Chicken coops don’t have to be expensive. You can find many amenities—like slide-out trays for cleaning and easy-access doors and roofs—in a low-cost hen house.
By Lori Lovely
Updated on Apr 28, 2023 8:56 PM EDT
7 minute read
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Since the beginning of the pandemic and the recent spike in egg prices, interest in keeping backyard chickens has increased dramatically. Whether you want the security of your own supply of fresh eggs or you appreciate these friendly birds for their other benefits—from insect control to a never-ending supply of manure to fertilize your garden—you’ll need to provide a chicken coop for your cluckers to call home.
Chickens are low maintenance, but they have basic needs: food, water, and shelter. Your biggest investment will be the shelter, either a portable or permanent one. It should provide adequate space, nesting boxes, roosts, and ventilation. The sky’s the limit on coop prices; some best-selling options sell for upwards of $2,000. If you don’t want to build your own to save some bucks, you can cut costs without neglecting your birds’ needs by going with one of these low-cost chicken coops, all of which are currently sub-$400—and many less than half that.
(Pro tip: As you compare models, keep in mind that you need 3 to 5 square feet per standard-size chicken you raise. For more great shopping advice, check out our guide to choosing the best chicken coop.)
1. PawHut 63-Inch Chicken Coop
Complete with nesting boxes and resting boxes, this water-resistant coop will provide comfortable and safe living quarters for one or two chickens, depending on the breed, with house size of 3.8 square feet and run size of nearly 7 square feet. A solid-fir wood frame adds stability to this coop with built-in run. The hinged polycarbonate roof keeps the interior bright, provides weatherproofing, and enables easy access for cleaning. The slide-out tray also facilitates easy maintenance. Reviewers give high marks—4.8 stars—for the affordable price point and ease of assembly.
Get the PawHut 63-Inch Chicken Coop at Aosom for $189.95 (save $370.04).
2. Producer’s Pride Sentinel Chicken Coop
Our largest recommendation on this list, this raised coop houses up to six chickens (although several reviewers say it’s tight with just four adult hens). To accommodate multiple chickens, it features an extended roosting bar, three nesting boxes, and a run that is 19 square feet. The frame is powder-coated, and the reinforced wood panels are treated with water paint for a certain amount of weatherproofing. Reviewers praised this coop’s sturdiness, as well as its ease of assembly, and gave it 4.3 stars.
Get the Producer’s Pride Sentinel Chicken Coop atTractor Supply Co. for $399.99.
3. Petsfit Weatherproof Outdoor Chicken Coop With Nesting Box
This 9-square-foot coop can comfortably house three adult chickens (run sold separately). Constructed of 100 percent natural, thick solid-fir wood panels, it’s designed to be sturdy and earned 4 stars from Amazon shoppers. However, some reviewers note that at least some of the three access doors warp over time, and others found their stainless steel hinges and locks to be less rugged and predator-proof than expected. The eco-friendly water-based paint and rain-resistant asphalt roof help protect its residents in all weather conditions.
Get the Petsfit Weatherproof Outdoor Chicken Coop With Nesting Box atAmazon for $228.99 (save $71).
4. Tucker Murphy Pet Diego 14.1-Square-Foot Chicken Coop and Run
This stylish, elevated coop is constructed of fir wood and has a nonslip ramp to help the chickens get in and out. A hinged nesting box lid makes egg gathering easy, while a removable roof aids in access, and a pull-out tray simplifies cleaning. The tools needed for assembly come with it. Customer reviews are generally positive (3.7 stars), but a few advise that it’s best for growing out chicks or keeping a few bantam (or miniature) chickens, because at 14.1 square feet, it’s too small for most hens.
Get the Tucker Murphy Pet Diego 14.1-Square-Foot Chicken Coop and Run at Wayfair for $212.99 (save $35).
