FAQ

What materials are used to build the chicken coop and greenhouse?

The chicken coop, run and greenhouse are built using premium Douglas Fir wood for the wall and roof beams, pressure-treated 4x4s at the base, and exterior T-11 sheeting. They are all protected using primer and two layers of high-quality Behr Marquee exterior paint. In addition, the run is reinforced using 45-degree beams and finished with black pvc-coated 1/4” hardware mesh. The roofing used for the chicken coop and run is ASC Strata Rib 29-gauge metal sheeting. All materials are the same quality or better than those used to build an actual house. The greenhouse is glazed using 1/8” extruded acrylic, which is durable and resists yellowing and UV degradation while preserving 90%+ light transmission. In addition, if scratched it can be polished back to its original clarity.

How many chickens can fit in a coop? (aka, chicken math)

There are several things to consider when determining how much space you need for your chickens, or how many chickens you can fit in a coop and chicken run.

If you are free-ranging your chickens, you’ll need to consider the amount of space needed in the coop for a) roosting at night and b) laying eggs in the nesting boxes. A good rule of thumb is one linear foot of roosting space for each chicken for roosting, and one nesting box for every 4-5 laying hens. However, hens will often share a large box, laying in it at the same time, and some nesting box designs don’t even have dividers. What’s most important for the nesting boxes is that they feel secluded and safe for your hens. The Garden Coop featured on our site comes with four extra-large nesting boxes, each large enough to accommodate two hens at once.

If you are not free ranging your chickens, you should consider all of the above as well as the size of the chicken run. On average, each chicken needs 8-10 square feet of space in the run, but this depends on the size and breed as well. Some breeds require more room than others, and some deal very well with confinement. We recommend letting your chickens free-range at least part of the day, as it will help keep your chickens happier as well as make your eggs even healthier, but we also know that this isn’t an option for everyone.

Can the chickens access the greenhouse from the chicken coop?

The Garden Coop has one entrance for the greenhouse and another entrance to the chicken run. The chicken coop has an automatic solar-powered door, which opens in the morning and closes at night, so your schedule doesn’t have to align with that of your chickens. There is not a door connecting the greenhouse and chicken coop or run, which lets you access the greenhouse without your chickens getting out (or in) and keeps your seedlings and plants safe from your flock.

How long does it take to get my Garden Coop?

Each combination chicken coop / greenhouse is built from scratch in our workshop, then assembled on-site at your property. It takes 2-4 weeks to build each coop in our workshop and an additional 1-2 weeks to assemble and paint the structure, depending on what your proposed site looks like. So, depending on what type of ground work is needed, if any, the soonest you can have your own chicken palace ready to go is between 5 to 7 weeks.