop which you can close at night to better protect your chicken from predators.
Cons
- The wood would benefit from another coat of wood protector.
Why do we recommend it?
This is an ideal coop if you are just looking for a coop to hold a couple of chickens. It’s easy to assemble and is made of fairly decent wood but I would perhaps recommend having it inside a larger enclosed run as it may be a little small.
To make cleaning easier, the coop comes with a removable floor. The wire used to make the run is strong and there is a sliding door between the coop and the run. You can close this door at night to better protect the chickens from foxes.
The coop also comes with a removable nesting box where your hen can safely lay their eggs. Overall, it’s a pretty good chicken coop and it’s also suitable for rabbits but I particularly like the overall design.
4. Cocoon Large Chicken Coop
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
If you are looking for a larger chicken coop for more than just a couple of chickens and something that doesn’t include a run, I think this is one of the best chicken houses that you will get currently. It’s about 152 x 100 x 110cm, large enough for up to 8 chickens to roost depending on the breed and size.
The coop is made of wood and plastic. The wood is joined using the tongue and groove panelling which makes the chicken house sturdy and strong. The roof is made of plastic which makes this coop weatherproof. The feet are protected by adjustable plastic fittings that protect the wood from rotting but also help you get it level on uneven ground. The raised feet also allow proper circulation of air under the coop keeping the coop warm and dry.
All the parts come to you in a flat pack and all you need to do is screw everything together. Instructions are provided, which makes the assembly a lot easier.
Cleaning this coop is made easy by the pull-out waste tray. All you have to do is pull out the tray and dispose of the chicken waste.
On either side of the coop are two nesting boxes with three partitions each providing plenty of space for your hens to safely lay their eggs. The chicken coop also comes with perches where your chicken can roost.
Pros
- It’s easy to clean as it comes with a pull-out cleaning tray.
- It’s easy to assemble and instructions on how to do so are included.
- The feet have plastic fittings that protect the wood from rotting.
- The roof is made of plastic, which makes the coop weatherproof.
- It comes with six nesting compartments.
- The coop also has perching bars for roosting.
Cons
- No run included (just a coop)
Why do we recommend it?
This is an ideal chicken house if you are looking for a coop that can accommodate several chickens and don’t need a run attached. The coop is big enough to accommodate up to 8 birds depending on their size. The coop features 2 nesting boxes with a total of 6 compartments. That’s a lot of space for your hens to lay their eggs safely but remember this is just a coop so would ideally be placed within a fence or large run, maybe inside our next pick.
I like that the coop has raised feet that allow air circulation underneath which keeps the coop dry and warm inside. It also comes with a pull-out metal-lined cleaning tray that makes cleaning easy. Overall most will find this is good quality and good some great design features.
5. Feel Good UK 2 x 3 x 2m Walk-in Galvanised Chicken Run
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
This coop has the largest chicken run on this list. The run measures 3 meters wide by 2m with an overall height of 2 meters, just over 6ft so is walk-in height. So it offers a large space for your chicken to run around.
As mentioned, the run is also tall enough for you to walk freely inside while you are cleaning and doing maintenance work in the run. To protect your birds from the weather elements, the run comes with a polyester UV stabilized cover.
The run is made of strong PVC coated mesh wire that’s strong enough to keep those hungry foxes on the right side of the wire. It’s stabilized by strong galvanized rust-resistant metal tubes. These metal tubes are further strengthened by bracing bars at each corner of this run.
To keep the foxes and other predators out, the run comes with enough wire mesh to dig under around the run to make it impossible for foxes to burrow through into the run. The run also comes with ground pegs and cable ties to further ground the run.
The run comes in a double door with latches on them. The door makes it easily accessible for maintenance while keeping the predators away.
Pros
- It’s a large chicken run with a lot of space for your chicken to walk around.
- It’s tall enough for you to walk inside when doing maintenance.
- The wire used to make the run is PVC coated which makes it durable and resilient against weather elements.
- It comes with ground pegs and cable ties which help ground the run.
- Comes with enough wire to dig around the run which makes it impossible for predators to burrow into the run.
- The run is well stabilized with galvanized metal tubes and bracing bars at each corner.
Cons
- Does not include coop so you need to buy separately or use your current coop if you have one.
Why do we recommend it?
This is one of the largest chicken runs I would recommend. It’s about 2m tall, space enough for you to maneuver around while you tend to the chicken and do maintenance work. The mesh wire is PVC coated which makes the wire durable and resilient. There is also enough wire to spread around the edge of the run which makes it much more difficult for a determined fox to burrow through. For extra stability, the run comes with galvanized metal tubes with bracing bars at each corner. The double door allows you easy access into the run, while the latches on the door keep your birds securely in the run.
6. Kerbl Plastic Chicken Pen
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
If you are looking for a chicken coop that’s suitable for all seasons, both cold and warm, this is an ideal choice for you. It’s made of recycled material 40% wood and 60% plastic. This makes this chicken coop well insulated.
