🏡 Choosing the Right Hen House: Your Guide to Chicken Real Estate

Bringing home hens is one of the most exciting adventures you can have—fresh eggs, feathered friends, and endless clucks of joy. But before your girls settle in, they’ll need the perfect pad. That’s right: choosing the right hen house is one of the biggest decisions in your chicken-keeping journey.

Think of it as your hens’ very own Chook Manor—and you’re the architect. Get it right, and your flock will be comfy, safe, and healthy, while you’ll save yourself a whole lot of time on maintenance.

Here’s how to find the hen house that’s just right.

📏 Size Matters (a lot!)

When it comes to hen housing, size is the number one priority. Manufacturers usually give stocking density guidelines, but remember: not all hens are built the same. Six bantams take up way less room than six big fluffy Orpingtons!

👉 Golden rule: more space is always better than less. A roomy house means happy hens, less stress, and easier cleaning for you.

🌳 Space Beyond the House

Your hens won’t just be hanging out indoors. They’ll need a secure outdoor run too. At night, they love to snuggle, but by day they’ll want space to stretch, scratch, and dust-bathe.

Pro tip: Consider a run big enough to cover during an avian flu outbreak—because if housing orders come in, you’ll be glad you thought ahead.

🪵 Wood vs. 🛠️ Plastic

Ah, the age-old debate. Which is best?

• Wooden Hen Houses:

  • Classic, charming, and timeless (designs haven’t changed much in 100+ years).

  • Raised wooden houses are great for airflow, keeping damp away, and stopping rodents from moving in.

  • Bonus: dry ground underneath = natural dust bath spot.

  • Downside? They need regular TLC, and red mites love all those cracks and crevices.

• Plastic Hen Houses:

  • Durable, lightweight, and super easy to clean (hello, pressure washer!).

  • No red mite hideouts.

  • Long-lasting and often hold their value.

  • They may not have the same rustic “farmyard charm,” but your hens won’t mind.

🚜 Static or Portable?

Another big choice: Do you want a fixed setup, or a house you can wheel around the garden?

• Fixed houses are sturdy and permanent, perfect if you’ve got a dedicated chicken zone.

• Portable houses let you move your flock to fresh grass, which helps keep the ground from getting muddy and gives your hens new foraging spots.

Whichever you choose, look for runs with an outward-facing skirt at ground level—that way, predators can’t dig underneath.

💸 Hen House on a Budget

Good news: you don’t need to splash the cash to give your hens a dream home. Creative chicken keepers repurpose aviaries, dog kennels, Wendy houses, or even sheds into brilliant coops.

Just make sure you tick the must-have boxes:
✅ Good ventilation
✅ Nesting boxes
✅ Adequate perching space (bonus points if the perches are removable for cleaning)
✅ A pop hole (a little chicken door), ideally with an automatic opener for those early mornings

🐓 Final Peck of Advice

Choosing a hen house is like choosing a home—it’s all about comfort, safety, and practicality. Give your hens the right space, protection, and setup, and they’ll reward you with content clucks, happy dust baths, and plenty of fresh eggs.

So whether you go rustic with wood, sleek with plastic, or DIY with a shed makeover—your feathered ladies are sure to feel right at home.