5. Archie & Oscar Gatsby 21-Square-Foot Chicken Coop With Chicken Run
Measuring 21 square feet between its coop and covered run, this 4-star, two-level coop fits two adult hens or four bantam chickens. Features include two nesting boxes, a removable roosting pole, a pull-out tray for easy cleaning, a window for some ventilation, and a sliding door at the top of the ramp to restrict access as needed. Constructed of solid wood, with composite asphalt shingles on the roof, it’s weather- and predator-resistant, although some reviewers found it to rot over time.
Get the Archie & Oscar Gatsby 21-Square-Foot Chicken Coop With Chicken Run at Wayfair for $299.99 (save $42).
6. Aivituvin 20-Square-Foot Chicken Coop With Chicken Run
This larger coop can house four chickens, thanks to its spacious 12-square-foot coop and 20-square-foot run. To make that many comfortable, it offers two round-edge perches, a large area for nesting covered by waterproof PVC, and a 79-inch-long run. There are eight doors for access, a metal pull-out tray for easy cleaning, and wooden strips under the coop to prevent predator intrusion. The Aivituvin coop earns 4 stars from Wayfair shoppers, who praise the ease of assembly and the number of access points with safety locks.
Get the Aivituvin 20-Square-Foot Chicken Coop With Chicken Run at Wayfair for $369.99.
7. New Age Pet ecoFLEX Fontana Chicken Barn
Made of a recycled wood/polymer blend, the 11-square-foot ecoFLEX coop provides a nontoxic hen house for up to four chickens that resists moisture, warp, cracks, and splits. It doesn’t expand and contract, so it lasts longer than wood—without maintenance. Because it’s nonabsorbent, it cleans easily. Note: Unlike many of the others on this list, the run is sold separately. Reviewers give the coop 4 stars, highlighting the 10-year warranty and ease of assembly (no tools required!), but they complain about lack of ventilation and difficulty in cleaning because the roof doesn’t come off.
Get the New Age Pet ecoFLEX Fontana Chicken Barn at Amazon for $198.89 (save $51.09).
8. PawHut 75-Inch Wooden Hen House
This compact coop fits into smaller yards thanks to its narrow 75-inch footprint (5 square feet for the coop, 12.5 square feet for the run). With two roosting poles and a large nesting area with a removable divider for privacy, it can hold two chickens. A ramp enables them to reach the hen house, while a hinged top allows access to egg collection, and a pull-out tray makes cleaning easy. A screened window improves airflow and ventilation. Owners attest that it’s real value for money, but collectively give it only 3.7 stars, citing that the wood is thin and prone to splitting.
Get the PawHut 75-Inch Wooden Hen House at Amazon for $209.99 (save $30).
9. Kinbor Chicken Coop
Constructed of fir wood, this attractive, elevated coop is painted with eco-friendly, waterproof nontoxic lacquer. Green waterproof fabric and asphalt material add UV resistance and waterproofing to the roof. With dimensions of nearly 9 square feet, it’s suitable for two chickens. Its hen house can be opened wide for air circulation or closed for protection from the weather. A pull-out tray and multiple access points enable easy cleaning. Amazon shoppers found it easy to assemble and give it 4.1 stars, but stress that it is petite—the cramped quarters provide little room to place a waterer and feeder.
Get the Kinbor Chicken Coop at Amazon for $129.99 (save $10).
10. Mobile Wood Chicken Coop Tractor With Wheels
This mobile coop—aka chicken tractor—is ready to roll on its set of durable wheels. Simply tilt it back and then use the built-in handle to pull it to areas of fresh grass. Capable of housing four chickens, with overall dimensions of 12 square feet, it features two doors for access and a slide-out tray for easy cleaning. Atop this fir build, a plastic diffuser roof panel lowers heat absorption. A large nesting box comes with a removable divider. It earns 3.8 stars from shoppers, who appreciate ease of assembly and the fact that it’s lightweight, enabling it to be moved.
Get the Mobile Wood Chicken Coop Tractor With Wheels at Best Choice Products for $229.99 (Save $70).
The prices listed here are accurate as of publication on April 28, 2023.
