Finding the best chicken coop isn’t a tough task. It all depends on how much money you’re willing to spend and how many chickens you’re planning on having. Larger coops are generally better because they provide a large, secure are for the birds to run, thus improving egg yields. This article provides a basic guide on the best chicken coops, and shows you where to download some great chicken coop plans.
A Closer Look At Sizes
There are generally 3 sizes of chicken coop. As I previously stated, bigger is better. This is because chickens need running space to stay fit. Healthy chickens will lay 5 or more eggs a week if you’re lucky. The 3 sizes are:
– Small/Portable
– Mid-sized (box shaped)
– Large (with hen house and secure run)
How Many Chickens?
It is said that you shouldn’t count your chickens before they hatch. Unfortunately, if you don’t know how many chickens you’ve got, you don’t know how big of a coop you need! It’s best to adhere to the following guidelines:
1-4 chickens – Small/Portable coop is generally enough if you’ve got a decent backyard.
5-9 chickens – A mid-sized box coop is the way to go. It allows for good running space.
10+ chickens – You’re going to need a premium coop if you want to maintain healthy, high yield birds.
How Much Money?
If you’re on a budget, you’re much better off buying a chicken coop kit or even building your own from scratch. If you’re a pretty handy person, or know someone who is, there are plenty of high quality building plans you can download from the internet.