Coop & Equipment

Safety Disclaimer: This article provides general cold weather chicken care information based on agricultural research, veterinary guidelines, and experienced chicken keepers’ practices. Individual flock needs vary based on breed, age, health status, and regional climate. For specific health concerns, extreme weather events, or unusual symptoms, consult a licensed veterinarian or your state’s agricultural extension office. … Read more

Choosing the right chicken coop bedding affects your daily workload, your chickens’ health, and your wallet. It feels like a small decision, but it has a big impact on your flock’s well-being and how much time you spend cleaning. After 18 months of intensive testing across multiple seasons, following three years of general chicken-keeping experience, … Read more

You just finished your chicken coop, covered it with chicken wire, and feel confident your flock is safe. Then one morning, you find a tragic scene. A raccoon tore right through the wire overnight. This is a heartbreaking and all-too-common story for new chicken keepers. The hardware cloth vs chicken wire debate isn’t just about … Read more

Watching your first chicks develop inside their eggs is one of the most exciting parts of backyard chicken keeping. But without the best egg candlers, you’re pretty much guessing whether those eggs sitting in your incubator for 21 days will actually hatch. I learned this the hard way during my first season. I used a … Read more

I’ve hatched over 100 chicks using both Brinsea and Nurture Right incubators over the last 5 years of backyard chicken keeping. Here’s what I learned comparing these brands side-by-side through multiple hatching seasons. You’re ready to hatch your first batch of chicks, but choosing between Brinsea vs. Nurture Right incubators feels overwhelming. If you’re comparing … Read more

Watching baby chicks hatch from eggs you incubated yourself is one of the most rewarding experiences in backyard chicken keeping. It’s a big step, and you’re moving past the common question of deciding between hatching eggs or buying started birds and doing it yourself! But choosing your first egg incubator can feel overwhelming with hundreds … Read more

Running electricity to a chicken coop can be a real headache. Whether your coop is too far from the house, you’re trying to keep your utility bills down, or you simply want a more self-sufficient, eco-friendly setup, powering your coop can feel like a major challenge. When I installed my first solar panel for chicken … Read more

After years of waking up at dawn to let my chickens out and rushing home before dark to secure them, I discovered automatic chicken coop doors—and they transformed my poultry-keeping experience. An automatic chicken coop door is more than a convenience; it’s a tool for better flock management, providing consistent predator protection while giving you … Read more

For 20 standard-size chickens, you need an 80-square-foot coop (8×10 or 8×12 dimensions) plus a minimum 200-square-foot run. This guide provides free chicken coop plans for 20 chickens with complete material lists, step-by-step instructions, and expert tips from years of hands-on experience. So, you’re ready to jump into the wonderful world of backyard chickens and … Read more

Last Updated: October 12, 2025 Last Reviewed for Accuracy: October 12, 2025 So, how much ventilation does a chicken coop need? Over my 8 years of raising chickens—during which I’ve designed and built three coops from scratch and managed flocks in climates ranging from cold Midwest winters to the humid heat of Lagos—I’ve learned the … Read more