9 Best Walk-in Chicken Coops Plans (Free & Paid)

Do you want to know about the best walk-in chicken coops? Let’s find out why they are one of the best choices for your backyard chickens.

You may have been thinking about purchasing chickens for a while, and you’re just starting to put your coop plan into action. Also, you may be researching what you need and what they like to eat.

One thing you should think about purchasing first is a chicken coop. The good news is that you don’t have to do any research because everything has been done for you. 

There are some of the best walk-in chicken coops, and they will be presented in this guide for you to decide which one you like the best. You will also learn about the features of each chicken coop and their functions.

Also read: Best portable chicken coops ideas and plans

What are walk-in chicken coops?

Chicken coops are homes for where chickens live, and you can get one for your backyard. In this home, the chickens will sleep and eat. They can also get exercise by flying around their space.

There are several types of chicken coops, but the walk-in chicken coops are the best. These walk-in chicken coop plans and designs are mostly built long and high.

They are built so they are a little bit off the ground, and the coops have a door so you can walk in and feed your chickens, replace the chicken coop and nesting box bedding, and whatever else you have to do. 

It’s also easier for you to clean because you can walk in and take care of all the mess the chickens make. So, you can say it’s easy to walk in a chicken coop like this.

Best 9 Walk-in Chicken Coops Plans (Free and Paid)

1. Feathered Landingss Chicken Coop (A medium large walk-in chicken coop plan)

If you choose to build your own walk-in chicken coop, be sure to have enough room to build your chicken coop. Depending on where you live, you should be mindful of other creatures.

As you’re building, it would help if you put cement at the bottom of the coop so no other animals can get inside. Also, you could build a ramp for the chickens to walk down. 

You can also build shelves for you to put the nests for the chickens to rest on. You can add other shelves to put other things on, such as food and water.

2. Omitree Deluxe Large Wood Chicken Coop Backyard Hen House 4-8 Chickens with 3 Nesting Box

Last update on 2024-04-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

If you decide to purchase a chicken coop, be sure it’s big enough to fit the number of chickens you plan on purchasing. A chicken coop should have a ramp that leads to the outside so they can come and go as they please. 

It’s also good for your chickens to be embraced by the sunlight. One of the features you may find in a chicken coop is nesting boxes. This is where the chickens can go and lay their eggs. 

It may help if you add straw or something that resembles a nest. Pick the chickens up and put them in their nesting boxes. 

When they feel the hay or straw in there, the chickens will know what to do. Another feature is a door that is locked. This way, you can prevent any children from entering your chicken coop without your supervision.

3. OverEZ Chicken Coop, Weather-Resistant Large Bird, Poultry, and Hen House, Quality-Made in The USA

Last update on 2024-04-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

You can purchase a walk-in chicken coop with windows, but it doesn’t have a ramp to lead to the outside. The sunlight will shine through the windows. Another feature is that a large chicken coop can hold a lot of chickens. 

It depends on the number of chickens you can manage at one time, but a large chicken coop can hold approximately 15 chickens. If you purchase a chicken coop like this, it won’t come assembled. 

It will come with easy instructions that anyone can follow, and you can put it together in under 60 minutes. Another feature you will come across is a radiant barrier. This means that the chickens will feel a lot cooler in the hotter months.

4. Walk in Canterbury Chicken Coop

A small chicken coop will generally hold up to 5 chickens. One type of chicken coop you can purchase is mostly screened-in. You will be able to see what your chickens are up to from a distance without walking into the coop. 

In a coop like this one, you will notice a small building attached to the screened-in coop. The small building will be off the ground and will have a ramp leading to the screened-in portion. 

The screened-in portion will be an area for the chickens to run around in. The smaller building will be where the chickens will have their nests to lay their eggs so it will be in a more private setting. This building will also be where they will sleep and eat. 

The screen-in portion will have a door where you can walk in and clean up the messes your chickens will make. On the outside of the building, you can use the large open area to gather eggs and clean their nests.

5. Easy Coops DIY Chicken Coop Plan (An Extra-large size walk-in chicken coop for 22 chickens)

If you think you can manage over 20 chickens at the same time, then you should purchase an extra-large chicken coop. 

An extra-large chicken coop will have a large screened-in where the chickens can run around like the previous chicken coop mentioned, except this one will be larger and there will be more room. 

There will be a building that will be attached to the screened-in area. In the building, you will notice a door where you can walk in and take care of things. 

For example, you can clean up their mess, clean their nests, feed them, and collect their eggs. Another feature includes an oversize storage area on the building. This is where you can store all the supplies needed for your chickens.

6. Ogrmar Chicken Coop Large Wooden Outdoor Bunny Rabbit Hutch Hen Cage with Ventilation Door, Removable Tray Nesting Box

Last update on 2024-04-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

In your backyard, you may not have that much room for a lot of chickens. A smaller walk-in chicken coop may be beneficial for you, and it’s a great starter coop if you have never had chickens before. 

You can use the screened-in door to gain access to the chickens. Another feature is a smaller screened-in door for the chickens to go in and out of the screened-in area. 

Your chickens can go up the ramp inside their building when they are ready to lay eggs, and they can eat anywhere. The removable tray can be used to place feeders and drinkers.

