Should You Build or Buy A Small Chicken Coop?
The practice of using a small coop rather than a large one is becoming more popular. There are several reasons why these coops are gaining in popularity. One reason is because hectic, busy lifestyles are better suited for small chicken coops. Another is that the average family is shrinking in size. No longer do we need 12-24 hens spitting out 12-24 eggs every day for our family of three or four.
Another reason for their popularity is that more people are keeping chickens, even in their urban back yards. The backyard chicken farmer can’t support a large coop – at least not without the neighbors complaining.
The small coop can be just as much a garden accent as it can be a provider of eggs. As an example, look at the triangular shaped coop at right. What type of neighbor could ever complain about that vision outside their windows? It is cute, compact, and – since it is easy to clean – never smells bad.
In fact that’s the reason cited most often for having a small coop; because they’re not as hard to keep in a sanitary condition as the larger coops are. With a small chicken coop, once the chickens are out for a stroll in the garden or urban back yard, it can be cleaned in 20 minutes or less. I spend more time than that cleaning up after my family dog! There won’t be much (if any) scrubbing to do after a quick mild bleach solution is splashed on and the whole thing rinsed off with the garden hose.
These shelters are built with material just as sturdy as the bigger shelters and are meant to last just as long. Don’t think of it as an an inferior version of the larger chicken coops, but rather a scaled down version.
More Reasons to Opt for Small Chicken Coops
Cost is another reason the small coop wins out over the bigger ones. They’re not as expensive to build because there isn’t the need for all the lumber a larger coop will need to construct them.
There’s also less hardware to be used and less need for ventilation. A small coop can be put together in a day versus the length of time it takes to build a standard size coop. You can read my article on the big coop we built – three days, three men, lots of money…if you’re not sure.
Because of the size, a portable coop can be kept in nearly any location where they’re allowed. Even a condominium with what’s commonly called a postage stamp backyard has room enough to support a few happy hens. If you place it in one area of your yard to start you can move it around to keep the hens healthy – all the while aerating and fertilizing the soil to boot!
Small chicken coops are great for people who want to have chickens but don’t have the time or the space to give to larger coops. Not only are these scaled down versions easier to maintain, easier to repair when something needs to be fixed, but they also make it easier for the owners to provide food and water and collect eggs in the morning.
For someone who wants to have more than four hens, a portable coop migh not be a good option. These coops are specifically meant for no more than five or six chickens. If you want to have chickens specifically to make money from selling eggs or organic poultry, it’s better to go with the larger choice and lots of outdoor space allocated to a run.
A small coop operates much like a larger one. It offers shelter, a place to nest and safety from natural enemies. If you’ve always wanted to have chickens but assumed you’d have to stick with a large coop, now you know you don’t have to.
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