Chicken Equipment

We are now able to supply Nestera coops

Nestera were previously known as Green Frog Designs. Green Frog initially were trailblazers in the coop design marketplace. They had to face some resistance as coops were traditionally made of wood. Plastic chicken coops were not seen as desirable and they did not seem to fit well into a garden situation. However as many more people became chicken keepers, the practicalities of a well designed plastic coop was hard to ignore. Green Frog Designs took on board all of the aspects of a desirable coop from both the chickens’ perspective and their owners. What they came up with is hard to beat. The appeal of well designed plastic coops are undeniable.

Nestera Coops at Hedgerow Henporium

Our first coop in days of yor….that’s when we first started keeping chickens 🙂 was a cheap wooden affair. It didn’t take us long to realise we had made a big mistake buying the cheapest coop we could find. We then transitioned over to a wooden shed which was a huge improvement on the cheapo one. However we visited a show and saw the Green Frog Coops and wow – we were smitten. Funky and easy to clean was the promise. We have been huge fans of Nestera chicken coops ever since. Plastic coops have revolutionised our chicken keeping. All bar one (our shed is still going strong) of our coops are now plastic as they are so easy to manage.

What you need to look for in a chicken coop

There are many many designs on the market however there are a few desirable traits that chicken coops need in order to be good for chickens and ALSO good for you. Make no mistake, don’t choose a coop on looks alone or cost. If it is not good for you then you will waste precious time and money trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

The givens are – in order of importance

1. Ease of access to all internal spaces for cleaning
2. Quick to clean
3. Security
4. Ventilation
5. Space
6. Perch spacing
7. Nest box position
8. Red mite prevention
9. Appearance
10. Resale value

Nestera or Wooden coop – which is the best chicken coop?

A traditional material for a chicken coop is wood. Wooden coops can be bought from a supplier or they can be easily made by a keen DIYer. If you make your coop yourself then the design opportunities are limitless. Plastic is not so easy to make at home. Wooden coops range wildly in price from very cheap mass-produced, to very expensive. Plastic coops tend to be on the more expensive end of the market.

Most chicken coops are made to look twee and cute in the garden. There is a strong argument for having a visually appealing chicken coop as they need to be pleasing to look at in your garden. Believe me, cute and twee does not cut it when you have to clean them out when it is tipping down with rain. Thanks to our wonderful British weather, rain is factor to take into strong consideration. The rain is not going to hold off because you have left your coop for too long to clean out because it is a pain to clean out unless the weather is dry. What if the rain does not stop for days? Therefore it follows that easy to clean and quick to clean is a major deal-breaker.

Wooden chicken coops

Wooden coops are rarely made with chickens and their owners in mind. A lot of wooden coops are made by folks who have never even owned chickens.

Red Mite Habitat

By its very nature, wooden coops are full of framework that the outside cladding is attached to. A wooden chicken coop often has a felted roof also. All very nice, however the more ledges you have, the more little corners, crevices, grooves, nooks and crannies that red mite can hide in. Red mite just love wood and roofing felt. To be fair, they also love plastic, especially those with double skinned or insulated sides. Red Mite are not terribly fussy when it comes to being as close as possible to their favourite form of food – your chickens.

Access issues

A lot of wooden coops have restricted access to clean. This is a major “given” that will mean the difference between happy chicken keeper and unhappy chicken keeper. One thing that we dislike about product views for buying wooden chicken coops are their lack of clear pictures on access for cleaning. This makes choosing your wooden coop somewhat tricky. We would advise always seeing one “in the flesh” as it were before you buy.

Maintenance Requirements

Maintaining your wooden coop is needed probably about once a year to keep the wood from rotting. Chicken poop is remarkable stuff, as it can render most materials stained or rotten in a short amount of time. It can also be used for building houses – we reckon – as its adhesive power once it is dry is phenomenal. Scraping poo off multiple ledges, joins and fastenings is not for the faint hearted, especially if access is limited or you have need of rubber arms.