7. PawHut Galvanized Metal Chicken Coop Cage with Cover, Walk-in Pen Run

Last update on 2024-04-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

If you want to know what your chickens are doing all the time, you can purchase a small chicken coop that is fully screened in. 

Your chickens will feel protected because the door will stay locked and will only be opened by you. It has galvanized metal netting, which is predator proof.

This type of walk-in chicken coop is good for a large number of flocks because it provides good ventilation and a large amount of run area. You will also get a UV resistant cover. You can also use a good quality tarpaulin sheet.

8. Pets Imperial® Monmouth Large Chicken Coop 6ft 7″ in Length with Roof That Opens Suitable for Up to 4 Birds

Last update on 2024-04-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

A spacious chicken coop is great for chickens to have enough room to move around. This kind of chicken coop will have protection from other animals and children. 

This walk-in chicken coop has a few possible entryways for you and your chickens to enter safely. You can walk in through either side of the screened-in part of the chicken coop. 

In the wooden part of the chicken coop, you will find a small wooden door. You can open that door to place the chickens inside so they can rest and lay their eggs in a private space.

9. Coops & Feathers Wood and Wire Chicken Coop, XX-Large

Last update on 2024-04-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Another type of chicken coop you can purchase looks like a little house for your chickens. A portion of this chicken coop has a door where you can walk in to feed your chickens or do some cleaning. 

This portion is also screened-in, so you can see anything a mile away. The roof is high, so the chickens will have more space, and you can fit quite a few chickens in this house.

You will find two windows with locks. You can lift the chickens in through these windows. These windows are located in the building where the chickens lay their eggs.

Ideal Features of Walk-In Chicken Coops

Below are some ideal features of a walk-in chicken coops which will help you to select one for your flocks:

A good height

When you’re looking into purchasing a chicken coop, purchase one that’s at least 3 feet tall. The taller the roof, the better the chickens will breathe. 

Just like humans, chickens need ventilation to help them breathe better, especially since they will be outside. Another reason why height matters is that you can add some shelves. 

Those shelves can contain places to put the nests and places to put food and water for the chickens. Also, you have to think about the height of the chickens. Some chickens are taller than others.

Coop with run

It’s best to get a chicken coop with a run. A run is an outdoor space that’s connected to the chicken coop. Chickens go out on the run to run around under the sun. 

They can also eat and drink in this area. This part of the chicken coop is usually screened in with a door where you can enter and exit as often as you want. 

The size of the run will determine the number of chickens you choose to have. They need to be able to run around freely without bumping into each other.

Sturdy built

Be sure to purchase a sturdy chicken coop. The more expensive it is to purchase, the better the quality will be. 

If you choose to build it yourself without a kit explaining how to do it, you must test it out so you can be sure it won’t collapse. If you don’t build it yourself, then choose a chicken coop that is made out of wood.

 Also, you need to think about the weather conditions. Will your chicken coop still be standing after a hurricane or other natural disaster? 

If it blows over when you have minimal wind speeds, then it’s not sturdy enough to hold chickens. You should be protecting them like you would protect a family member.

Well-ventilated

As previously mentioned, it’s best to keep your chicken coop well ventilated, which is why you need a coop with a high ceiling. 

Ventilation will help your chickens feel cooler when they are in the coop during the hottest months of the year. If you live in a place where you have snowy winters, the chickens will still feel protected outdoors because they won’t feel as cold. 

Be sure to keep the chickens inside the coop so they can experience the ventilation on the hottest and coldest days of the year. You don’t want them out on the run if it’s too hot or too cold.

Must have nesting box

When looking at chicken coops, the coop of your choice must have a nesting box. A nesting box will have certain slots that look like cubbies for the chickens. 

Each chicken will have its own space to do the job that they are known to do, which is to lay eggs. Depending on the number of chickens you are planning to purchase, this will determine the number of nesting boxes you need. 

Each nesting box will have hay, so the chickens will feel comfortable and relaxed in their environment. The more relaxed they are, the more likely they’ll lay as many eggs as they can for you.

Easy to clean

Whichever chicken coop you choose, be sure it’s easy to clean. Cleaning your chicken coop is not something you want to do, but it’s something that must be done. 

If you don’t clean your chicken coop, your chickens are at a high risk of becoming ill. When you clean it, keep your chickens outside because you will have to clean their poop and replace their nests or hay with fresh ones.

Predator-proof

Another important feature to have is a predator-proof chicken coop. If you have other pets that live with you or you live near a wooded area, it’s best to keep your chickens protected. 

Be sure your chicken coop has a roof so nothing can fly into it. As previously mentioned, be sure your chicken coop is sturdy. 

You don’t want an animal to jump on it and knock it down. If any animal can do that, then it’s not sturdy enough. 

You should also be sure the doors are locked at all times so an animal can’t shake them until they open. Also, an animal shouldn’t dig a hole to go underneath the chicken coop.

Summary

There you have it. A complete guide to finding the best walk-in chicken coop that is suitable for what you may need. These recommended chicken coops mentioned above have great features, and you can’t go wrong with any of those suggestions. 

Each of the features has been explained in further detail. This way, you will understand what each one means and the reasons why you should look into each particular feature. 

Your chicken coop will be your chickens’ new home, so it’s best to include as many features as possible to be sure your chickens will be happy. I hope you’ve got an idea to build and buy your own walk-in chicken coop.