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Lady Peck supervises coop cleaning. She stands in the doorway, watches me scrape, and pecks at anything she disapproves of. Over three years of this she's watched me try a lot of coop gear. Some of it was a waste of money. Some of it changed my mornings. This is the short list of what's still in the coop, and why.
Quick answer
If you buy nothing else: an automatic coop door, a rat-proof treadle feeder, and 1/2 inch hardware cloth on every opening. Those three solved 90% of my problems. Everything else below is a quality-of-life upgrade.
1. Automatic coop door
Automatic Chicken Coop Door
The best money I've spent on this whole hobby. Sleep in. The door has it.
Check price on AmazonThis is the single best thing I've bought for this hobby. The door opens at sunrise and closes at dusk on a light sensor or timer. I sleep in. We go out for dinner. The hen is safe either way. Ours runs on batteries that last most of a year, and it's smart enough to stop and reverse if Lady Peck is standing in the doorway being dramatic.
Before the door, I lost sleep every night worrying I'd forgotten to lock up. After the door, I check the camera once and go to bed.
What I like
- Sleep in; go out; travel
- Reliable light sensor
- Safety reverse
What I don't
- Cost, but worth it
- Needs a flat mounting surface
2. Rat-proof treadle feeder
Rat-Proof Treadle Feeder
Ended our nighttime rodent buffet. Lady Peck learned the step in one afternoon.
Check price on AmazonAn open feeder is a rat buffet. Our nighttime camera showed a whole family of them the first summer. A treadle feeder has a step the chicken stands on that opens the lid. Rats aren't heavy enough. Lady Peck learned it in one afternoon with a little training (I propped the lid open for a few days, then lowered it gradually). Feed lasts twice as long now because I'm not feeding the neighborhood.
The squirrel, notably, has not figured this one out. He's furious about it.
3. Hardware cloth, not chicken wire
1/2" Hardware Cloth Roll
Chicken wire keeps chickens in. Hardware cloth keeps raccoons out. Big difference.
Check price on AmazonChicken wire keeps chickens in. It does not keep raccoons out. A raccoon can reach through chicken wire, and they will. Every opening on our coop and run is covered in 1/2 inch galvanized hardware cloth, screwed down with washers, not stapled. It also stops snakes and rats. Buy the roll; you'll use all of it.
Skirt it: run a foot of hardware cloth flat along the ground outward from the base of the run and pin it down. Diggers hit wire and give up. It's cheaper than burying it.
4. Heated waterer for winter
We're in Washington, so most winters aren't brutal, but we get stretches below freezing. A frozen waterer means hauling warm water out in the dark. A heated base or heated waterer keeps it liquid down to well below anything we see. It plugs in, it uses very little electricity, and Lady Peck drinks more in winter because of it, which matters for egg laying.
5. Roll-away nesting box
A sloped floor lets the egg roll gently into a covered tray. Eggs stay clean, don't get stepped on, and, the real reason, can't get eaten. We had one egg-pecking incident. One was enough. Lady Peck was suspicious of the new box for about two days, then laid in it every morning since.
6. Large-flake pine bedding
Pine Shavings Bedding (large flake)
Large flake, never sawdust. Dusty bedding and glasses don't mix.
Check price on AmazonLarge flake, not fine shavings or sawdust. Fine dust irritates their lungs (and mine). We use the deep-litter method in the run and clean the coop weekly. Never cedar; the oils are hard on chicken respiratory systems. Straw works but molds faster in our damp climate.
7. Food-grade diatomaceous earth
I mix a scoop into the dust bath area. It helps with mites and lice, and the chickens love a good dust bath anyway. Two cautions from the pharmacist side: only food-grade, and don't fluff it around in the air. Sprinkle it into the dirt and let the hen do the mixing.
8. A small poultry first-aid box
Vetericyn Poultry Care Spray
Pharmacist-approved for scrapes. Sits in the coop first-aid box.
Check price on AmazonOurs holds a wound spray, vet wrap, a small pair of scissors, saline, electrolytes, and gloves. Chickens scrape themselves on things you didn't know were sharp. Having the spray on hand at 9 p.m. is better than driving around looking for one.
9. Scratch grains for winter and training
Scratch is chicken candy. A handful tossed at dusk in winter gives them something to digest overnight and keeps them warm. It's also how I trained Lady Peck to come when called and to step on the treadle feeder. A treat, not a diet; layer feed is the diet.
What I bought and regret
- A "cute" prefab coop from a big-box store. Thin plywood, screwed together with staples, raccoon-openable. It lasted one winter. Build or buy solid.
- A hanging feeder. Waste everywhere, rats loved it. Replaced by the treadle.
- Nipple waterer for the shared run. Great for chickens. Useless for a duck, and Dabodabo shares the run. See our ducks and chickens guide.
- Heat lamp. Fire risk, and adult chickens don't need it. A dry, draft-free coop is all they want.
Coop essentials at a glance
| Item | Solves | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic door | Predators at night, your sleep | Buy first |
| Treadle feeder | Rats, wasted feed | Buy first |
| Hardware cloth | Raccoons, rats, snakes | Buy first |
| Heated waterer | Frozen water | Before winter |
| Roll-away nest box | Dirty or eaten eggs | Nice to have |
| Pine bedding | Clean, dry coop | Ongoing |
| Diatomaceous earth | Mites, lice | Ongoing |
| First-aid box | Scrapes at 9 p.m. | Before you need it |
The weekly routine
Sunday: scrape the roost boards, replace bedding, refill the DE dust bath, wipe the waterer, check the treadle feeder for jams, test the auto door by hand. Twenty minutes, plus ten for Lady Peck's inspection.
Frequently asked questions
What do you need for a backyard chicken coop?
A secure coop with hardware cloth on every opening, a roost, a nesting box, a feeder and a waterer. An automatic door and a treadle feeder are the two upgrades that make the biggest difference.
Is chicken wire safe for a coop?
No. Chicken wire keeps chickens in but raccoons can reach through or tear it. Use 1/2 inch galvanized hardware cloth on every opening.
Do chickens need a heat lamp in winter?
Healthy adult chickens don't. They need a dry, draft-free coop and liquid water. Heat lamps are a serious fire risk in a coop.
What bedding is best for a chicken coop?
Large-flake pine shavings. Avoid sawdust (too dusty) and cedar (respiratory irritant). Straw works but molds quickly in damp climates.
How do I keep rats out of chicken feed?
Use a treadle feeder that only opens under a chicken's weight, store feed in a metal can, and clear spilled feed at night.
Watch it in action: most of the gear in this guide shows up in our videos. Head to the channel and search the pet's name.
Shop this guide
Automatic Chicken Coop Door
The best money I've spent on this whole hobby. Sleep in. The door has it.
Check price on AmazonRat-Proof Treadle Feeder
Ended our nighttime rodent buffet. Lady Peck learned the step in one afternoon.
Check price on Amazon1/2" Hardware Cloth Roll
Chicken wire keeps chickens in. Hardware cloth keeps raccoons out. Big difference.
Check price on Amazon
