AECOJOY 56" Chicken Coop Review: How Many Hens?
An AECOJOY 56 inch chicken coop review covering real capacity from its published dimensions, the PVC roof, ventilation and predator weak points.
Six nest boxes on a coop this size tells you something, and it is not what the listing wants you to conclude.
The verdict: For the money this is a tidy raised fir coop with a genuinely better roof material than most of its rivals and enough ventilation to matter. Buy it as a hen house for two or three standard hens, or as sleeping quarters attached to a larger run. Skip it if the six nest boxes have led you to expect a flock-sized coop, because 56 inches by 34.5 inches will not house the flock those boxes imply.
AECOJOY 56 inch Chicken Coop with 6 Nesting Boxes
~$190
A raised fir wood hen house measuring 56.3 by 34.5 by 34 inches, with six lockable nest boxes, a grooved PVC roof, four entrances and two widened perches.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Overall dimensions | 56.3 in L x 34.5 in W x 34 in H |
|---|---|
| Material | Natural fir wood with a non-toxic varnish |
| Roof | Grooved PVC board rather than asphalt |
| Nest boxes | 6, on both sides, all lockable |
| Ventilation | 1 side vent plus 4 entrances |
| Perches | 2 widened and thickened wooden roosts |
| Access | Ramps into the raised section |
| Nest box security | Boxes lock to deter egg theft |
Specifications above come from AECOJOY's published product information. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- A grooved PVC roof sheds water better than the thin asphalt felt used on most coops at this price, and it will not need re-felting in two years.
- Wider, thicker perches, which is the detail that prevents the curled toes and pressure sores narrow dowels cause.
- Lockable nest boxes with outside access, so eggs come out without opening the coop.
- Several entrances and a side vent, so it actually breathes, which is what keeps ammonia and frostbite down.
- Raised off the ground, so the floor stays drier and the birds get shade underneath.
Where it falls short
- Six nest boxes implies a flock of eighteen to twenty-four hens at the usual one box per three or four birds. The coop's own footprint of 56.3 by 34.5 inches is about 13.5 square feet, which is two or three standard hens at 4 square feet each. The box count is marketing, not capacity.
- This is a hen house, not a complete setup. There is no run of any size included, so budget for one.
- Fir at this price is thin. It is fine as a sleeping box inside a secure run and it is not what stops a raccoon on its own.
- The wire and hinges on coops in this class are the first things owners upgrade. Assume you will replace at least the latches.
- It needs sealing. Non-toxic varnish out of the box is not the same as an exterior finish that survives several winters.
What owners report
Owner reports on small raised wooden coops of this type are consistent, and this one draws the usual pattern. Assembly is described as fiddly but achievable in a couple of hours, with the standard flat-pack complaint about hole alignment. The roof draws better comments than most, which tracks with PVC being a better material than felt at this price. Perch width and the number of entrances get mentioned positively by owners who have kept birds in cheaper coops before.
The two recurring criticisms are hardware and capacity. Light hinges, thin latches and stapled wire are what owners upgrade, and doing so early is cheaper than doing it after a loss. Capacity disappointment is the other, and it is entirely predictable: buyers who counted the nest boxes and assumed a large flock describe a coop that is full with three birds. That is the coop being small, not the coop being faulty.
The arithmetic on capacity
Multiply the published dimensions and you get roughly 13.5 square feet of footprint, and the raised henhouse portion is smaller than that. Against the planning figure we use throughout our coop size requirements chart, at least 4 square feet of indoor floor per standard bird, this is a two to three hen coop, and the nest box count has nothing to do with it. Hens share nest boxes anyway. They will queue for one favourite box while five sit empty, which is why one box per three or four birds is enough. Size your flock with the chicken flock and egg calculator before you buy.
What to fix before the birds move in
Two jobs. Seal the timber with an exterior finish and let it cure fully. Then deal with the wire: overlay it with half inch hardware cloth fixed with screws and washers, because staples and light mesh are how backyard flocks are actually lost, as we set out in hardware cloth versus chicken wire. Being raised is a genuine advantage here for the reasons covered in raised versus ground level coops, and if you are still choosing between materials, wooden versus plastic coops is the direct comparison. The wider field is in best chicken coops and the nest boxes themselves in best chicken nesting boxes.
