12 coops scored on dated prices, room per hen, predator protection and warranty: No. 1 costs $1,119 and deep cleans in ten minutes.
$1,119$1,399Nov 14, 2026
Highest score in our formula. Best for a small backyard flock you want to clean out in ten minutes, not an afternoon.
$459.99Nov 14, 2026
Lowest price in the top half of this ranking: $459.99. Best for a first flock on a tight budget, if you'll reinforce it and don't expect ten years.
$2,079$2,599Nov 14, 2026
Highest-scoring coop sold for 10 hens or more, $2,079. Best for a flock of 6 to 10 hens, if you want Omlet's easy cleaning in a bigger house.
Best for a small backyard flock you want to clean out in ten minutes, not an afternoon.
The catch: The price is the house alone: the 6 ft run adds $240 and the 9 ft run $360, and you'll want one. Floor space is 10 sq ft, about 1.7 sq ft per hen at Omlet's count of six, well under the 3 sq ft that extension services advise for birds that stay in. Omlet gives no build time, only that "it's a big coop and may take some time".
$1,119$1,399
Best for a flock of 6 to 10 hens, if you want Omlet's easy cleaning in a bigger house.
The catch: It costs $960 more than the Cube before you add a run, and the run is dearer too: +$400 for 6 ft, +$720 for 9 ft. At Omlet's count of ten, each hen has 1.7 sq ft of house, the same squeeze as in the Cube. No build time is given; Omlet suggests doing it with friends.
$2,079$2,599
Best for two or three hens in a small yard, when you want a raised coop you can move.
The catch: Three hens is the ceiling: there's no growing this coop. The warranty is 2 years where the Cube and Pro get 10. The run is extra (+$240 for 6 ft, +$360 for 9 ft), and so are the wheels.
$639$799
Best for keepers who want a plastic coop for decades and can build their own run.
The catch: No run is sold for the Lodge on the US store, so you build or buy one. Nestera's page names predators as a problem its coops solve but describes no lock; its automatic door opener is $179. Droppings trays are a $39 to $79 option. And the 30-day return only applies if the coop hasn't been assembled, with return shipping on you.
$789
at Nestera, checked November 14, 2026Check price at Nestera Read the Nestera Large Lodge reviewBest for a big flock kept full time in one handsome structure, if the budget follows.
The catch: $6,599 before freight, the highest price here by a wide margin. "Two people are needed to complete assembly which takes about 8-12 hours." The hen house size isn't published on its own, the number of egg boxes neither. No tray: you clean with a shovel, standing.
$6,599$7,380
Best for a first flock on a tight budget, if you'll reinforce it and don't expect ten years.
The catch: Aivituvin states no warranty length. The house size isn't published on its own: 41.17 sq ft is house and run together. The page gives no insulation or ventilation figure, so it scores lowest of the 12 for weather. The anti-dig wire floor ($59.99) and the automatic door ($109.99) were both sold out that day.
$459.99
at Aivituvin, checked November 14, 2026Check price at Aivituvin Read the Aivituvin AIR46 Coop reviewBest for four to six hens in a small yard, if you want coop and run in one cedar piece you can stand in.
The catch: The price: $3,349 for six hens, before shipping, which is calculated in the cart. Roost & Root doesn't publish the size of the hen house on its own, so we can't check the space per hen. No droppings tray is described. In a cold or wet climate you'll add the storm panel set ($299).
$3,349$3,890
Best for 10 to 12 hens in a wooden coop, at the lowest price per hen of the big ones.
The catch: No run in the price (wire panels were $299.99, wooden runs much more). No droppings tray is described. OverEZ states no warranty length, and a return means a 5% restocking fee plus shipping back a coop this size. Roost length isn't published, so you can't check that 15 birds sleep side by side.
$2,499
at OverEZ, checked November 14, 2026Check price at OverEZ Read the OverEZ Large Coop reviewBest for a permanent flock of 8 to 15 hens, when you want to clean once a year and walk in to do it.
The catch: It ships unpainted and unassembled on a pallet, about 1,200 lb of it, with a lead time of around 4 weeks and freight on top. The pages we read state no warranty length. Returns are 14 days, unused and unassembled, minus a 20% restocking fee (about $1,000) plus the freight back. And "up to 18 chickens" leaves each bird 1.3 sq ft of henhouse.
$4,999.99
at Carolina Coops, checked November 14, 2026Check price at Carolina Coops Read the Carolina Coops American Coop reviewBest for 6 to 8 hens and a keeper who wants a wooden coop standing by lunchtime.