Plastic Chicken Coops

In recent years there are many manufacturers of plastic coops. Some look more space-age and “designer” than others. Plastic coops can come in a variety of colours which adds to their visual appeal. Recycled plastic is most often used which adds to their green credentials. They are long lasting and look like new for much much longer than a wooden equivalent. Recycled plastic is becoming more common with recycled plastic fencing, recycled plastic decking and other garden fixtures and fittings. Plastic is easy to clean and does not rot. To be honest there is not a lot to dislike about plastic coops. They obviously don’t look as traditional as the wooden version because traditional looking coops do have more kerb appeal.

Recycled plastic chicken coops are mostly maintenance free. You do need to check the fastenings for signs of deterioration though.

Red Mites in chicken coops

The difference between most good plastic coops and a wooden one is the lack of framework and those perfect havens called crevices. Remember us saying that Red Mite love crevices?

Read our blog article on these “delightful” creatures and what to do about them. Give yourself a Red Mites eye view. Imagine if you were the size of a fullstop, and then imagine all the places you could hide in most coops. To be able to keep on top of Red Mite you need to be able to get at them.

Ease of cleaning

We have had wooden coops in the past but now we are mostly plastic fantastic. They tick all the boxes for the givens above. Even so, not all plastic coops are made equal. Some have to be dismantled in order to clean (remember our British weather). Others you are FORCED to clean virtually daily with a hose or pressure washer (remember our British weather and chicken poop has concrete qualities). Yet more are just plain silly and have even more corners and crevices than your average wooden coop.

We are not totally against wooden coops. There are a lot of really nice looking and solidly made coops on the market, however just make very sure you take account of the “givens”. One size does not fit all. Coops that require crawling on all fours to clean an attached run for example will not suit anyone over 2 feet tall or indeed anyone who is not skilled in the exotic art of limbo dancing. Slithering along on the floor commando fashion humming the theme tune to Mission Impossible makes this task sound a lot more exciting than it is. Getting your belt loops and hair tangled in hooks and chicken equipment is not fun. This in our opinion (and bitter experience) is most definitely a deal-breaker.

Our No. 1 advice

When buying a coop is NOT to buy one on price. Now I am a girl with an eye for a bargain and when we first got chickens, I hunted the internet for coops which were big enough for the chickens I wanted and also was the cheapest for the number of chickens I wanted. BIG MISTAKE. There a lot of very cheap wooden coops around which claim to be big enough for your chickens BUT THEY ARE NOT. Many come with integral runs which are not even big enough for one chicken let alone the 6 that most coops claim they can house. Advice No. 1 is to buy a chicken coop on function therefore and NOT cost. Buy cheap buy twice. It most definitely applies when buying coops.

Advice No. 2

Is to go big. Chickens are addictive and although you think you only want a couple of chickens, you WILL WANT MORE. Unless you have been beaten into submission by buying a coop on price alone.

Advice No. 3

Avoid any coops which have a pull-out droppings tray. A droppings tray is a complete waste of time and more importantly, an easy access for a fox or other predator. Once you have bedding in your coop (to catch poo) the drawer will not be able to be pulled out. How does that so called easy clean coop look now? Not so appealing.

Advice No. 4

Get a walk in run and make sure it has 2 square metres of space per chicken. If avian influenza happens (and it does from year to year) then you will be legally obliged to shut your chickens up for a few months over winter. Your chickens will therefore need enough space while they are confined. Chicken runs need cleaning, but crawling in the mud on all fours is something you will have to do if you buy a low level one. A walk in run with a roof covering is best because your back will thank you for it and refer to the British weather referred to above. 🙂

Advice No. 5

Chicken housing that will fit an automatic coop door opener is an absolute blessing that you will never regret purchasing. If you only buy one piece of extra equipment, make it an automatic pop hole opener. Did I also mention that we are now a stockist of Chickenguards in our online shop?

proudly presenting Nestera Chicken Coops

The Nestera chicken coops are one of the market leaders in plastic chicken coops. They started manufacturing chicken coops in recycled plastic before it became the fashionable thing to do. You will notice from coop designs from other manufacturers that most of them are very similar in appearance. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery as they say.

We are now able to sell these Nestera hen coops in our shop and we think they are pretty fabulous. We have two ourselves, so that is a good recommendation. They tick every single box on the givens list with honours with the exception of the run element in the smaller versions. Nestera do a run which fits on the largest raised coops. It is only small but you can extend the length by adding more modules on. For additional security for a coop without a run, you will probably want to place your coop inside a suitable chicken run.