Who it suits
- Keepers of two or three standard hens, or four bantams.
- Anyone who needs a sleeping and laying box to sit inside a larger secure run.
- Buyers who want a raised coop with a roof that will not need re-felting.
- People upgrading from a converted shed or a temporary setup.
Who should skip it
- Anyone with more than three standard hens, who should size up rather than crowd.
- Keepers who want a coop and run in one purchase.
- Sites with serious predator pressure unless the wire and latches are upgraded.
- People who will not seal the timber, since untreated softwood outdoors does not last.
Alternatives worth considering
PawHut Large Wooden Chicken Coop for 8-10 Hens, 83 x 73 x 73 in
~$420
Not a rival so much as the missing half: a walk-in run with nest compartments that this coop can sit inside or alongside. Nearly 43 square feet of outdoor space is where a small flock actually spends its day.
Check price on AmazonOmlet Eglu Go Chicken Coop, up to 3 Large Hens or 4 Bantams
~$599
The same real capacity of about three large hens, in twin wall plastic that never needs sealing and gives red mite nowhere to hide. Three times the price, and the trade is money now against maintenance for years.
Check price on AmazonPawpuler 135.7 inch Extra Large Wooden Chicken Coop with Run
~$675
A full coop and run with 18.64 square feet of resting area and 39.55 square feet of run, which honestly houses four or five hens. The right move if your flock has already outgrown a coop this size, which happens faster than most keepers expect.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Hardware cloth vs chicken wire
- Raised vs ground level coops
- Wooden vs plastic chicken coops
- Chicken flock and egg calculator
- Coop size requirements chart
- Best chicken coops
- PawHut large wooden coop review
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens fit in the AECOJOY 56 inch coop?
Two or three standard hens, or around four bantams. The published footprint of 56.3 by 34.5 inches works out to roughly 13.5 square feet, and the henhouse portion is smaller than that. At the widely used minimum of 4 square feet of indoor floor per standard bird, three is the honest ceiling. Do not size from the nest box count.
Why does a small coop have six nest boxes?
Because nest boxes are cheap to add and they sell coops. The usual guidance is one box per three or four hens, so six boxes suggests a flock of eighteen to twenty-four, which this coop cannot house. In practice hens ignore most boxes anyway and queue for whichever one they have decided is the good one. Extra boxes are harmless, they just tell you nothing about capacity.
Is a PVC roof better than asphalt on a chicken coop?
For this price bracket, generally yes. AECOJOY states the grooved PVC board outperforms ordinary asphalt for water resistance and drainage, and the practical advantage is that it will not need re-felting after a couple of seasons the way thin asphalt on a budget coop does. Check the ridge and the fixing points after the first heavy rain either way.
Do I need to seal a new wooden coop?
Yes. A non-toxic varnish from the factory is a finish, not weatherproofing, and softwood exposed to rain and droppings degrades quickly. Use an exterior-grade product, apply it before the birds move in, keep it off surfaces they will peck, and let it cure fully. Redoing it every year or two is the difference between a coop that lasts five years and one that lasts two.
Is this coop predator proof?
No small wooden coop in this price range is, and it should be treated as sleeping quarters inside a secure run rather than as the whole defence. The weak points are the wire, the staples holding it and the latches. Overlay half inch hardware cloth fixed with screws and washers, and fit latches a raccoon cannot work with one paw, which usually means a two-step or spring-loaded design.
Raised coop or a coop on the ground?
Raised keeps the floor dry, gives the birds shade and a dust bathing spot underneath, and makes it harder for rodents to nest in the bedding. Ground level gives more usable interior height and is easier to get into for cleaning. For a small coop like this the raised design is the right call, and the ramp is the part to keep clean, because a slippery ramp is the most common minor injury cause in small setups.
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