Sally Chicken Coop Review for 4 to 5 Hens

Rating

 

In this chicken coop review, we’re returning to Home and Roost to take a closer look at their Sally coop, suitable for 4 to 5 hens.

Appearance

You can tell at fist glance that the Sally has a traditional chicken coop design. With its wooden construction and pitched roof, it has a French countryside look that oozes rural appeal. That said, it’s about as French as a warm pint, being hand-crafted in the UK, which is always preferable to the many coops which are machine-manufactured in the Far East.

Attractive features include the grooved timber panels, pitched roof and the warm colour of the wood that gives it a feeling of homeliness.

Coop Construction

The vast majority of modern coops are made from Scandinavian pine and this Home and Roost chicken coop is no exception. This is a good timber to use, being light weight, strong and, thanks to its resin, naturally water resistant. The timber used in this model is 14mm thick, which is the standard thickness for most chicken coops. It’s thick enough to keep out predators and the tongue and groove construction will defend the hens from the worst of the weather and help give the coop its strength. The real strength, of course, comes from the much thicker and more robust frame. What results is a very sturdy coop indeed.

Another important feature is that the roof isn’t covered with felt. This means it’s much less susceptible to infestation by red mite, which finds felt covering an ideal place to breed.

What particularly appeals is that it is quite a squat coop, having a decent width and length relative to its height, mean it’s certainly going to stay upright even in the heaviest of winds.

Besides the timber, thought has gone into the metal work, with the use of aluminium barrel bolts and hinges which are not going to rust and won’t fatigue like other metals.

 

How good is it for chickens?

With over 1.5 SQ metres of internal space, the Sally Chicken Coop is a good sized coop and suitable for up to 5 hens, providing a very comfortable internal living space. External access is via a vertical pophole door. Being vertical means it’s suitable for fitting an automatic door opener, which can be a godsend when you are busy or the weather is terrible. Vertical doors also tend to be more predator proof too. As the door is near to the ground there is no need for a ramp, the chickens can just hop in and out quite easily.

Another chicken friendly feature is that the coop is raised from the floor. This will make it more difficult for predators to get in, ensure that cool air circulates underneath in summer and that cold from the ground doesn’t seep in during the winter. In addition, as the floor doesn’t touch the wet ground, it’s not going to get wet and rot, and damp isn’t going to penetrate into the air in the coop – reducing respiratory infection.

For laying eggs, there are three good sized nesting boxes.Though there could be a little more height to the partitions, they are very spacious and do make comfortable places for the hens to lay. The perches are well built and comfortably shaped for the chickens to roost on. They are also wide enough for the chickens to roost together, which makes them feel safer and, in winter, helps keep them warm during the cold night. If I had this coop in my garden, I would want to raise the perch a little higher so that it was above the height of the nesting boxes – but that’s an easy adjustment to make.

Egg Collecting and Cleaning

Good, modern coops are designed to make cleaning and egg collecting easy. The Sally Chicken Coop does exactly this. There is easy access to the coop via a large side door that makes for easy mucking out and disinfecting. Similarly, egg collection is easily achieved by lifting the lid of the nesting box. It can also be cleaned in the same way.

Delivery and Installation

The Sally Chicken Coop is delivered free within the UK mainland.  It will arrive flat packed and need constructing. No special are needed and anyone who has basic DIY skills should be able to put it together. Instructions are supplied.

Dimensions: 1235mm x 1400mm x 1190mm

Overall

The Sally chicken Coop is attractive, well built and has some excellent features to make your chickens live comfortably.

Price

At the time of publication, the cost is £239.99.

For more information, or to buy the Sally Coop, visit Home and Roost