Chicken Coop Review: Ellies Hen House (for 3 to 4 Hens)

Ellies Chicken Coop

Rating

This latest chicken coop review takes a close look at the charming, yet robust, Ellies’ Hen House. If you are looking for a chicken coop that has a traditional, attractive look, doesn’t take up too much space and is made to last, then this is an ideal choice.

Attractive Design

With it’s steep roof and ‘ship lap’ wood panelling, the Ellies’ Hen House is designed so it has a Swiss log cabin look and will make itself a feature of anyone’s garden. There are some charming details too, such as the nicely rounded edges of pop hole door, the little canopy above the pop hole and the overhang of the sides at the front which completes the log cabin look.

High Quality Construction

However, there is far more to the hen house than just the appearance. On close inspection, this is a very well made coop indeed. The high quality Red Pine timber is solid and the frame sturdily constructed. The ‘ship-lap’ panelling on the roof and sides makes it water tight and wind proof. The wood is pressure treated and protected with creocote inside and out, which not only preserves but helps prevent red mite infestation.  Even the metal work is of a superior build with heavy duty galvanised hinges and door latch and zinc plated screws. There’s nothing flimsy about this coop at all.

User Friendly Features

The manufacturers have also got a good eye for ergonomics: there easy access to collect the eggs and for cleaning. The roof lifts up almost entirely on one side and there is an easy to sweep floor. The perches and the nesting box are also simple to remove to make cleaning even easier.

There are two discrete handles at the front and rear, which look like part of the decoration, but actually allow you to pick up the coop and move it with considerable ease.

Ellies Chicken Coop ReviewBuilt for Chickens

As for the chickens, there is ample space for 3 to 4 hens (depending on the size of the breed.) The perches are very sturdy and of a thickness that will give the hens a comfortable grip. Two perches give room four four birds to roost together snugly in colder weather and the good thickness of the wood construction means that they will be well protected from the worst of the weather. There is a mesh covered air vent at the apex of the roof and the nesting box is a good size. The pop hole door, when opened, becomes the ramp. When closed, there is a heavy duty bolt, to keep the chickens safe. As for predators, the construction makes the hen house securely fox proof.

Pre-built not Flat-packed

Unlike many coops, the Ellies’ Hen House is delivered ready built. The good thing about this, besides not having to build it yourself, is that your pretty much guaranteed that everything will be in one piece, something you cannot always be sure of when a flat pack coop arrives. Another bonus!

Caring for your Coop

Remember, that because the coop is made of wood, it will need regular treatment to ensure that it doesn’t succumb to nature. Even though it’s pre-treated, we recommend that you treat it annually – this includes any part which has constant contact with the ground, especially if it positioned on soil or grass where moisture might persist.

Summary

Overall, this is a very good coop: attractive, very well built, easy to use and designed with your chickens’ welfare in mind. At £235, it’s not the cheapest coop on the market, but you are getting a quality product that will far outlive cheaper, more flimsy coops.

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