Coops & Runs
6 guides to help you buy and build smarter
Housing is the biggest purchase most chicken keepers make, and the easiest one to get wrong: coop listings routinely claim room for more hens than university Extension space guidelines allow. These guides size every coop and run against those guidelines, then cover the nesting boxes, automatic doors and hardware cloth that keep a flock laying and safe.
The Best Chicken Coops (and How Many Hens They Really Hold)
The best chicken coops on Amazon, from plastic to solid wood, with the space math the listings leave out: how many hens each coop really holds.
The Best Chicken Runs and Pens
The best walk-in chicken runs on Amazon, sized by how many hens each one fits, plus the hardware cloth upgrade most runs need.
The Best Chicken Nesting Boxes
The best chicken nesting boxes, including roll-away and metal boxes, plus how many boxes your flock needs and how big they should be.
The Best Automatic Chicken Coop Doors
The best automatic chicken coop doors: solar, battery and plug-free openers that close the coop at dusk so you do not have to.
How to Predator-Proof a Chicken Coop and Run
How to predator-proof a chicken coop: hardware cloth vs chicken wire, how deep to bury an apron, raccoon-proof latches and covering the run against hawks.
Chicken Coop Size Calculator
Free chicken coop size calculator: coop floor, run area, roost length and nest boxes for any number of standard hens and bantams, from extension guidelines.