This coop is also a waterproof low maintenance coop. Unlike wood used to make most coops on the market, this plastic coop does not rot and doesn’t need painting every couple of years like you should a wooden coop. The chicken coop also has raised feet which allows proper ventilation under the coop. This in turn keeps the coop warm and dry.
To keep the coop fresh there is a sliding window on the coop that keeps the coop well ventilated. You can also close the window to keep the cold winds out during winter. For easy access, the coop has 2 doors. The coop also comes with 2 nesting boxes and 2 roosting bars.
Like the rest of teh models in this review, this coop also comes in a flat pack form and all you have to do is screw the parts together. The instructions to assemble the coop are included.
Pros
- Made of rot-proof strong plastic which is low maintenance.
- Comes with 2 nesting boxes that provide a place for your chicken to safely lay eggs
- It has raised feet that allow air circulation under the coop keeping it warm and dry.
- It’s weatherproof, suitable for all the seasons of the year.
- It’s easy to assemble.
- It comes with 2 doors which makes the coop easily accessible for cleaning.
Cons
- It does not have a run attached to it, so you need a fenced area designated for the chickens or a separate run like our previous pick.
Why do we recommend it?
This is a solid chicken coop that will last for a long time and it’s a very low maintenance coop. It’s made from 40% wood and 60% plastic which makes it well insulated like wood but also low maintenance like plastic alturnativs. This makes this coop especially well suited for all the seasons of the year.
This coop comes with 2 nesting boxes where your hens can safely lay their eggs. There are also 2 roosting bars for your chickens to roost on. The coop comes in a flat pack with everything you will need for the assembly included. It’s pretty easy to put together. Overall, it’s a sturdy durable chicken coop, stronger than most wooden coops you will find out there and much less maintenance.
Buyer’s guide: what to look for when you are looking for a chicken coop
When you decide to keep chicken, the first thing you would need to buy is a chicken coop and run. Before you choose a model you like, remember not all coops are the same, you should know what to look for if you want to get it right the first time round.
Here is what you should consider.
Size
The most important thing you should consider is the coop’s size. You should buy a coop that’s big enough to accommodate the number of chickens you have. Make sure the chicken coop you buy is big enough. Most chicken coops will indicate the number of chickens they can house but this is only a guide as it depends on the breed of chickens and more importantly there size.
If you plan to increase your flock in the future, you should consider buying a chicken coop large enough to accommodate the flock expansion in the future although having two coops within one large run is also reasonable.
Chicken runs
Some chicken coops come with chicken runs while others don’t. If you buy a chicken coop with no run, you might need to keep the chicken within a fenced area during the day or have a coop inside an enclosed coop.
On the other hand, you can buy a chicken run separately. If you don’t want to do this, buy a coop with an attached run. The only downside is most coops with built-in runs are small and only suitable for a couple of chickens at most. Really I recommend also having a fenced off area so they have more room.
Accessories
Chicken coops should come with all the accessories needed for a chicken house. If you plan on keeping hens, ensure the coop comes with nesting boxes for them to lay their eggs in. Chickens are perching birds which is why a chicken coop should come with perching bars for the chicken to roost on.
Also look for models that have pull out trays for cleaning and even roofs that open up for easy access. This can make cleaning and maintenance much easier.
No products found.Think about the outdoor weather
Most chicken coops are made of wood. If the wood is not treated, you might need to treat it yourself to make it resilient against the weather and more importantly the long often wet winters.
In conclusion,
Keeping a few chickens in your back garden can provide you with eggs for your whole family and manure for your garden as it’s one of the best fertilisers you can get. When you decide to keep chickens, the first thing you should get for them is a coop and run. We have listed the best chicken coops you will find on the market in this guide. We hope you find your next chicken home here.
Our Best Pick, the Pets Imperial Savoy Large Chicken Coop With 1.4m Run is a good size chicken coop and a run in one. It’s big enough to accommodate up to 10 chickens depending on their breed and size. This coop comes with two nesting boxes that have 6 compartments, plenty of room for your hens to safely lay their eggs.
The coop also comes with 4 roosting bars for your chicken to perch on. It’s shipped to you in a flat pack with instructions on how to assemble the coop and most will find it easy to do. The coop is made using tongue and groove panelling, which makes the coop strong and durable.
No products found.
Our Runner-up, the FeelGoodUK Chicken Coop with Built-in Run is an ideal choice for you if you are looking for a more affordable and smaller coop for a couple of chickens. It comes with a run made of strong wire that will keep your chicken in and the foxes out.
The coop also comes with an extended nesting box for your hens to lay eggs in. This coop comes in a flat pack too with assembly instructions included. It’s also easy to clean, all you have to do is pull out the cleaning pull-out bar and dispose of the waste.