Chickens can prove a delightful, feathery addition to any backyard. As well as giving you fresh and tasty eggs, they can also help cut down on household waste, provide a bit of fun responsibility for the kids, and bring a bit of life and character to otherwise vacant spaces.
No wonder then that the popularity of chicken keeping amongst US homeowners has ballooned in recent years.
With this sudden expansion of interest comes an increasingly wide online market for chicken coops. With so many online stores to choose from, who can you trust to sell you or build a chicken coop that will keep your new birds safe and happy?
Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the top online chicken coop sellers, from dedicated, bespoke designers through to general store titans. Remember, your chicken coop is probably the most important factor determining how happy and comfortable your chickens are going to be, so it’s worth taking the time to pick a merchant you can trust!
ChickenCoopCompany.com
The Chicken Coop Company is a small, family-based, dedicated team from Utah, backed by years of experience in raising chickens themselves. If you’re looking for a firm that pride themselves on having thought carefully about what makes a coop work well, then this is a firm to consider.
Design features the Chicken Coop Company point towards include supported nesting boxes that avoid sagging over time, self-adjusting bolt locks to help with door shifting, and additional waterproofing. The company also sell other coop accessories, such as automatic door openers.
Their smaller model, the Leghorn Cottage, comes in at $500 and is advertised as being appropriate for around 4 birds. Their largest model, the Rhode Island Homestead, is a 10+ chicken home priced at $1100.
They say that all their coops come flat packed and ready for straightforward assembling that should take just a couple of hours. A power screwdriver is all you need.
Amazon.com
So what if you don’t have thousands of dollars to spare for a new coop and are looking for the most budget-friendly options? As is so often the case, the range of coops offered by Amazon can be difficult to beat when it comes to price, though you can also find more expensive brands here as well.
Some coops retail on Amazon for as low as $100. That being said, many of the cheapest models, and even some of the more moderately priced, do not come with clear brands or identifiable manufacturers. Knowing exactly where and how your coop is being assembled and made can be far more difficult to establish than with dedicated outdoor stores or specialist manufacturers.
If price is the most important factor in your decision, then Amazon is unlikely to be beaten. If you’re willing to pay a small amount extra for a retailer with more relevant experience, then it might be worth considering one of the other entries on our list.
ChickenSaloon.com
Chicken Saloon are comparatively new kids on the block when it comes to coop design and manufacture, having been established in 2011. However, they’re already making a name for themselves as trusted, detail-oriented builders of durable, high-quality products. Their design and manufacturing skills have been informed by professional backgrounds in the chicken rearing industry.
Chicken Saloon’s flagship Ranch model, designed for 8-15 chickens and with 6 dedicated nesting areas, retails for between $1200 and $1300. Their cheapest and smallest Rambler model, designed for 6-10 chickens, sits between $450 and $550.
Chicken Saloon’s coops are advertised as being made from high quality, heat-treated Douglas Fir. They also come with other helpful details, such as removable mess pans to aid with cleaning, and nest boxes that are accessible via handy, secure hinged doors.
They also offer free shipping to the continental US and currently have an online offer where you can get a free book with your coop – Keeping Chickens for Dummies!
TractorSupply.com
Tractor Supply has been operating for more than 85 years and now have more than 2000 stores across 49 states. Though they’re not a chicken coop specialist, they are an established name when it comes to providing good quality, affordable products for pet keeping, ranching, and recreational farming.
As you might expect from a retailer this large, the choice of chicken coops online is broad. Numerous brands, sizes, types, and models can be browsed, from budget start-up coops to larger pens built for housing upwards of a dozen birds.
Price wise, you’re looking at between $250-300 for a small coop designed for a couple of chickens, going up to around $3000 for something advertised as being suitable for 20. For a larger model, this is on the cheaper end of the spectrum, as we will soon see from some of our later, pricier entries!
Another advantage of a retailer that has this much online traffic is that the majority of models on the site come with a decent number of customer reviews. This can make navigating a potentially confusing array of coops slightly easier, as you can see at a glance what’s been voted up or down by other chicken enthusiasts.
TheHenHouseCollection.com
Established in 2007, the Hen House offer a range of quaint, attractive coops for those interested in a traditional touch. Built by Amish craftsmen with durability in mind, they can ship to anywhere in the mainland US via a network of associated dealers.
The company can also offer customisable coops for those who know exactly what they’re looking for, complimenting their range of ready-to-ship pre-made coop designs.
The one downside of the Hen House for potential buyers is that you’re not capable of ordering directly from their website. Would-be customers are instead directed to their local associated dealer, which makes pricing less transparent than with other firms.
FarmandFleet.com
Blain’s Farm & Fleet are another popular, trusted lifestyle store aimed at those who love the outdoors and want to bring a bit of the country into their home. Founded in 1955, the retailer have remained firmly rooted in the mid West, and though they ship nationwide their 40+ physical stores are in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan.
As with other more general retailers, Blain’s offer a good spread of trusted brands at affordable prices. Smaller coops start at around $200, with larger models such as the popular OverEZ brand going up to $3000.
Omlet.us
Omlet cuts a slightly less traditional figure than their competitors, designing and selling non-wooden, contemporary coops for a modern world. Though they may not suit those looking for a classic, wood hut aesthetic, Omlet is keen to point out that their products are designed to require far less maintenance and that they’re infinitely easier to clean than many other models on the market.
Their coop range starts with the Eglu Go (4 chickens) at around $375, extending to the larger Eglu Cube (10 chickens) at around $900.
Omlet was started in 2003 by entrepreneurs who met while studying at London’s Royal College of Art. This might go someway towards explaining their quirky designs and modern-take on chicken rearing!
CarolinaCoops.com
For those who are keen to invest in a coop designed specifically for them and built to last, Carolina Coops are worth considering. This small, specialist manufacturer pride themselves on designing and building bespoke coops for keen chicken rearers, with some models large enough that they come with an adult sized, lockable door entrance and human access hallway.
Expertise and tailored design doesn’t come cheap. Carolina Coops most popular model, the American Coop, starts at $4,700, and the price only increases as features are added, with the largest model types costing upwards of $30,000 before add-ons.
These customisable add-ons can include anything from cupolas to rope-wrapped roost bars. There’s also a wealth of options in terms of roofing material, door styles and more. For those who have tried chicken keeping and really want to invest in a high-end home for their feathered friends, Carolina Coops market themselves as providing the best that money can buy.
Walmart.com
A happy compromise if you’re looking for affordability but want a bit more in-store accountability than the online market of Amazon, would be to take a look at Walmart’s online range. Though high-end chicken coops are not likely to be found, and though Walmart are in no way a specialist manufacturer catering to outdoor pet owners specifically, they can provide budget coops for those who may wish to take their first steps into the world of chicken rearing without breaking the bank.
$180 is enough to get you a small, 2-4 chicken coop, with most models ranging between $200-300.
Conclusion
If you’re in the market for a backyard chicken coop, these stores offer great products. Buying a chicken coop is the first and essential step in providing a safe and comfortable home for your feathered friends. Whether you’re a seasoned chicken enthusiast or a beginner, hopefully this post makes it a bit easier to find the right coop for your yard. And if you prefer to save a bit of money, you can always just buy chicken coop plans and build your own.
