Setup, Pests & Weather
How to Secure a Chicken Coop
Learn how to secure a chicken coop against raccoons, foxes, and other predators with strong latches, buried mesh, and an automatic door.
Give your hens a coop and door that suit your yard
Clear picks and honest comparisons for wooden, plastic and walk-in chicken coops, runs and automatic door openers. Start with how many hens you keep, the coop style you like or the door you want to add.
Latest guides
Setup, Pests & WeatherHow Much Are Chicken Coops?
How much are chicken coops? See what drives the price at each flock size, which features you pay for, and where a door opener and extras fit in.
Setup, Pests & WeatherWhat to Put in a Chicken Run
What to put in a chicken run: ground cover, dust bath spots, shade, roosts, feeders and enrichment that keep hens busy and the run easy to clean.
- Setup, Pests & Weather
How to Keep a Chicken Coop Clean
How to keep a chicken coop clean with a weekly routine, the right bedding and simple tools, so odors, flies and mites stay out of the hen house.
- Setup, Pests & Weather
What to Use to Clean a Chicken Coop
What to use to clean chicken coop surfaces: a scraper, a stiff brush, a coop-safe cleaner and dry bedding, plus how to work in the right order.
- Setup, Pests & Weather
How to Set Up a Chicken Coop
Learn how to set up a chicken coop: pick the site, level the base, raise the house, add a covered run, secure the door, and get water and feed right.
- Setup, Pests & Weather
How Tall Should a Chicken Coop Be?
How tall should a chicken coop be? A walk-in coop needs 6 ft of headroom, a small backyard coop about 3 ft, and nesting boxes stay near the floor.
Setup, Pests & WeatherDoes a Chicken Coop Need a Light?
Does a chicken coop need a light? Most coops don't, but a small light can help in winter and an automatic door with a light sensor does the work for you.
Setup, Pests & WeatherCan I Use a Chicken Coop for Ducks?
Can I use a chicken coop for ducks? Yes, with changes: wider doors, ground-level nests, shallow water, and tighter predator proofing.