If you search on the Internet or Ebay for a chicken coop, or even visit your local pet store, you'll likely stumble across one of the various styles of timber chicken coops available for sale. Many potential owners of backyard chickens who are in the market for a chicken coop question whether or not these styles of imported chicken coops are worth purchasing. We all want to get value for money with any purchase we make, but are these chicken coops really as great as the resellers claim they are?

So let's address the most important aspects when looking to buy a chicken coop. You may have other criteria when purchasing a coop, but these seem to be the most common areas of consideration.

1. A product suitable for its purpose - i.e. you can actually keep chickens in the coop happily

2. Durability/ longevity - a product that will not deteriorate in the short term

3. Ascetically pleasing - a product that looks physically appealing

4. Value for money - is the product worth the money you've paid for it

Are these chicken coops actually suitable for chickens?

Customers of these coops have found that the area inside these types of coops is generally very limited and is not suitable for the number of chickens that the sellers claim these coops can house. Most of the photos on the Internet do NOT show chickens actually in the coop. If this were done you'd quickly see how small these are compared with an average-sized backyard chicken.

Purchasers of these chicken coops have also found that the dimensions provided by many sellers are exaggerated, with the overall length including the external nesting box. Additionally the section under the sleeping area is so close to the ground that it cannot be accessed by the chooks at all, which means there's even less area for the chickens to scratch!

Customers have also found that the perches that are provided inside these chicken coops are positioned too low to the floor, resulting in the chickens perching on the higher positioned nesting box.

How durable are these coops?

One of the most commonly mentioned issues about these coops is that they warp and basically fall apart in a very short space of time. Complaints include: roof leaking ('asphalt' simply peels away over time), nesting box leaking, catches rusting, rain entering through the window and the coop warping after a short period of time being exposed to the weather.

Some customers have suggested that unless you want it to fall apart in less than a year, you'd need to spend another $100+ to protect it from the weather, as soon as you assemble the coop after purchase. You'd need to apply many coats of marine-grade varnish and also silicon all the gaps.

"I have a smaller sized one and they are terrible. The first time in the rain it warped and I'm not able to open the house area door anymore and have to lift other door to get it back into the frame properly now. The colour kind of leeched straight out of it, and the latches and hinges rusted straight away. It literally didn't hold up a week!" says a dissatisfied owner of these chicken coops.

Do these coops look nice?

One of the top reasons why customers purchase these coops is because of their popular style. With a little ladder going up to the housing section and a window to view the chickens, it seems like an cute addition to your backyard. While these chicken coops may look nice, this needs to be weighed up with the other important, practical factors.

Are these coops worth the money?

If you've got value for money, it means that you've got a product that is proportional in quality to the money you've paid for it If you're only wanting to spend a small amount on a chicken coop and only need it for a short period of time, then perhaps these coops are value for money, because you essentially get what you pay for. If you're wanting something durable and well made that will house your chickens for many, many years, a timber chicken coop may not be the way to go. Re-sell value is something to consider if you're not sure if you'll keep your chickens for the foreseeable future.

Are these all 'Made in China'?

A final point worth noting is that some resellers don't make it clear that their products are made in China. While as a seller they may be based in Australia and their product is said to be 'designed in Australia' this does not mean that the chicken coop is Australian made. They're most likely made in the same factory in China as the rest of these styles of coops available on Ebay and the Internet.

If you're looking for a chicken coop that is durable, looks great and is value for money, have a look at Royal Rooster's Australian-made quality chicken coops.