Do you already keep chickens? Or are you dreaming of having your own chickens so you can have fresh eggs for breakfast, laid by your own little flock, every day? Either way, you’ll want to make sure your hens are happy and healthy so they can lay their best eggs for you. A big part of that is ensuring the environment where your chickens live is spacious enough for them to roam a little, as well as being weather resistant and keeping your hens safe from predators. Below, you will find the best walk in chicken coop options to give you easy access – and happy chickens.
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Top 5 best walk in chicken coop reviews
Whether you are getting your very first chickens, or you want to give the hens you have a little home upgrade, it can be tricky to choose the right chicken coop. You need to think about the space you have in your yard or garden, your budget, how you will clean out your coop, how easy it will be to retrieve the eggs, and whether you want the option of being able to easily move the coop around your land. Take a look below at some of the best walk in chicken coop products to choose from, with pros and cons to consider when making your decision:
1. Best Pet walk in chicken coop
Easy to set up, so you can quickly make sure your chickens have the space they need, the Best Pet walk-in chicken coop is ideal for giving your hens some outdoor time. There’s an anti-rust coating, so you don’t need to worry about your coop suffering from corrosion during inclement weather, and the pen also comes with a waterproof cover meaning your chickens can easily shelter from the rain or find some shade if it is very hot and sunny.
As it’s lightweight, you can easily move this around your land or garden area if you want to give your chickens a different place to scratch about in. At around 220cm in length and just over 100cm in width, you chickens will have plenty of room to enjoy the outside world without being at risk from predators such as hawks swooping in from overhead. There’s a door at one side which will enable you to reach in.
Pros
- Anti-rust material
- Waterproof cover included
- Pitched roof to allow water run-off
- Simple assembly instructions
- Easy to move
- Good value
Cons
- No instructions for set up, although easy enough to work out
- You may want to add stakes or zip ties for extra sturdiness
2. Giantex large chicken coop
If you are looking for a larger chicken coop that you can more easily get into, and which offers your chickens even more room, then you could look at the Giantex chicken coop, which is 380cm in length, nearly 290cm in width. This chicken coop with walk in run is 182cm high, or around 6ft, so you can walk into it yourself to collect eggs, clean up or check on your flock.
Made with a high-quality durable steel frame, this should provide you with a long-lasting option, which is resistant to rain, wind and snow. There’s also an included waterproof cover for extra protection and shelter. The small gaps between the mesh mean your chickens will be protected from predators and, while the door is lockable for extra security, it is easy for you to open up and get into the coop when you need to. A high-quality, sturdy choice which should house your chickens for many years.
Pros
- Galvanized material
- Easy to assemble
- Good for outdoor use
- Lockable for extra safety
- Long lasting
- Waterproof cover to protect your chickens from the elements
Cons
- Tarpaulin likely to need replacing before the coop does
- Putting the wire on is time-consuming
3. Chicken Coop Outlet large metal coop
Another good option if you are looking for a larger coop for your chickens, the Chicken Coop Outlet’s galvanized steel coops are the ideal way to give your hens protection from predators while ensuring that they are still able to get some fresh air. With anti-rust materials, the coop is designed to last for years.
Big enough to walk in for you, the pen provides a large area, of around 200sq ft in total, for your hens to stretch, scratch and ruffle their feathers, while the UV shade provides protection from the sun. At 20ft in length by 10ft in width, you will find there’s plenty of room even if you have a relatively large flock of hens.
Pros
- Spacious
- UV protection gives shade from the sun
- Easy to walk into
- Easy to put together
Cons
- Wing nuts can be hard to tighten
4. Polar Aurora large walk-in coop
In a choice of two sizes, you can decide how much room your chickens need and what you can fit into your garden, yard or land. Made from a high-quality steel frame, you can have peace of mind that the coop should last you for a long time. As it snaps together, it’s also a good option if you aren’t very handy or you’re not a big DIY fan.
To protect your chickens, and you when you are in the coop, from the weather as well as from overhead predators, there is a UV and water-resistant cover which you can place over the roof to give shade and shelter. The walls of the chicken coop are made from coated hexagonal wire mesh featuring small gaps to prevent predators from getting in. The door is lockable with a latch for extra security, but you can easily get inside for cleaning, feeding and picking up eggs.