How many chickens will fit in the Nestera coops?

The small coops will fit a minimum of 4 large fowl

Additional beneficial features

The coop has plenty of adjustable ventilation which is important for chicken welfare. Coops with no ventilation cause a build-up of dust and even fumes. Ventilation also tackles any risk of condensation. Perches are rounded so are kind to hens feet as they can grip them the way they are meant to.The rooves and a rear door are completely removable for cleaning. Inspection for red mite is thus very easy to do. Both raised and lodge coops have an area underneath so that vermin are discouraged from taking up residence. This also provides a useful shelter from the rain or sun. The coops are made with 9mm thick recycled plastic and are going to give many years service.

The raised coops have optional wheel sets so they can be easily moved around if you need to.

Also compatible with Automatic Pop hole openers

These lovely Nestera coops will also fit a Chickenguard automatic door opener, which we think should be an essential on all chicken housing. An automatic pop hole opener is worth its weight in gold as far as we are concerned. Any other opener that will suit a vertical door would also be suitable.

Simple to transport and Build

It is for collection only as it is heavy. The coop comes in flatpack form which takes around 45 minutes to build without special tools. We found a hammer and a pair of pliers was helpful however for fitting some of the parts.

Colour options

The coops have black sides and have green nestbox lid and roof.

How long does it take me to clean mine?

When I clean mine, I literally take the roof and nest box flap off. I then lift the perches out and in I go with my wallpaper scraper and shovel. It takes me 10 minutes. All the poo lands on the floor bedding and not on the walls so no sticky bits!! A spray with an insecticide (just in case) and Biodri on the floor under nice fresh bedding. Reassemble the perches, roof and nest box lid – job done. The Nestera hen coops have optional droppings trays which can speed cleaning out. They are not essential however may not save you much time.

Henlays Chicken Coops at Hedgerow Henporium

Henlays chicken coops are a relative newcomer to the chicken coop market but they are a winner. This coop has all the best features on our givens list below. The list has everything you should desire in a perfect coop. A Henlays Roost coop is made from recycled plastic and saves 70kg of it going to landfill so its green credentials are impressive. The Stokbord it is made from is 12mm thick so it’s heavy.

The givens are – in order of importance

1. Ease of access to all internal spaces for cleaning
2. Quick to clean
3. Security
4. Ventilation
5. Space
6. Perch spacing
7. Nest box position
8. Red mite prevention
9. Appearance
10. Resale value

Henlays Roost vs wooden coop – which is better?

Wooden chicken coops tend to be mass produced and are invariably poor quality materials. They don’t stand up to the test of time. There are a number of very good wooden coop manufacturers which are well made and well designed. Grandad Rob Designs, Flytes so fancy, Jim Vyse Arks all produce excellent quality coops. If you want a wooden coop then these would be my starting suggestion. A Henlays coop still beats them on all of the givens. Henlays and the quality wooden guys are fairly on a par price wise, but the Henlays will require very little effort to keep it looking like new. Any keen DIYer that is looking to make a good chicken coop, you would be well advised to model it on the Henlays features.

A lot of plastic coops tend to look fairly similar but the Henlays Roost has taken the design to a whole new level.

Wooden coops are rarely made with chickens and their owners in mind. A lot of cheaper wooden coops are made by folks who have never even owned chickens.

Access issues

Henlays chicken coops are so easy and, more importantly, fast to clean. At waist height, the roof panel lifts up away. The perches lift out and the nest box flap is completely removable. Complete access to all areas of the inside of the coop, for inspection and cleaning. Inspection is very important as you should be looking out for evidence of red mite at every clean. A lot of wooden coops have restricted access to clean. This is a major “given” that will mean the difference between happy chicken keeper and unhappy chicken keeper. One thing that we find frustrating about product views for buying wooden chicken coops are their lack of clear pictures on access for cleaning. This makes choosing your wooden coop somewhat tricky. We would advise always seeing one “in the flesh” as it were before you buy.

Additional Height has other benefits

The space underneath the coop means that there is shelter from the rain and hot sun. Rodents cannot hide there, keeping the area less prone to disease which is often spread by rodents.