The catch: There's no run: OverEZ's 8 ft wooden run costs as much as the coop ($1,899). Cleaning means reaching through a 17 x 38 in door, with no tray or removable floor described. The warranty length isn't stated; the "100% Quality Guarantee" we read covers shipping damage. Returns cost a 5% restocking fee plus the shipping back.
$1,899
at OverEZ, checked November 14, 2026Check price at OverEZ Read the OverEZ Medium Coop reviewBest for a flock of 13 to 18 hens that needs one big wooden henhouse.
The catch: $1,000 more than the Large for 10 sq ft. No build time: OverEZ only says "Assembly required". No run, no tray, no stated warranty length, and the 5% restocking fee applies. It ships in 5 to 15 business days.
$3,499
at OverEZ, checked November 14, 2026Check price at OverEZ Read the OverEZ XL Coop reviewBest for a cheap, washable plastic henhouse for a fenced yard, when you'll add your own locks.
The catch: Formex's text lists no lock or latch, so ask how the lid and doors are secured. We couldn't read a warranty or a return policy, and our formula scores both as not stated. The house sits on the ground unless you buy the stand ($602). The matching run is $1,354, and chicken wire isn't included with it.
$965
at Formex, checked November 14, 2026Check price at Formex Read the Snap Lock Big Coop review| Product | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hens, says the brand | 6 hens | 10 hens | 3 hens | 5 hens | 20 hens | 8 hens |
| Hens at 3 sq ft each | 3 hens | 5 hens | 2 hens | 3 hens | House size not published | House size not published |
| Material | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Wood | Wood |
| Run | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included, 76 sq ft | Included, 41 sq ft |
| Predator protection published | Locking latches, raised house | Locking latches, raised house | Locking latches, raised house | Raised house | Locking latches, welded mesh, raised house | Locking latches, welded mesh |
| Cleaning | Tray, hose-clean plastic | Tray, hose-clean plastic | Tray, hose-clean plastic | Tray, hose-clean plastic | Stand-up access | Pull-out tray |
| Warranty | 10-year | 10-year | 2-year | 25-year | 2-year | Not stated |
| Where to buy | Check price at Omlet | Check price at Omlet | Check price at Omlet | Check price at Nestera | Check price at Roost & Root | Check price at Aivituvin |
✓ marks the best figure of the row. "Not stated" means the brand doesn't publish it. Every figure is the brand's own. Prices checked November 14, 2026.
A door that closes at dusk does more against raccoons than any latch you forget. Doors are scored on their own criteria.
$119.99$159.98Nov 14, 2026
Best for most keepers: a door and opener in one unit that works without Wi-Fi or a phone.
$183$229Nov 14, 2026
Best for Eglu owners, and anyone who wants to know from the sofa that the coop is shut.
$129.90Nov 14, 2026
Best for a flat-walled wooden coop, when you want app control and a year on two batteries.
$159$169Nov 14, 2026
Best for a sunny coop wall and a keeper who never wants to buy batteries.
Sold out at Chickcozy on Nov 14, 2026. In stock now: ChickenGuard All in One.
Check price at Chickcozy Read reviewSame coops, same scores, your priorities first.
Coop kits5 ranked · No. 1: Aivituvin AIR46 Coop
For 4 to 6 hens6 ranked · No. 1: Omlet Eglu Cube
For 10+ hens7 ranked · No. 1: Omlet Eglu Pro
Walk-in coops3 ranked · No. 1: Carolina Coops American Coop
Predator protection10 ranked · No. 1: Roost & Root Stand-Up Coop
Under $1,0004 ranked · No. 1: Aivituvin AIR46 Coop
Automatic doors4 ranked · No. 1: ChickenGuard All in One
Compare side by sideUp to three coops in one tableAll rankings8 lists, one formula$119.99$159.98Nov 14, 2026
Door and opener in one: light sensor or timer, auto-stop, self-locking, batteries included, 3-year warranty.
$183$229Nov 14, 2026
Wi-Fi coop door with app notifications: light sensor or timer, safety sensors, rated -4°F to 150°F.
$129.90Nov 14, 2026
An aluminum door with the motor built in: app control, anti-pinch stop, motor lock, about a year on 2 AA.
$1,119$1,399Nov 14, 2026
Omlet's insulated plastic coop for up to 6 large hens: slide-out tray, two-step locks, a 10-year warranty.
$2,079$2,599Nov 14, 2026
Omlet's largest coop: 16.7 sq ft of insulated house for 10 large hens, two trays, a 10-year warranty.
$639$799Nov 14, 2026
Omlet's small raised coop for 3 large hens: insulated plastic, slide-out tray, built with a screwdriver.
$789Nov 14, 2026
Recycled-plastic coop for 5 large hens, raised 8.9 in, with a removable roof and a 25-year guarantee.
