Chicken Coop Accessories

There is no singular best thing to put into a chicken coop. Instead, it’s important to include several critical accessories to create a chicken coop that will help your hens thrive.

• First, chickens feel safest when they are off the ground, so consider adding roosts to your coop. This will allow your chickens to sleep on the roosts.
• You’ll also want to add nesting boxes. This will give your chickens a safe and private place to lay their eggs. You’ll also know exactly where to look for the morning’s scrambled egg breakfast.
• Consider including lighting in your chicken coop, especially if the coop doesn’t include a window. A chicken’s reproductive cycle is regulated by light, and they may not lay eggs if they don’t receive enough light.
• Finally, you’ll need to include feeders and drinkers in your coop, so your birds will always have food and water. Consider placing feeders and waterers off the ground so they don’t get hay or dirt in them. Also, keep them away from the roosts, as chickens tend to create droppings as they sleep.

Want to know which other backyard chicken coop accessories you need? Take a look at our great guide on Keeping Chickens 101.

Ideally, your backyard chicken coop will include a chicken run, or you’ll be able to allow your chickens to range regularly. Allowing chickens to range is the best way to keep them mentally stimulated. However, in some circumstances—especially during cold parts of the year—you may need to keep your chickens in their coop for long periods.

In this situation, it’s important to add fun chicken coop accessories to help keep your birds entertained. Bored hens may pick on each other, pluck out their own feathers or even eat their eggs.

To start, add as much space to the coop as possible, so your chickens have room to explore. Chickens feel safest when they are off the ground, so adding roosts and perches to your pen can give them different places to go. Consider adding ladders or even swings to your coop. Yes, chickens do enjoy chicken swings. You can also add toys and mirrors, as many hens love pecking at their reflections. They’ve also been known to enjoy toys that dispense treats and balls with bells in the middle. Certain small dog toys or chicken-specific toys can help add levity and fun to your chicken coop.