From the Coop
The FlockPlanner Blog
Notes from the coop — what keeps the girls happy, healthy, and earning their keep.
Latest Guide
How to Plan Your Entire Flock Year — Down to the Day — in Just Minutes
Breeds, flock size, coop math, feed and egg economics, and the season calendar — planned in about five minutes, before the chicks come home. The whole flock year, down to the day and down to the dollar.
More Guides
Best Chicken Coops for Small Backyards
Your yard can hold three hens — you just need a coop that fits the space instead of swallowing it. The compact coops worth buying, with an honest con and a fix on each, from a set-and-forget smart coop to a moveable tractor.
Most Cold-Hardy Chicken Breeds for 2026
Chickens don't die of cold — they die of frostbite, draft, and damp. The breed lineup built for the 2026–27 winter, plus the five coop rules that keep them laying into January.
Best Heaters & Safe Winter Heating for Your Coop
Your chickens usually don't need a heater — they came with down coats built in. For the deep freeze, young or sick birds, a warm wall beats a fire-risk heat lamp. The safe picks, with an honest con on each.
Coop Size Calculator: How Big Does Your Coop Need to Be?
Most coops get bought too small. The four numbers that keep a flock calm and healthy: four square feet per hen inside, eight to ten feet of run per hen, one nest box per three to four birds, ten inches of roost bar each.
Best Chicken Feeders: No-Waste Compared
Feed scatter quietly eats your feed budget and invites rodents. Treadle vs gravity vs open pan — with an honest con on each, and the feeder that actually pays for itself.
Best Chicken Coops for Overwintering
Chickens aren't what die in winter — bad coops are. The 3 winter killers, what to check before you buy, and the gear that gets hens through January.
Best Chicken Breeds for Beginners (2026 Guide)
Five proven breeds that are forgiving, productive, and genuinely enjoyable to keep — even if you've never owned a chicken in your life.
How Many Chickens Do I Need? The Honest Answer
Most people get this wrong. Here's how to calculate the right flock size for your egg goals, household, and chosen breeds — without a surplus or a shortage.
Ready to put the advice into action? Size your coop, pick your breeds, plan your flock.