There has been a real surge of interest in keeping chickens (hens) on your home property if you have some backyard space. Firstly, most people see this as a great way to have fresh eggs and with the price of food costs increasing, more people have wanted to investigate this idea further.
However, you should know there are additional costs of keeping your chickens, including feeding them a good quality commercial feed (mixed grain or pellets) and potentially some veterinary bills, but here we look at where your hens can sleep and lay their eggs; namely in a chicken coop.
At Panda Farm, we have the following sized chicken coops, depending on the number of chickens that you wish to house.
The Residential Chicken Coop
Houses 3-4 chickens and an enlarged version can to requested, which will house 5-6 chickens. This style coop is ground level and includes an outdoor enclosure run area. The coop comes with either 2 or 3 nesting boxes, depending on size. The nesting boxes are removable for ease of cleaning. The coop can be moved as there are built-in handles and skids. There are both indoor and outdoor perches.
Bedding inside the coop
Once you have your coop you may like to put straw in the nesting boxes which is one of the best materials for their bedding. It keeps them both warm and they enjoy scratching in it. However, it does need to be replaced frequently as it does not stay clean that long.
If you are looking to house more chickens, then The 10 Hen House or Walk In Chicken Coop are better options.
The 10 Hen House
Is suitable for up to 10 chickens and comes with 3 nesting boxes. This is a better solution where you have more land and the chickens can free-range. The coop is ground level with the nesting boxes built to the back of the house, which can be accessed by lifting the lid. There are 2 internal perches. We use stainless steel hinges and fixings and the house has skids attached to footings, to allow it to be moved.
Walk In Chicken Coop
Also houses up to 10 chickens but is more vertical than the 10 Hen House. There are 3 nesting boxes and 3 perches. You should have space outside for the chickens to roam, as there is no outdoor run. The coop is built with an internal ramp for the animals to access their nesting boxes and perches. This style features a zinc aluminium roof and the door at the front opens out allowing access into the coop. The coop is built so an average sized person (5’9”) can stand erect inside. The item can be flat-packed and comes with assembly instructions.
What if you notice that you have a broody hen in the coop? It is best to separate her and the chicks from the remaining flock, otherwise, she may be attacked by the others.
Solution for a broody hen
If you are after a solution for your broody hen, to keep her separate, then we have supplied previous customers with an extended rabbit hutch and it worked perfectly. This was a good solution to keep the little chicks and Mum safe until the chicks were old enough to be moved back to the bigger enclosure, with the rest of the flock.
Chicken coops are the standard choice to house your farm chickens. Please contact us if you would like to order a chicken coop or to discuss the size of the coop that you would like.