Our top pick, the Omlet Eglu Cube Large Chicken Coop, can accommodate up to 10 chickens, and it can be purchased with a run and/or wheels to make the design portable.  Here are the best chicken coops to protect your birds. The interior of this coop is sectioned into two areas—one for roosting and one for nesting—and the nesting box is large enough to hold three chickens at a time. A door on the side of the coop opens up into the nesting area, allowing you to easily collect eggs. And there’s even an interior divider that allows you to close the nesting area at night to deter chickens from sleeping there. When it’s time to clean the coop, a slide-out droppings tray is easy to empty, and the smooth surfaces can simply be wiped or hosed down. This coop has a variety of other optional features that may come in handy for your flock. It can be purchased with a run if desired, and there are 6-, 9-, and 13-foot options available. You can also opt to have the coop mounted on wheels, which allows you to move it around your yard as needed. Finally, the coop is designed to accommodate the brand’s popular automatic door (sold separately), which automatically lets your chickens out in the morning and closes them into the coop at nightfall. Price at time of publish: $989 This compact coop has hinged roof panels over the main roosting area and nesting box, making it easy to clean and collect eggs. The plastic-coated floor panels can also be removed as needed, making them easy to clean. There are two removable roosting poles for chickens to sleep on at night, and the nesting area has a removable divider that lets you create one or two spaces for your hens. While this coop is well-made and budget-friendly, keep in mind that it is quite small and can only comfortably accommodate a few birds. Price at time of publish: $226 These thoughtfully designed coops come with several features that make it easy to tend your flock. There are three nesting boxes with a hinged lid for egg collection, and the hinge is even soft-close to avoid any pinched fingers. The windows on this coop are covered with welded hardware cloth to protect your chickens against predators—a threat even in urban areas, says Lesley. “City dwellers will have fewer predators to worry about,” she says, “but there will still be birds of prey to contend with, and maybe even a higher risk of rats and other rodents stealing their eggs.” There’s also a convenient clean-out door at the back of the coop that lets you sweep out bedding quickly and easily.  While this chicken coop is unmatched in terms of style and durability, keep in mind you have to pay a sizable shipping fee to have it delivered, on top of the cost of the coop. Additionally, these coops don’t include assembly—the brand recommends at least two people and basic construction knowledge to put the coops together. Price at time of publish: $4,999 The interior of the coop includes two nesting boxes with a drop-down door for egg collection, as well as a perch where your chickens can sleep at night. A drop-down ladder allows chickens to climb in and out of the run, but you can also keep it closed when needed using a cord located next to the egg door. The run is wrapped in a heavy-duty galvanized-wire mesh that’s too small for predators to reach through, and the coop’s door is lined with the same material, providing plenty of ventilation.  The one big downside of this coop is that the interior floor is only lined with mesh. This makes it easy to keep clean but won’t provide sufficient wintertime insulation in cold climates. Price at time of publish: $2,800 You can customize this chicken coop in a number of ways to suit your flock. For instance, you can purchase a larger run area, “EZ-fill” water and food containers, as well as storm panels that can be mounted to the walls of the run. You can stash food and other supplies in the built-in storage compartment within the coop, and the design can even be personalized with your farm name for free. This coop does require assembly upon arrival, and because it’s fairly large, freight shipping can be quite expensive. Price at time of publish: $4,495 This coop is hand-built in the USA and can be assembled in around 30 minutes using an electric screwdriver. The interior features two spacious roosting bars where your chickens can sleep, and the slanted roof profile ensures that rain and snow run off in the opposite direction of the nesting boxes. The only downside of this large chicken coop is that its air vents, which are located on each gable, are quite small and may not be sufficient for airflow when the windows are closed. Price at time of publish: $2,230 This small coop is made from thick wood panels and a powder-coated steel frame, and it comes with a wooden ramp that allows your chickens to climb in and out of the enclosed area. There are three nesting boxes, which you can access via a hinged lid, and a sliding door allows you to shut your birds in as needed. The metal floor slides out for easy cleaning, and access doors on both sides of the structure can be locked with predator-resistant latches. The one shortcoming of this coop is it lacks ventilation panels, but you can always install a few onto the wooden siding. Price at time of publish: $400 This run is made from rust-resistant powder-coated steel, and its hard mesh roof can protect your birds from aerial predators such as hawks. If you want to connect it directly to your chicken coop, there’s a knock-out panel for exactly that purpose, and the door is compatible with most padlocks if you want to provide an additional layer of protection. While this run is fairly pricey, it’s extremely well made and should keep most predators out. Just keep in mind that it needs to be paired with a coop to provide sufficient housing for your birds. Price at time of publish: $700 These coop plans are extremely comprehensive, including 31 pages of detailed diagrams and CAD drawings, as well as a material list, cut list, and recommended tools list. Depending on the cost of lumber, the coop will likely cost between $900 and $1,200 to build, but you’d likely pay twice as much for a pre-made coop of this size. Price at time of publish: $18 Also, consider the number of nesting boxes and roosting space available within a coop. Generally, you should have one nesting box for every four chickens and 8 to 10 inches of roosting space per bird.

Ventilation

Chicken coop ventilation is extremely important yet an often-overlooked feature in pre-made coops. Proper ventilation provides chickens with fresh air during the night and helps minimize odors within the coop. Additionally, for those living in cold climates, draft-free ventilation prevents moisture buildup in the winter, helping avoid frostbite among your flock.  In general, allot about 1 square foot of ventilation per 10 square feet of coop floor space. Vents should be installed in a location that encourages airflow but doesn’t cause a draft to blow on your chickens while they’re roosting. Cover vents with hardware cloth to keep out predators.

Chicken Run

Some chicken coops come with attached runs—enclosed outdoor areas where chickens can eat and forage. This is typically where chickens spend most of their time during the day. “The best exercise for chickens is free-ranging and foraging, or looking for their own food,” says Lesley. “If it is at all possible to let your birds free range, you should; the exercise they get from roaming around is great for their physical health and their moods, and the added protein and variety they get from foraging for plants and insects will improve their health and give you tastier, more flavorful eggs and meat. If you can’t let them free-range, the next best thing is putting toys in their run will help keep them occupied and exercising.” If your coop doesn’t come with a run, you need to build one or place your coop inside a fenced-in area. To keep out predators, the run’s walls and roof should be constructed from welded wire fencing, ideally with openings less than 1 inch.

Predator Protection

There are many predators that may try to access your coop and the birds inside, but proper predator proofing deters raccoons, foxes, hawks, weasels, and more. “Raptors can generally be fended off with shiny things, like reflective tape or old CDs suspended around the coop, or by covering the run with a tarp or wooden shelter,” advises Lesley. “For small ground-based predators, the best defense is hardware mesh and making sure your coop is thoroughly sealed.” Most poultry pros prefer hardware cloth with half-inch wire spacing to chicken wire for predator protection since many predators can rip chicken wire right open. Cover any area of the coop that is open, including windows and vents, with hardware cloth. Also, install secure latches on any doors, as raccoons are often able to open basic latches.

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article was written by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce. She’s the proud owner of 12 chickens and four ducks, and she and her partner used the CoopExpert Chicken Coop Plans to build a sturdy coop for her flock. For additional insight, we also consulted with Chris Lesley, founder of the popular blog Chickens and More. Additionally, you need shade, ventilation, dust baths, and predator protection. Dust baths are an area of dry soil where birds dig up and then cover themselves with mulch, sand, and other detritus. The routine absorbs excess moisture and oil, helping to control parasites. Predator protection is also key to keeping away unwanted animals such as dogs, cats, and foxes.