Is the Snap Lock Big Coop worth buying?
The Snap Lock Big is the cheapest way to get a large plastic henhouse: $965 on November 14, 2026 for 17.3 sq ft, four laying boxes and three 36 in roosts, assembled without tools. Formex counts 12 to 15 birds, which the floor doesn't support (it's five hens at 3 sq ft each). It finishes last in our ranking for a simple reason: the product text names no lock or latch, and we found no warranty or return terms to read. Good shell, thin paperwork.
Buy it if
- Your hens live inside a secure fenced run already
- You want plastic you can hose, on a three-figure budget
- You're happy to fit your own hasps and padlocks
Skip it if
- You want a guarantee in writing: the Nestera Large Lodge has 25 years for $789
- You want coop and run for less: the Aivituvin AIR46 is $459.99 with its run
Can 12 to 15 chickens live in a Snap Lock Big?
Formex's line is "Capacity: 12-15 average size birds". The coop is 64 by 39 in and 42 in tall: 17.3 sq ft. Fifteen birds would have 1.2 sq ft each, twelve 1.4.
The roosts tell a similar story. Three bars of 36 in make 9 ft, which sleeps 12 hens at the 9 inches per bird UMN Extension suggests. So twelve can perch; they can't spend a snowed-in day in there.
By the 3 sq ft indoor rule (UMN), this is a five-hen coop, six or seven if they're out from dawn to dusk. Four laying boxes are more than enough at any of those numbers.
Why does it rank last if the price is so good?
Our formula can only credit what a brand publishes. On value the Snap Lock scores 9.6 out of 10, second only to the Aivituvin. On cleaning, 10: a removable tray and hose-clean plastic.
Then come the blanks. Predator protection: the product text describes no lock, no latch, no raised floor, so 1 out of 10. Warranty: not stated. Returns: not stated. Assembly time: not stated, though "no tools" is encouraging. A blank scores 2. Three blanks and a 1 sink a coop, whatever the plastic is like.
That's a judgment on the information, not on the product. If Formex confirms a warranty and a latch to you by email, it's a much better buy than its score says.
What do you need to add?
Security first. Fit a hasp and a carabiner or padlock on each opening, and close the pop door at night; an automatic coop door can do it for you if the wall is flat enough to mount one (ask Formex).
Then height and a run. Formex sells a matching run for $1,354 and a stand with stairs for $602, wire not included with either. At those prices the total passes $2,900, and other coops become better deals. The Snap Lock makes most sense on its own, set inside a pen you already have.
Video: "Formex Snap Lock Chicken Coop", Formex Manufacturing on YouTube. Not made by us; chosen because it shows the product or the topic clearly.
What's in the box?
Snap-together wall, floor and roof panels; three 36 in roosts; four laying boxes; the removable litter tray. No run and no stand.
How long does assembly take, and what do you need?
Formex says no tools are required: the double-wall panels snap into each other. No time is given. Put it on a level, well-drained base, since the house isn't raised, and check each door once it's up to decide where your own latches go.
What does it really cost once it's in the yard?
Hasps and padlocks from the hardware store. The stand with stairs is $602, the run $1,354, and neither includes chicken wire. Ask about shipping to your address and about returns before paying: we couldn't read either policy.
What do we like, and what should you know?
- $965 for 17.3 sq ft of plastic house, about $80 per bird at Formex's count
- "No tools required": the panels snap together
- Removable litter tray and plastic you can hose
- Three 36 in roosts (9 ft in all) and four laying boxes
- Impact, UV, water and chemical resistant panels, with adjustable ventilation (Formex)
The catch: Formex's text lists no lock or latch, so ask how the lid and doors are secured. We couldn't read a warranty or a return policy, and our formula scores both as not stated. The house sits on the ground unless you buy the stand ($602). The matching run is $1,354, and chicken wire isn't included with it.
Are you allowed to keep hens where you live?
Before you order, check your city or county code and, if you have one, your HOA covenants: they decide whether hens are allowed, how many, and how far a coop must sit from the property line (Extension, urban poultry rules). Can I have chickens in my backyard shows where to look, and how big should a chicken coop be does the space math for 3 to 20 hens. This isn't legal advice.
Snap Lock Big Coop specifications
| Type | Coop |
|---|---|
| Hens, says the brand | "12-15 average size birds" (Formex) |
| Hens at 3 sq ft each | 5 hens |
| House | 17.3 sq ft of floor. 64 in x 39 in, 42 in tall |
| Material | Snap-together plastic panels: impact, UV, water and chemical resistant (Formex) |
| Roosts | Three 36 in roosts |
| Nest boxes | Four laying boxes |
| Run | No run: Formex sells one for $1,354, wire not included |
| Predator protection | Formex's product text lists no lock or latch; ask how the lid and doors are secured |
| Cleaning | Removable litter tray and plastic you can hose; Formex calls it "maintenance free" |
| Weather | Adjustable ventilation, water- and UV-resistant panels |
| Assembly | "No tools required": the panels snap together (no time stated) |
| Warranty | Not stated |
| Returns | Not stated |
"Not stated": not on the pages we read on November 14, 2026. Every figure is Formex's own.
Why 7.9/10? The score, criterion by criterion
Each criterion is scored out of 10 from what Formex publishes; what isn't published scores 2. This product rounded to the same figure as the one ranked just above it; the published tie-break (lower price, then longer warranty) places it one step below, so that no two products share a score. A coop's price is judged per hen the brand says it houses, against the median of the coops. The full method is public.
| Price per hen the brand says it houses (15%) | 9.6/10 |
|---|---|
| Room per hen (15%) | 3.8/10 |
| Predator protection published (15%) | 1.0/10 |
| Warranty (15%) | Not published: 2.0/10 |
| Cleaning (10%) | 10.0/10 |
| Weather (10%) | 7.0/10 |
| Run included in the price, and its size per hen (10%) | 2.0/10 |
| Return window, minus fees and return shipping (5%) | Not published: 2.0/10 |
| Assembly time stated by the brand (5%) | Not published: 2.0/10 |
How much is the Snap Lock Big Coop, and where do you buy it?
$965 on Formex's own US store on November 14, 2026. Price of the coop alone on Formex's own store. The matching run was $1,354 and the stand with stairs $602 (chicken wire not included with either).
If that is more than you planned, the Nestera Large Lodge costs $789 and scores 8.9/10. Next in price, the Omlet Eglu Cube is $1,119 for 9.2/10.
What should you ask Formex first?
- How do the lid, the doors and the pop door lock?
- What is the warranty, and what is your return policy?
- Can an automatic door be mounted on the front panel?
What should you compare it with?
The two coops closest in price: Omlet Eglu Cube ($1,119, 9.2/10) and Nestera Large Lodge ($789, 8.9/10).
Head-to-heads: Nestera Large Lodge vs Snap Lock Big Coop. Its closest rivals, compared with each other: Omlet Eglu Cube vs Nestera Large Lodge.
Rankings with this coop: best chicken coops, all ranked, chicken coop for 6 chickens, chicken coop for 10 chickens, cheap chicken coop.
Guides that mention it or help you decide: plastic vs wood chicken coops.
Where do these figures come from?
- formexstore.com/product/snap-lock-big-chicken-coop, read November 14, 2026
- formexstore.com/product/snap-lock-chicken-coop-run, read November 14, 2026