The height makes it easier for some elderly or those with mobility issues to be able to have access to chicken keeping. Residential and care homes and community care settings will all find this aspect of the design beneficial.

Maintenance Requirements

Recycled plastic chicken coops are mostly maintenance free. You do need to check the fastenings for signs of deterioration though.

Red Mites in chicken coops

The difference between most good plastic coops and a wooden one is the lack of framework and those perfect havens called crevices. Remember us saying that Red Mite love crevices? A Henlays chicken coop is completely open for easy inspection. Early detection of red mite is the key to prevention.

Read our blog article on these “delightful” creatures and what to do about them. Give yourself a Red Mites eye view. Imagine if you were the size of a fullstop, and then imagine all the places you could hide in most coops. To be able to keep on top of Red Mite you need to be able to get at them.

How Many Chickens will fit in a Henlays Roost coop?

As the Henlays is just a coop then the function is just a bedroom and nest box. The perches are quite high giving plenty of headroom to any chickens that prefer to roost on the floor. For those chickens that prefer to perch, then 6 will fit comfortably. However you can fit more in on the ground floor. Chickens don’t always conform to convention and huddling overnight is their favourite way to sleep. Despite having plenty of room, you will very often find them squashed in a corner when all the perches are empty. Officially 6 large fowl is the recommended number of inhabitants however you would get more bantam sized birds in.

We are now able to sell these Henlays Chicken Coops in our shop and we think they are pretty darn good. They tick every single box on the givens list with honours with the exception of the run element. For additional security you will need to place your coop inside a suitable run.

You Can Even Paint them to make totally personalised

Pimping them up with a DIY paint job is easy so that they can look twee or fit better into your garden design if you want them to be. At the top of the page you can see how good they look when painted. Those coops have been painted in Thorndown Paints wood colours.

Additional beneficial features

The coop is hip height so bending over to clean your coop is not required. A tall coop is ideal for anyone with limited mobility or flexibility so they are perfect for social care organisations that have discovered the therapeutic effects of having hens around. The additional coop height also gives plenty of space underneath for shelter from the rain or sun. Rodents are therefore very unlikely to take up residence underneath.

Chicken housing that will fit an automatic coop door opener is an absolute blessing that you will never regret purchasing. They are worth their weight in gold as far as we are concerned. If you only buy one piece of extra equipment, then make it an automatic pop hole opener. Did I also mention that we are now a stockist of Chickenguards in our online shop?

Any other opener that will suit a vertical door would also be suitable.

How to Buy

It is for collection only as it is very heavy. The coop comes in flatpack form which takes around 45 minutes to build without special tools. We found a hammer and a pair of pliers was helpful however for tightening up the bolts.

Colour options

As Mr Henry Ford used to say, “you can have any colour you like as long as it’s black”. If you fancy a pop of colour to make it more individual, it only takes a short time to paint with a mini roller. Painting your coop before assembly is the best method. We happen to like it in black.

How long does it take me to clean mine?

When I clean mine, I literally take one roof panel and the nest box flap off. I then lift the perches out and in I go with my wallpaper scraper and shovel. It takes me 10 minutes. All the poo lands on the floor bedding and not on the walls so no sticky bits!! A spray with an insecticide (just in case) and Biodri on the floor under nice fresh bedding. Reassemble the perches, roof and nest box lid – job done.

Chicken Housing – how to choose your chicken coop

Chicken housing is called a coop. There are many many designs on the market however there are a few desirable traits that chicken coops need in order to be good for chickens and ALSO good for you. Make no mistake, don’t choose a coop on looks alone or cost. If it is not good for you then you will waste precious time and money trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

The givens are – in order of importance

1. Ease of access to all internal spaces for cleaning
2. Quick to clean
3. Security
4. Ventilation
5. Space
6. Perch spacing
7. Nest box position
8. Red mite prevention
9. Appearance
10. Resale value

Wood or Plastic – which is the best chicken coop?

A traditional material for a chicken coop is wood. Wooden coops can be bought from a supplier or they can be easily made by a keen DIYer. If you make your coop yourself then the design opportunities are limitless. A plastic coop is not so easy to make at home. Wooden coops range wildly in price from very cheap mass-produced, to very expensive. Plastic coops tend to be on the more expensive end of the market.