$159$169Nov 14, 2026
A solar door that opens sideways from the center: light sensor, anti-pinch touch sensor, self-locking.
$6,599$7,380Nov 14, 2026
A 110 x 99.5 in cedar walk-in coop with its run, for up to 20 hens: 8 ft roost bars, 2-year warranty.
$459.99Nov 14, 2026
A wooden coop with its wire run for $460: 6 nesting boxes, pull-out tray, about 1 hour to build.
$3,349$3,890Nov 14, 2026
A cedar coop with its run built in, 85 in tall, for up to 6 hens: about four hours to assemble, 2-year warranty.
$2,499Nov 14, 2026
OverEZ's 74 x 60 in coop for up to 15 chickens: 5 nest boxes, 2 screened windows, built in under an hour.
$4,999.99Nov 14, 2026
A 6 x 12 ft walk-in coop with a covered run, hardware cloth and a deep-litter henhouse, built in North Carolina.
$1,899Nov 14, 2026
Amish-built wooden coop for up to 10 chickens: 3 nest boxes, lockable latches, assembled in under an hour.
$3,499Nov 14, 2026
OverEZ's biggest coop: 98 x 60 in for up to 20 chickens, with 6 nest boxes and 3 screened windows.
$965Nov 14, 2026
A snap-together plastic coop, 64 x 39 in, sold for 12 to 15 birds: four laying boxes, three roosts, no tools.
Plan 3 sq ft of house per hen, 9 inches of roost and one nest box per four or five hens. Sizes for 3 to 20 hens, and which coops really fit them.
Read the guideKeep the coop dry before you keep it warm: vents, sealed drafts, roosts, unfrozen water, heat below 35°F. UMN Extension's steps, and coops that help.
Read the guideLock every door at dusk, swap chicken wire for hardware cloth, bury it 12 inches and cover the run. The Extension steps, and the coops that come closest.
Read the guidePlastic coops clean in minutes and carry 10 to 25-year warranties; wooden coops give more floor and walk-in sizes. 12 coops compared on published facts.
Read the guideThe coop is the big one-off: $460 to $1,359 for up to six hens on November 14, 2026. Then feed, about 3 lb per hen a week. A budget you can fill in.
Read the guideOften yes, with limits: your city code and your HOA decide, and roosters are widely banned. Where to look, what to ask, and CDC and USDA health rules.
Read the guide
Photo: Jessica Donnelly / UnsplashEvery coop gets one score out of 10, built from the brand's own figures and a dated US price: price per hen, room per hen, predator protection, warranty, cleaning, weather, run, returns and assembly. What a brand doesn't publish scores low, and no two products share a score.
Hannah Prescott, editor, backyard chicken coops · prices checked Nov 14, 2026
Every chicken coop is sold by a number of hens, and that number is the first thing to distrust. A brand counts birds that sleep in the house and spend the day outside. Extension services count differently: the University of Minnesota asks for "a minimum of 3 to 5 square feet of indoor space per bird" (UMN Extension). The same coop can be a six-hen coop on the box and a three-hen coop by that rule.
So we publish both. For each of the 12 coops below you'll see the brand's headcount and, wherever the maker gives the house dimensions, how many hens fit at 3 sq ft each. Then the things that decide whether you still like the coop in year three: what keeps a raccoon out, how long cleaning takes, the warranty, and what a return costs.
We read the product, warranty and returns pages of Omlet, Nestera, OverEZ, Carolina Coops, Roost & Root, Formex and Aivituvin and noted each price on the brand's own US store on November 14, 2026. They run from $460 to $6,599. One formula scores them all the same way.
Our No. 1, the Omlet Eglu Cube (9.2/10), costs $1,119: an insulated plastic house that deep cleans in 10 minutes according to Omlet, with a 10-year warranty and 180 days of free returns. On a tight budget, the Aivituvin AIR46 (8.5/10) includes its run for $459.99. For ten hens or more, look at the Eglu Pro or the OverEZ Large, the only one under $3,000 that passes the 3 sq ft rule at ten.
Before you order: your city or county code and your HOA covenants decide whether you can keep hens, how many, and where a coop may sit. Check both first; can I have chickens in my backyard shows where to look. This site helps you buy a coop; it isn't legal or veterinary advice.
By Hannah Prescott, editor, backyard chicken coops · updated November 14, 2026 · 15 head-to-heads
Some links are affiliate links: if you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our scores. Our disclosure. Brand names belong to their owners; hen counts, dimensions and warranty terms are each brand's own figures. City codes and HOA rules decide whether you can keep hens: check yours before you order.
Tell her how many hens you plan, how much yard you have, your winters and your budget. She answers within two working days with two or three coops from the ranking, and why.
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