We spoke with chicken coop builders and experts across Maine to learn about advancements in construction, design and decoration. They also talked about principles of good coop design and chicken care that apply at every size and price tag.
Here’s what we learned.
Don’t go too big, but think ahead
If you want a big flock, buy a coop that will suit them, said Dixmont-based poultry media personality and author Lisa Steele. But if you’re starting with a smaller number, you can stack straw bales to make the living area smaller. This will help the chickens stay close together and keep warm in the winter while reducing drafts.
Conventional advice suggests two or three feet per bird inside.
Build for winter and avoid heat lamps
Most standard breeds are cold-hardy. That means heat lamps aren’t just a fire risk; they’re often unnecessary. Steele said she’s on an educational mission against them.
But, if you’re getting your birds to lay through the winter by using artificial light, their energy will go into egg production instead of developing fat to keep them warm, said Melissa Pilllsbury of Thorndike-based Champion Coops.
As long as there aren’t drafts of air or moisture that could freeze and give them frostbite, they’ll be fine. One decorative touch, curtains, can also be functional: covering the coop entry in winter blocks drafts.
Adding roof insulation, as Champion Coops does, also makes a big difference.
Heat is a bigger problem
Chickens need more attention on hot days and in high humidity. That makes it important to keep ventilation in mind when getting a coop. On hot days, add a fan in the window.
Steele recommends adding electrolytes to water, changing it often to keep it cool and offering shade. Watermelon and cucumber are good hot-weather treat choices.
Be careful free-ranging
Letting your chickens run free puts them at real risk from predators, especially in Maine. A covered run can give them outdoor time in a safer environment, or you could take them on a supervised walk.
The Roberts family of Two Ravens Farm in East Dover don’t free range because of predator risk, so they built two outdoor runs and a covered one for their birds to enjoy.
Secure windows and doors
Coop ventilation is important, but be thoughtful about your windows. Steele recommends welded wire with a half-inch gauge or smaller. If a quarter can fit through, so can a weasel. Screws attach wire more securely than staples.
Choose latches and locks that a raccoon can’t open — no deadbolts.
“If a toddler can get into the coop, a raccoon can,” Steele said.
Bury deep to deter predators
Maybe the doors are safely locked, but predators can dig underneath the outdoor run wire. To avoid that, bury it deeper than six inches. Steele used welded grid wire fencing secured in concrete for her run.
Despite the name, chicken wire alone probably won’t do the job.
Champion Coops buries vinyl-coated hardware cloth like a skirt around the perimeter. The important thing, according to Pillsbury, is that predators can’t find the edge of the material and figure out that they can get under it.
Get ready for rats
Maine homesteaders increasingly run the risk of rats stealing eggs and killing chickens.
“They aren’t a problem until they are,” Pillsbury said.
They’re a tricky problem and will probably require trapping or shooting. But making sure you don’t have loose sources of grain or pet food, removing piled garbage and carefully managing the compost pile will make your property less attractive in the first place.
Plan for cleaning
Are you ready to clean out your coop, and do you know how often you need to do it?
Champion Coops are designed to be cleaned from a standing position, a rarity in coop design that was created with accessibility in mind.
Some chicken enthusiasts, like the Roberts family, use the deep litter method. Animal waste builds up and begins to decompose in place, saving you time and producing fertilizer ready for your garden. It also keeps the coop warmer in winter.
Technology can help
Solar-powered lights attached to a coop claim to deter predators. Automatic door openers and closers are an extra layer of security. Wiring the coop to power gadgets means running the risk of rodents chewing through them, so consider solar or battery power.
Share carefully with ducks
Ducks and chickens can live together, but ducks are messier, so some recommend keeping their coops separate. The Roberts family built a French drain into their duck coop for easier cleanup.
Compared to chickens, ducks need about twice as much floor space per bird in a coop. Avoid ramps, which could hurt their legs, and consider feeders that won’t allow them to create mud to play in.
When the safety basics are in place, you’re ready to decorate if you feel so inclined.
