Find the Best Coop & Gear for Your Flock
We test, compare, and rank chicken coops, automatic doors, feeders, and waterers so you can buy with confidence — predator-proofing, size, and ease of cleaning, no spec-sheet fluff.
Latest Reviews & Guides
Bumblefoot in Chickens: Stages, Epsom Salt Treatment, and When to See a Vet (2026)
How to spot bumblefoot early, the daily Epsom salt soak protocol that clears mild cases, and the stage where a swollen chicken foot needs a vet instead of home care.
Buying GuidesWry Neck in Chickens: Causes, Treatment, and When It's Marek's Disease (2026)
Why a chicken's head twists backward or sideways (stargazing), the vitamin E and selenium protocol that fixes most nutritional cases, and how to tell it apart from Marek's disease.
Buying GuidesSour Crop in Chickens: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention (2026)
Why sour crop happens, how to tell it apart from a simple full crop, the withhold-and-massage treatment routine, and the feed/water habits that stop it recurring.
Buying GuidesPasty Butt in Chicks: Causes, Cleaning, and Prevention (2026)
Why chick pasty butt happens, the warm-water cleaning method that clears it safely, and the brooder-temperature and feed fixes that stop it from coming back.
Buying GuidesEgg Bound Chicken: Signs, Emergency Treatment, and Prevention (2026)
How to recognize an egg-bound hen, why it happens, the warm-bath-and-calcium protocol that resolves most cases at home, and when it's a true emergency that needs a vet.
Buying GuidesChicken Lice Treatment: Signs, Life Cycle, and How to Clear an Infestation (2026)
How to tell chicken lice apart from mites, what the eggs (nits) look like at the base of the feathers, and the dust-and-repeat treatment protocol that actually breaks the life cycle.
Why Trust Backyard Coop Lab?
Hands-On Testing
Picks grounded in real coop builds and flock keeping — predator-proofing, cleaning, and weatherproofing — not spec sheets.
Keeper-Vetted
Every guide is written and checked by people who actually raise backyard chickens.
Every Budget
From budget starter coops to walk-in runs and automatic gear — clearly labelled.
Updated for 2026
Prices, picks, and flock-size notes kept current.
Backyard Chicken Questions, Answered
How big should a chicken coop be per hen?
Plan for 3–4 sq ft of coop floor space per standard-size hen plus 8–10 sq ft per bird in the attached run (Penn State Extension). Bantams need slightly less; heavy breeds and confined flocks need more. Overcrowding is the most common cause of feather-picking, disease, and dirty eggs — and it is why "houses 10 chickens" on a flat-pack listing is almost always arithmetic no hen agrees with.
What is the best chicken coop in 2026?
For most backyard keepers the OverEZ Small Chicken Coop (~$900, up to 5 hens) is the best balance of solid-wood durability, predator resistance, and easy egg access. The Omlet Eglu Cube (~$1,000, up to 10 hens) is the premium plastic pick for cold climates and easiest cleaning, and the PawHut works for 2–4 hens on a budget once you reinforce the latches.
Does chicken wire keep predators out?
No — and this is the single most expensive mistake new keepers make. Chicken wire's 1-inch hexagonal holes let weasels through and let raccoons reach in. Half-inch hardware cloth is the actual predator barrier, and replacing factory chicken wire with it is the most common upgrade keepers make to a store-bought coop.
How much feed does a chicken eat?
About a quarter pound a day — roughly 1.5–2 lb per hen per week, per Oregon State and Penn State Extension figures. A flock of five hens goes through a 50 lb bag roughly every six weeks. Layer feed should be 16% protein and 3–4% calcium, and you switch to it at 18–20 weeks of age or at the first egg, whichever comes first.
When do backyard chickens start laying eggs?
Most pullets lay their first egg at roughly 18–22 weeks of age. Chicks also need about six weeks in a brooder before they can move outside. No amount of shipping speed or gear shortens either clock — a flock runs on its own schedule.
Is Amazon Prime worth it for chicken keepers?
Usually not. Prime costs $139/year and breaks even at roughly 18–23 orders under $35 a year; a flock realistically generates 5–10. Feed is heavy and cheap, so it clears Amazon's $35 free-shipping threshold on its own (and Subscribe & Save ships it free with 5–15% off, no membership), while coops and automatic doors cost 5–34× that threshold. A free 30-day trial timed to October's deal days is the version that pays.