Most chicken coops are made to look twee and cute in the garden. There is a strong argument for having a visually appealing chicken coop as they need to be pleasing to look at in your garden. Believe me, cute and twee does not cut it when you have to clean them out when it is tipping down with rain. Thanks to our wonderful British weather, rain is factor to take into strong consideration. The rain is not going to hold off because you have left your coop for too long to clean out because it is a pain to clean out unless the weather is dry. What if the rain does not stop for days? Therefore it follows that easy to clean and quick to clean is a major deal-breaker.

Wooden chicken coops

Wooden coops are rarely made with chickens and their owners in mind. A lot of wooden chicken coops are made by folks who have never even owned chickens. DIY wooden chicken coops often fall into this category.

Red Mite Habitat

By its very nature, wooden coops are full of framework that the outside cladding is attached to. A wooden chicken coop often has a felted roof also. All very nice, however the more ledges you have, the more little corners, crevices, grooves, nooks and crannies that red mite can hide in. Red mite just love wood and roofing felt. To be fair, they also love plastic, especially those with double skinned or insulated sides. Red Mite are not terribly fussy when it comes to being as close as possible to their favourite form of food – your chickens.

Access issues

A lot of wooden coops have restricted access to clean. This is a major “given” that will mean the difference between happy chicken keeper and unhappy chicken keeper. One thing that we dislike about product views for buying wooden chicken coops are their lack of clear pictures on access for cleaning. This makes choosing your wooden coop somewhat tricky. We would advise always seeing one “in the flesh” as it were before you buy.

Maintenance Requirements

Maintaining your wooden coop is needed probably about once a year to keep the wood from rotting. Chicken poop is remarkable stuff, as it can render most materials stained or rotten in a short amount of time. It can also be used for building houses – we reckon – as its adhesive power once it is dry is phenomenal. Scraping poo off multiple ledges, joins and fastenings is not for the faint hearted, especially if access is limited or you have need of rubber arms.

Plastic Chicken Coops

In recent years there are many manufacturers of plastic coops. Some look more space-age and “designer” than others. Plastic coops can come in a variety of colours which adds to their visual appeal. Recycled plastic is most often used which adds to their green credentials. They are long lasting and look like new for much much longer than a wooden equivalent. Recycled plastic is becoming more common with recycled plastic fencing, recycled plastic decking and other garden fixtures and fittings. Plastic is easy to clean and does not rot. To be honest there is not a lot to dislike about plastic coops. They obviously don’t look as traditional as the wooden version because traditional looking coops do have more kerb appeal.

Recycled plastic chicken coops are mostly maintenance free. You do need to check the fastenings for signs of deterioration though. Fastenings on any coop can turn from “solid” to something that would not be out of place on a sunken ship.

Red Mites in chicken coops

The difference between most good plastic coops and a wooden one is the lack of framework and those perfect havens called crevices. Remember us saying that Red Mite love crevices?

Read our blog article on these “delightful” creatures and what to do about them. Give yourself a Red Mites eye view. Imagine if you were the size of a fullstop, and then imagine all the places you could hide in most coops. To be able to keep on top of Red Mite you need to be able to get at them.

Ease of cleaning

We have had wooden coops in the past but now we are mostly plastic fantastic. They tick all the boxes for the givens above. Even so, not all plastic coops are made equal. Some have to be dismantled in order to clean (remember our British weather). Others you are FORCED to clean virtually daily with a hose or pressure washer (remember our British weather and chicken poop has concrete qualities). Yet more are just plain silly and have even more corners and crevices than your average wooden coop.

We are not totally against wooden coops. There are a lot of really nice looking and solidly made coops on the market, however just make very sure you take account of the “givens”. One size does not fit all. Coops that require crawling on all fours to clean an attached run for example will not suit anyone over 2 feet tall or indeed anyone who is not skilled in the exotic art of limbo dancing. Slithering along on the floor commando fashion humming the theme tune to Mission Impossible makes this task sound a lot more exciting than it is. Getting your belt loops and hair tangled in hooks and chicken equipment is not fun. This in our opinion (and bitter experience) is most definitely a deal-breaker.

