When starting out keeping Chickens in your back garden it’s always difficult to decide upon what type of Coop you’re going to get.
Basically there are three options 1. Wood 2. Plastic or 3. Converted Shed
All these have their pro’s and con’s so as a Shed is normally wood we” cover the first two.

1. A Wooden Coop

The pro’s
The biggest draw with wooden coops is they usually blend in with a Garden more and you have many styles, shapes and sizes to choose from.
You can either buy just the House and encircle it with a Run or have one which comes with Run attached.
Wooden Coops are much cheaper than Plastic.

The Con’s
Maintenance and cleaning are the two things which stand out the most. If you buy one with lots of little nooks and crannies cleaning can be quite a chore.
Maintenance wise, being wood they are subject to weather wear and tear, so a careful eye needs to be kept on this.
Any weak areas and there’s a chance that old Mr. Fox will chew away at it and get in.

Plastic Coops

Pro’s
They suit the more modern approach and style.
They are much easier to clean, you clear out the bedding, stick a hose in, leave to dry and you’re back on the road again.
You can buy the complete ‘Starter Kit, including the Chickens even!
They are far more protective of Red Mite than wooden, no nooks and crannies and timber for them to bed into.
They are lighter to move around if need be.

Con’s
The obvious one is if you like the colours they’re produced in.
They are expensive compared to wooden, on an average Coop you could spend as much as three times the amount.
They can lack character.
The less expensive Coops are low down so getting inside for daily jobs is not for those with bad backs (but that could apply to both)

Summary

Whatever you choose the important thing is the Chickens are comfortable and have sufficient space. Not all of us have the space for large Runs, so what you choose could be their more permanent home.

The Chicken House is important but I always harp back to the TV Series ‘Ballykissangel’ where one local resident had their Chickens cooped inside an old car!
The Chickens don’t particularly mind where they lay their heads for the night, the important thing is they’re comfortable and secure.

I have a converted Shed, it serves the Chickens and myself well, good room height for getting inside to clean and ample variations of where the Chickens may want to sleep.

I sometimes ask myself if I had loads of money, which would I buy? I can’t answer that to be honest. I’d like to have a huge Run and have both a plastic and a wooden Coop and let the Chickens decide!

Which ever you decide upon, it’ll be the right one for you, your Garden, your design tastes and for your Chickens.

Both are good !

Related pages on main site.. Chicken Housing – Where to put your Coop – Runs for your Coop – FAQ’s – Shopping Pages plus many more pages in the Keeping Hens in your back garden pages.