About Clucks & Coops
Clucks & Coops is an independent buyer-guide site for backyard chicken keepers. We exist because the chicken-keeping internet is a mess of forum threads from 2014, manufacturer fluff, and listicles that read like a chatbot had a deadline.
We aim to be the site that actually answers the question.
What we do, in plain English
We aggregate the specs of every coop, feeder, brooder accessory, and predator-deterrent we can find on Amazon. Then we organise them — by flock size, by climate, by budget, by what actually matters to a first-year keeper — and we publish the comparisons that should already exist but somehow don't.
We update our top picks monthly. We don't accept payment to position a product. When we have a strong preference, we say so and explain why. When the right answer depends on the buyer's situation, we walk through the decision instead of pretending there's one universal pick.
Our editorial method
- Source the specs. Coop dimensions, feeder capacity, run sizes, predator rating, materials, weight, country of manufacture — straight from the listing pages, the manufacturer site, and where relevant, USDA and state-extension documentation.
- Run the comparison. We line products up against each other on the specs that matter, not the ones that sound impressive in marketing copy.
- Land the recommendation. Specific, situation-aware, and updated whenever the product line changes.
When a product gets discontinued, we mark the page as updated and swap in the closest currently-available replacement. We don't pretend the link still works.
Who writes here
Megan Lawson runs editorial. She's an editor who's been writing how-to and buyer-guide content for eight years, and keeps her own flock of six layers in central Iowa — a Buff Orpington, two Australorps, a Rhode Island Red, and two mystery-cross rescues who occasionally lay green eggs.
Articles also come from rotating contributors — practising backyard keepers, hobby-farmers, and a few people who frankly know more about specific corners of the niche than Megan does. Each article shows its author at the top. When someone else writes, Megan's name appears at the bottom under "Edited by".
If you're curious about a particular contributor, their bio sits at the foot of the post.
What we don't do
- We don't claim hands-on testing we didn't do. If we say a coop is rot-resistant, that's because the manufacturer specifies the wood species and the build quality is verifiable from listing photos — not because we left one out in our backyard for a year. Where hands-on insight is genuine, from Megan's own flock or a contributor's, we say so explicitly.
- We don't give veterinary advice. Sick bird? Egg-bound hen? Mite outbreak? Phone a poultry vet or your state extension's poultry specialist. Our role is helping you pick the right feeder, not diagnose your hen's symptoms.
- We don't review live birds. Chick sourcing and breed selection appear on this site only as background context — the buy decision happens at hatcheries, breeders, and feed stores, not on Amazon.
How we make money
Clucks & Coops is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you buy something via a link on this site, we earn a small commission. It costs you nothing.
We don't tilt our recommendations to favour any single product, brand, or commission tier. You can read the full disclosure on our Amazon Disclosure page.
We occasionally feature direct-brand affiliate programs (Tractor Supply, Manna Pro, and a handful of feed and equipment manufacturers) when their product genuinely belongs in a comparison. The same rule applies — the link choice never changes the editorial position.
How to reach us
Tips, corrections, product launches we should know about, or just a hello — write to hello@clucksandcoops.com or use the contact form. We read everything. We can't respond to every message, but we read.
If you spot an outdated spec, a discontinued product, or a price that's drifted, those tip-offs are especially welcome. They keep the site honest.