Urban Northern on Building Better Backyard Chicken Coops for Everyday Families

Alan Hyatt is the founder of Urban Northern Coops, a Washington-based e-commerce company that has been designing and selling backyard chicken coops since 2014. Started after Alan and his family found themselves with a flock of fast-growing chicks and no affordable housing options on the market, Urban Northern has grown into a trusted name for first-time chicken owners and seasoned homesteaders alike, with more than 10,000 customers served across the country. The company offers a full lineup of coops, runs, feeders, and accessories, all built around practical features that make backyard poultry keeping easier and more enjoyable. 

1. When someone is just starting out with backyard chickens, what is the very first thing they should think about before buying a coop?

Space, and not just for today. The chicks people bring home in March will be full-sized birds by July, and they need real room to move, roost, and lay eggs without crowding each other. A good rule is about four square feet per bird inside the coop and ten square feet per bird in the run, but more is always better if the yard allows it. Beginners also need to think about where the coop will sit. Sun exposure, drainage, and proximity to the house all matter more than people realize on day one.

2. What makes the difference between a coop that lasts a few seasons and one that holds up for years?

Materials and construction details, mostly. A lot of the budget coops on the market use thin softwoods and staples that fail within a season or two, especially in wet climates. Fir is a better choice because it handles humidity, freezing, and heat without warping. Hardware matters just as much. Galvanized fasteners hold up against rust, and proper hinges keep doors aligned even after years of daily use. The finish on the wood is another piece that people overlook. A quality water-based stain protects against UV damage and moisture without putting chickens at risk if they peck at it. The other big factor is how the coop is assembled. Tight joinery, predator-proof latches, and reinforced corners all add years to a coop's working life. When buyers focus only on price, they often end up replacing a cheap coop within two or three years, which costs more in the long run than buying something built to last from the start.

3. Ventilation comes up a lot in chicken-keeping conversations. Why is it so important?

Moisture is the real enemy in a coop, not cold. Chickens produce a surprising amount of humidity through breathing and droppings, and without good airflow, that moisture leads to frostbite in winter and respiratory issues year-round. Proper venting near the roof line lets damp air escape without creating drafts at roost level, which is exactly what a healthy flock needs.

4. Predators are a real concern for backyard flocks. How should owners think about protection?

Predators are smarter and more persistent than most new owners expect. Raccoons can open simple latches, hawks watch from above during the day, and foxes will dig under fencing if there is nothing stopping them. The first line of defense is hardware cloth instead of standard chicken wire, because chicken wire is designed to keep birds in, not to keep predators out. Secure locks with two-step mechanisms keep raccoons from working them open. An apron of wire buried or laid flat around the perimeter stops digging predators. And closing the coop at night is non-negotiable, which is why automatic coop doors have become so popular with busy families.

5. What do you wish more first-time chicken owners understood about space requirements?

Overcrowding causes almost every common flock problem. Pecking, feather loss, lower egg production, stress-related illness, all of it traces back to birds not having enough room. A coop rated for eight chickens by the manufacturer often works best with five or six. Erring on the side of more space is one of the easiest ways to keep a flock healthy without spending extra on supplements or vet visits.

6. A lot of customers describe their chickens as pets. How has that mindset shifted the industry?

It has changed almost everything about how coops are designed and marketed. Ten years ago, backyard coops looked like miniature versions of commercial farm housing, all function and no thought to the experience of the owner. Now customers want coops that look good in their yard, that they enjoy walking out to in the morning, and that reflect the fact that these birds have names and personalities. Owners ask about features like clear viewing windows so kids can watch the flock, comfortable nesting boxes, and finishes that complement their landscaping. There is also a lot more interest in enrichment, things like dust bath areas, perches at different heights, and runs that give birds room to forage. Treating chickens as pets has raised the standard across the board, and the entire industry has benefited. Birds get better care, owners get more enjoyment, and the relationship between people and their flocks looks a lot different than it did a decade ago.

7. What is your take on raising chickens as a way to teach kids responsibility?

It works because the responsibility is real. Chickens need food, water, and a clean space every single day, and kids see the direct results of their effort in fresh eggs and healthy birds. There are no fake stakes here. Skip a day, and the flock suffers; show up consistently, and the rewards are obvious. It builds habits that carry into a lot of other areas.

8. Cleaning a coop is the part nobody enjoys. What design choices actually make it easier?

Removable trays are probably the single biggest game-changer. Being able to slide out a tray, dump it, hose it off, and slide it back in turns a thirty-minute job into a five-minute one. Wide access doors matter too, because trying to reach into a cramped coop with a scraper is what makes people put off cleaning in the first place. Roosting bars positioned over the tray catch the majority of overnight droppings in one easy-to-clean spot. And materials matter. Surfaces that resist staining and do not absorb moisture stay sanitary much longer between deep cleans.

9. With egg prices fluctuating so much in recent years, are you seeing more people get into backyard chickens for practical reasons?

Definitely. The interest spike during the avian flu outbreaks and the price jumps that followed brought a whole new audience into chicken keeping. People who had been thinking about it for years finally made the leap because the math suddenly made sense. A small flock of four to six hens can produce more than two dozen eggs a week during peak laying months, which adds up quickly when grocery store cartons are running six or seven dollars. But what we have noticed is that most of those practical buyers stick around even after egg prices come back down. They discover that home-laid eggs taste better, that they like knowing where their food comes from, and that the daily rhythm of caring for a flock adds something to their lives they did not expect. Practical reasons get people started, but the lifestyle is what keeps them in it.

10. Looking ahead, what trends do you see shaping backyard chicken keeping over the next few years?

Automation is going to keep growing. Automatic coop doors, smart feeders, and temperature monitoring are all becoming more affordable and more reliable, which makes chicken keeping accessible for people with busy schedules. Heritage breeds are also having a moment, as more owners look beyond the standard laying hens toward birds with unique colors, personalities, and egg varieties. And the suburban market keeps expanding as local ordinances loosen across more cities. The next few years are going to bring chickens into a lot more backyards.