Coops 

Chickens need suitable shelter to protect them from the elements and to provide security from predators. A big part of this protection comes from their house.

Chickens can withstand freezing temperatures, they will trap air between their feathers to insulate themselves from the cold. Most breeds are hardy and don’t have any problems getting through the UK winters, providing they have adequate shelter from wind and rain.

A chicken house can provide your chickens with the shelter they need during bad weather; however, I find they will often prefer to be outside during the daytime, (even in the worst weather) if there is another shelter option available!

Some of my chickens take shelter underneath and inside the coop on a wet winters day.

I always raised my chicken houses off the ground when making them. My hens often prefer to take shelter underneath, rather than go into their house.  this also stops any rats and mice from making homes under the nice warm coops

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During Cold Weather

Hens will spend longer inside during the longer nights. Provide a thick layer of bedding to insulate the floor and keep bedding fresh and dry. Ensure vents are facing away from prevailing winds that can cause drafts.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is heat. Chickens cannot cope with high temperatures very well. They can cope with cold temperatures better, so it is essential to help them keep cool on hot days.

Like dogs, chickens cannot sweat. They will pant and drink additional water (which causes them to pass wet droppings, it’s nothing to worry about, they are simply losing heat).

You may also see chickens lying down with their wings spread away from their body. It’s easy to think a chicken has died when they are spread out like this, but they will hop onto their feet if you go over to them.

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Vents remove stale air and ammonia. 

Make sure your coop has adequate ventilation. Chicken droppings are a mixture of solids and urates and give off ammonia. A build-up can harm their respiratory system.  

A high-level vent allows warm, rising air and ammonia to escape. An adjustable side vent on the coop is helpful because you can regulate air circulation in different weather conditions.

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Finding the right chicken house

When it comes to choosing the right chicken house, there is a choice of wood or plastic, and in the case of wood, build it yourself or buy one. 

It is usually a case of ‘you get what you pay for’ with wood. 

When buying a wooden chicken house, take a close look at the thickness/quality of the wood used on a coop. The better quality the wood, the longer it will last, but the more the wood will cost in the first place i tend to make our coops from pressure treated 2x2 and a thick 19mm tonge and grove 

Chicken houses can be beautiful or very basic. For example, you could build your chicken coop out of recycled pallet wood; it does not matter providing it does the intended job, which should be to provide dry, draft-free (but well ventilated) accommodation. 

 

Wood should ideally be pressure treated so that it doesn’t rot in the first year, and nails, screws and fittings should all be galvanised to stop them rusting.

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Preserving your coop

If you treat a coop, remember to check that the product is animal friendly and leave it to dry out completely before allowing your birds into it. If you are unsure, give the customer service number a call (usually found on the back of the tin) and ask them for advice.

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Essential features

Essential features of the house are nest boxes, ventilation (ideally adjustable) and perches for the birds to roost, but you should also consider how easy it is to collect eggs and how easy it is to clean.

Spending a bit more now to get a house with a droppings board and a large access door will save you hours of struggling in the long run.

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My Favourite Chicken Houses

I have to say I'm a traditionalist and do prefer the wooden coops but you have to move with the times and the plastic coops from Nestra are fantastic and with the launch of the Aspen 10 in 2025 I decided to become an agent for them.  You can see these in our shop 

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Bedding materials

You can spread dust-extracted wood shavings, straw (if it isn’t too dusty), do not use HAY this can become mouldy and give your hens asthma 

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So how do you get rid of all that dirty bedding material?

You can easily make nitrogen-rich compost from chicken manure and bedding materials. Straw and cardboard compost far faster and gets used here at willow farm to help grow the crops in the field and Mrs Morphet's garden