Rowlinson Large Chicken Coop Review (for 6 Hens)

Rowlinson Large Chicken Coop Review

Rating

In this chicken coop review, we’re taking a look at the Rowlinson Large Chicken Coop available from Dobies. The Rowlinson is a  rustic, traditional looking coop, suitable for up to 6 good sized hens which is robustly made and well designed for chickens.

Construction  

Rowlinson is a well established family-owned UK manufacturer of timber structures and has been in business for almost 90 years. They know how to produce well-made products and their two chicken coops are no exception. One thing we particularly like about the Rowlinson Large Coop is that it is made from pressure treated timber where preservative is driven deep into the fabric of the timber at high pressure making it highly resistant to rot over the long term. In essence, this means you are getting a coop that will last for years, especially if you maintain it well and give an annual treatment yourself. The timber itself is of a very good thickness and sturdily constructed. This is one coop that’s not going to start falling to pieces after a couple of months use.

It’s raised floor, steeply sided roof will also help protect it from the wet weather as will the shiplap panelling.

Appearance wise, the coop comes in it’s natural wood finished but can be painted or stained to match your garden.

Chicken Comfort

rowlinson 3

At over 1.54 x 1.23 metres, the coop offers a good sized space for the chickens; there’s also plenty of height for them to roost comfortably off the ground on their perches in the evening.

There are three separate nesting compartments for the hens to lay eggs which, for a six hen coop, is easily enough to accommodate all the hens’ needs. Collecting the the eggs can easily be achieved by lifting the nesting box lid.

Chickens gain access to the run is via a vertical pophole door, which is perfect if you are wishing to purchase an electric door opener, and down a wooden ramp.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Like most modern coops the Rowlinson Large has a removable tray floor which can be pulled out, swept and hosed for easy cleaning (see picture below). It would have been better if this tray was either metal or metal lined, however, it still makes cleaning out much easier. As can be seen in the top picture, the nesting rowlinson large coopboxes can also be partially pulled out to clean. There is also a read door which can also be used to access the inside of the coop.

Predator Protection

Being raised off the ground, the coop is well designed to protect against foxes and vermin and because it does not have a felt roof there is much less chance of red mite infestation. However, the coop does not come with an enclosed run and to protect your chickens from predators you should either build or purchase one before letting them loose in your garden. – unless you intend to let them free range.

Construction

Coops like this come flat packed with instructions and should generally be easy to build. However, as it is made out of natural finished timber, which has a habit of expanding, contracting and occasionally warping, there may be a little bit of DIY to do when putting the coop together –  this is more likely to be the case if you store the coop outside or in humid conditions for any length of time before building it!

Conclusion

Overall the Rowlinson Large Chicken Coop is a sturdy hen house with some good design features. It’s will give any garden an attractive, rustic farmyard feature and be a comfortable place for your chickens to live.

 

For more information or to purchase you can find the coop here at Dobies.co.uk.