With the exception of the Wagon, all the Nestera chicken coops come in 3 sizes; small, medium and large as well as 3 heights; House, Lodge and Penthouse.
Certain coops suit particular species or breeds better than others and there are cost implications too. Given that our coops last at least 25 years, your comfort when cleaning out should definitely be a consideration!
Whether you keep chickens at home, an allotment, a school or community project, think about the needs of all the keepers.
Very young keepers may find a lower coop is easier, while those with lower mobility or differently abled may benefit from a higher one.
The automatic door unit, and trays are compatible with every model. All the coops offer excellent access for cleaning by removing the entire rear panel.
The height of the coop that’s right for your setting and flock is very individual but hopefully, the following points will help you to decide.
Our House Coops
These are the cheapest in each size, as they use the least material. If you are really budget conscious then these are the best options. Technically, they have the greatest wind stability as they have the lowest centre of gravity, but in reality all our coops do really well in this respect.
Given the height of the House coops, they should definitely be your first choice if you have silkies, chicks or want a hen to hatch some eggs. The short low pitched ramp makes entering and exiting the coop very easy. For this reason these coops also lend themselves well to the needs of ducks who aren’t as agile as chickens. Check out our duck house!
The only slight disadvantage of these coops is that by sitting flat on the floor, vermin could set up home underneath. Obviously, to clean these out, you will need to bend over more than you would need to with our other coops although the addition of the trays makes this easier.
We do not offer a run that fits this height of coop.
Our Lodges
This is our most popular height of coops and it’s no surprise given the many benefits. The floor of our Lodge sits 9” or 22cm off of the ground. Not only does this stop unwanted wildlife setting up home under the coop, it also gives birds somewhere useful to shelter from the elements.
Many people add material under the coop to provide essential dust bathing for their flock. The shallow ramp allows almost every breed, species and age of bird to access the coop with ease.
Collecting eggs and cleaning out is easier than with the House Coop and requires less bending. The 4 legs give all round access under the coop but consequently it offers little in terms of shelter from wind.
We do not offer a run that fits this height of coop. Ducks, silkie chickens and young chicks will all find this coop harder to access than the House coop making it unsuitable.
Our Penthouse Coops
If you have a bad back or reduced mobility, this is probably the best coop for you! It sits an impressive 18” or 45cm off the ground allowing even the largest birds to shelter underneath. The distance from the ground means that this model offers your flock the most protection from ground-based pests and flooding.
Many chicken keepers place their food and water containers under the Penthouse Coop during the day to prevent the feed getting wet in the rain, or the water contaminated by wild birds.
Two of the sides are solid at ground level providing useful shelter for your poultry from wind and rain.
All Penthouse Coops feature a ladder instead of a ramp which is not suitable for some bantams, especially silkies, most ducks and all young chicks.
The Large Penthouse coop is the only coop in the range that has the option to attach a run. The run projects a metre out from the front of the coop and can be extended using the extension panels. It also includes two mesh panels for the rear base of the coop to prevent any escapees! To deter digging by foxes, badgers and similar the run also features a weld mesh ‘skirt’ around the perimeter. There are no runs that fit the small and medium Penthouse coops.
All the Penthouse Coops can be used with optional wheel sets to make moving the coop easier and achievable with just one person.
Obviously, the extra material required to produce this coop, compared with the others, makes this the most expensive option. If you can afford it, it does provide the least strain for cleaning though. When cleaning is easier, it gets done more regularly, which is best for your birds too.