Our No. 1 advice

When buying a coop is definitely NOT to buy one on price. Now I am a girl with an eye for a bargain and when we first got chickens, I hunted the internet for coops which were big enough for the chickens I wanted and also was the cheapest for the number of chickens I wanted. BIG MISTAKE. There a lot of very cheap wooden coops around which claim to be big enough for your chickens BUT THEY ARE NOT. Many come with integral runs which are not even big enough for one chicken let alone the 6 that most coops claim they can house. Advice No. 1 is to buy a chicken coop on function therefore and NOT cost. Buy cheap buy twice. It most definitely applies when buying coops.

Advice No. 2

Is to go big. Chickens are addictive and although you think you only want a couple of chickens, you WILL WANT MORE. Unless you have been beaten into submission by buying a coop on price alone.

Advice No. 3

Avoid any coops which have a pull-out droppings tray. A droppings tray is a complete waste of time and more importantly, an easy access for a fox or other predator. Once you have bedding in your coop (to catch poo) the drawer will not be able to be pulled out. How does that so called easy clean coop look now? Not so appealing. This means you have to clean out through a tiny door or pop hole or even through the nest box. NOT ideal

Advice No. 4

Get a walk in run and make sure it has 2 square metres of space per chicken. If avian influenza happens (and it does from year to year) then you will be legally obliged to shut your chickens up for a few months over winter. Your chickens will therefore need enough space while they are confined. Chicken runs need cleaning, but crawling in the mud on all fours is something you will have to do if you buy a low level one. A walk in run with a roof covering is best because your back, your knees and your hairdo will thank you for it and refer to the British weather referred to above. 🙂

Advice No. 5

Chicken housing that will fit an automatic coop door opener is an absolute blessing that you will never regret purchasing. If you only buy one piece of extra equipment, make it an automatic pop hole opener. Did I also mention that we are now a stockist of Chickenguards in our online shop?

We have 2 types of Coops for Sale

The Henlays Roost Coops designers have cleverly created chicken housing which incorporates all the best ideas in their coops so that they are perfect for chickens and perfect for you. They reuse 70Kg of waste recycled plastic so are good for the green credentials also.

Nestera (previously Green Frog Designs) coops were the first we tried at our Henporium and we are very pleased with them. Our Green Frogs (we have a medium lodge and a large at ground level) still look as good as new. Not bad after 15 years usage.

We have both Nestera and Henlays in our shop and we think they are pretty darn good. They tick every single box on the givens list with honours with the exception of the run element. For additional security you will need to place your coop inside a suitable run. More details on each of the coop types are on their own pages.

You Can Even Paint them to make totally personalised

Pimping them up with a DIY paint job is easy so that they can look twee or fit better into your garden design if you want them to be. At the top of the page you can see how good they look when painted. Those coops have been painted in Thorndown Paints wood colours.

Additional beneficial features to look for

The height of the coop is important if you need to get inside to clean. If you have mobility or bending issues then a raised coop is the way to go. Ventilation is key to your hens health. Vents take away the dust and any fumes and combat condensation. Check where the doors are if you have limited space. If you cannot get behind your coop and the only way to clean is through the back door then you need to think of human access. Forget pull-out droppings tray as they are useless once the bedding is in the coop. Removable perches are a boon when you need to clean the coop and the perches themselves.

Also compatible with Automatic Pop hole openers

Chickenguard automatic door openers are a useful option, which we think should be an essential on all chicken housing. An automatic pop hole opener is worth its weight in gold as far as we are concerned. Any other opener that will suit a vertical door would also be suitable.

Simple to transport and Build

It is for collection only as it is very heavy. The coop comes in flatpack form which takes around 45 minutes to build without special tools. We found a hammer and a pair of pliers was helpful however for tightening up the bolts.

Colour options

Some coops have colour options or can be painted if you are of a mind to.

How long does it take me to clean mine?

Any coop that takes longer than 10 minutes to clean is not worth the effort. You should not have to take up valuable time for a job that should be quick and easy. Your coop choice is critical to this. We cover coop choices in depth on our online chicken keeping course.