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- You can wipe over for easy cleaning
- UV protection
- Strong construction
- Plenty of space
Cons
- For extra stability you may want to add more stakes
- Mesh can be time-consuming to attach
5. Walport large chicken coop
If you do already have chickens and are looking to provide them with a better area to live in, then a heavy duty walk in pen like this coop from Walport is the perfect solution to provide them with a large space for some exercise while also protecting them from predators which could try to get to them. As the cage is galvanized, this offers protection from the elements, meaning that it should last for many years.
Easy to put together, the frame comes with a sturdy PVC-coated wire mesh to keep your chickens inside. Meanwhile, there is an included waterproof cover to offer shelter in rain and in shine. You can choose from two different sizes, depending on the size of your land, the breed of your chickens and how much space you want to give them,
Pros
- Quick connect design
- Roomy enough to give your chickens plenty of exercise
- Durable steel construction
- PVC wire mesh
- UV protection
Cons
- You may find you need a few extra zip ties
Things to consider before buying a walk in chicken coop
When you are choosing a walk in chicken coop, it can be easy to think that all coops are pretty much the same. After all, many of the designs look very similar. However, it is important to make sure that the coop you choose is suitable for you, your birds and that it will last you for many years to come. Below are the factors to consider before making your purchase
Size
It’s generally best to give your chickens more space rather than less, but the size of the chicken coop you choose will depend on how much space you have available to you, as well as how many chickens you have – or how many you are likely to have. Also think about your own size. If you want to be able to get into the coop, make sure the height allows you to walk around without having to stoop too much.
Material
While walk-in chicken coops tend to be made from metal for strength, make sure that the coop you choose is galvanized with anti-rust protection to ensure it has longevity and gives you value for money. You don’t want your coop to rust as soon as it rains!
Protection from predators
It’s important to ensure your chickens can’t get out, so they can’t escape, particularly if you have neighbours who wouldn’t be too happy to have your chickens wandering around their property. But, it’s also vital to ensure that no predators can get into the coop. Otherwise, you could end up losing many, if not all, of your flock.
Can I put it together?
Unless you want to be spending days putting together your coop, look for a chicken pen which is simple to assemble. That way, within an hour or so, or at least in less than a day, you can have your coop up and ready to provide some safe space for your chickens.
Design
Make sure that the chicken coop you opt for has a practical design. That means you should be able to easily get in and out of it yourself for feeding, cleaning and egg collection, and the coop should have such features as a pitched roof to allow rainwater to run down it rather than collect in one area of your coop.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Do I need a chicken coop at all?
The term “free range” is often used in relation to poultry and eggs. But, is it possible for your chickens to be completely free range? It’s no good to let your chickens run completely free if they could be at risk from predators. That’s why a spacious chicken coop is a good solution to provide protection while giving your chickens the chance to exercise.
What size chicken coop do I need?
A general rule to think about is giving each of your chickens around two to three square feet within a chicken coop, but around eight to 10 feet if you are providing an outside run. More space is generally better than less because being cramped can lead to stress, pecking and health problems for chickens
Do my chickens need protection from the elements?
Just as you would like the option to head indoors in inclement weather, so too will your chickens. While you may find that your chickens like to be out in the rain for a little while, and their feathers offer protection, they will tend to prefer to shelter in very heavy downpours. It’s also important to ensure they have an area of shade if it is very sunny.
What surface should my coop be placed on?
Really, this will depend on what you have available to you and what you prefer. Concrete can be easier to clean, but your chickens can prefer to scratch in the dirt and eat grass.
Will a walk-in coop protect my flock from predators?
You need to think about what kind of predators you have in your area. If you have airbound predators, such as hawks, you will find that your chicken coop will offer a good level of protection. If predators are likely to dig under your coop, you can always consider extra wire or hardware cloth to offer extra protection.
Conclusion
We hope you are now much better informed after reading our guide to walk in chicken coops, and that you now feel ready to make the important decision of choosing the right coop for your flock.
In our opinion, the Polar Aurora walk-in chicken coop offers one of the best options to choose from, particularly as there are two different sizes available and it has some of the best walk in chicken coop reviews from buyers. It is also long-lasting and spacious.
However, the other options on our list are also great buys. For instance, the Best Pet walk-in coop offers a good value option which is easy to move around, while the chicken Coop Outlet coop also provides a great choice if you want to give your chickens plenty of space.
Have you found the right walk in coop for you and your chickens here? What are your own priorities when searching for the best walk in chicken coop? You can let us know in the comments below.
And, if this article has been useful in your own search for the best walk in chicken coop, don’t forget to share it with anyone you know who has chickens, or who is thinking about getting them. It might help them to make their own choice.