How to Choose the Right Chicken Coop Model

 Keeping chickens in the backyard of your home has become more popular among health-conscious individuals. Still, for some people, the idea of having big birds flapping around in their backyard and pooping on everything seems gross and unimaginable. But, we are here to disprove it and help you consider the fact that keeping chicken has its own advantages. 

Besides the bonus of having freshly laid organic eggs at all times, some people just love the idea of owning chickens and taking care of all their needs. However, for this, you need to accommodate the right conditions and choose to buy or build a chicken coop that will be the perfect fit for your feathery friends.

In this article, we are going to cover the most essential factors you need to keep in mind before purchasing the right chicken coop model, from selecting the right size, material, and location to providing the perfect shelter from predators, and making sure you have enough access and storage space available for your backyard flock.

Features to Consider Before Choosing the Right Chicken Coop Kit

For both form and function, an attractively designed chicken coop kit will fulfill all your chicken-related needs and will open up the door to the wonderful ideal of barn foul ownership. Well, since there are hundreds of chicken housing designs available on the market today, you may get confused as to which chicken coop model will best suit your chicken needs. 

The goal is to have a secure, attractively designed chicken coop that will provide both a shelter and fulfill all the other needs of your chickens. The last you want is purchasing a coop that is difficult to assemble and demands hours of chicken poop scrubbing to keep it clean and properly maintained. Therefore, there are certain factors you need to take into account when purchasing the right chicken coop kit. 

Size 

The best size for your chicken coop kit model depends on the number of birds you intend to keep and what type of breeds you will be housing. Most people decide to keep 2-8 chickens as their pets, mostly because of space limitations or simply because they don’t need as many eggs as larger flocks produce. When determining how much space is ideal for your chicken keep in mind that the bigger is better. The bigger the coop the more hens you can keep, plus you will provide for them enough space to roam around and live a happier and healthier life.

Material

Coops can be made from a wide variety of materials including plastic, metal, wood, and can be designed in a wide variety of styles. This is a very important feature as it will ultimately influence the life span of the structure and dictate the living conditions for your flock. While plastic and 

wood is perhaps one of the most popular choices of materials used for building chicken coops, some people use PVC and metal as well. 

If you want a resilient structure that is hard to damage and rust-resistant you may prefer a metal chicken coop kit for your birds. These types of structures are usually made from corrugated steel sheets and make the perfect shelter from cold, or any kind of predators from gaining entry. 

Plastic chicken coops are also very common as they are relatively inexpensive and won’t absorb any moisture the way wooden coops do. Moreover, they are very easy to clean and portable as well. The wooden ones are the traditional type that has been used for hundreds of years and are reserved for all those who value wood above all other materials. As wood is the most aesthetically pleasing it will certainly provide a cozy and nice-looking place for your chickens. The most common types of wood used for building chicken houses are cedar, redwood, and cypress which is mostly related to the fact that these types of wood don’t rot as easily as others.

Location

Just as looking for the best spot where to build your house, selecting the right location for your chicken shed is of major importance for your poultry health, safety, and happiness as well. A coop located near your house is usually the most preferred option especially if you want to collect the eggs daily. Also, you should be mindful to place your chicken house at a reasonable distance from your neighbors as keeping chickens may result in a bad smell, sight, and noise that may disturb them. Therefore, it’s usually required to have your neighbor’s approval and continued tolerance before deciding to keep chicken in your yard.

Human Access and Storage Space

Having easy access and storage space in your chicken coop is essential. Therefore, the inside of the coop should provide enough space so you can easily move around when you need to clean, feed, or collect the eggs from your chicken. For smaller coops, it’s good to have a separate storage space to avoid clutter, where you can keep all your cleaning supplies and medicinal items in good order.

Predator Protection

If you don’t want your poultry to run lose or lay eggs where they will your coop’s design, needs to offer the ideal protection to keep them safe and healthy. This is especially useful in case of a predators attack. Therefore the coop should have no opening that can let anything get through at night.  Additionally, you should consider choosing an elevated design that will keep predators from digging and burring into the structure and provide shelter for your flock from the elements that will keep the structure in better condition for much longer.