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Keeping a few backyard hens is one of the easiest ways to enjoy fresh eggs, cut down on food scraps and add some life to the garden. The coop you choose makes a big difference to how happy, healthy and safe your flock is. Here is what to think about before you buy.
1. How many hens will you keep?
Start with the number of birds, then size up. Hens need room to roost, lay and move around, and crowded birds are more likely to peck at each other. As a rough guide, allow at least 1 square metre of run space per hen, and more if they will be shut in most of the day. If you think your flock might grow, buy one size bigger now.
Before you buy, check your local council's rules. Many urban areas limit how many hens you can keep and don't allow roosters.
2. Wooden hen house or metal walk-in run?
Wooden chicken coops
Wooden coops combine a raised hen house, nesting box and a small run in one unit. They suit 2 to 8 hens in an average backyard and look tidy in the garden.
- Good for: small flocks, smaller sections, people who let hens free-range during the day.
- Look for: a pull-out tray for easy cleaning, a nesting box you can open from outside, and strong wire on the run.
- Our picks: the 195cm XXL wooden coop for up to 4 hens and the 260cm XXXL coop for up to 8 chickens.
Metal walk-in chicken runs
Walk-in runs are made from galvanised steel pipe with mesh walls and a rain and UV cover. At around 2m high you can walk straight in to feed, clean and collect eggs, and they give hens much more space.
- Good for: larger flocks, hens kept in all day, and keeping out cats, dogs and rats.
- Look for: thick galvanised frames (25mm or 32mm pipe), a lockable door and a full roof cover.
- Sizes: from 3m x 2m up to 3m x 8m. You can also put a wooden hen house inside a walk-in run for the best of both.
3. Keep your flock safe
- Predators: Make sure all doors latch firmly and the mesh has no gaps. Burying wire mesh along the base or laying pavers around the edge stops animals digging in.
- Weather: Choose a spot with some shade in summer and shelter from the prevailing wind. A covered roof keeps the run dry so feed doesn't spoil.
- Rats and mice: Store feed in sealed containers and block small gaps with copper mesh.
- Routine: An automatic coop door opens at sunrise and closes at dusk, so hens are locked in safely even if you are home late.
4. Easy cleaning means healthier hens
Clean bedding and a dry floor help prevent mites and disease. Pull-out trays, wide doors and walk-in access make the weekly clean-out much quicker, which means it actually gets done.
Shop chicken coops at Paktec
Paktec stocks wooden chicken coops and galvanised walk-in runs in a range of sizes, with fast NZ-wide shipping. Browse wooden chicken coops or see our metal walk-in runs.