Galinheiro vs. capoeira
These words both refer to a place where domestic fowl are kept, but usage depends heavily on regional context and nuance. While galinheiro is the standard, descriptive term for a chicken house, capoeira has a broader history involving transport baskets, vegetation, and regional preferences between Brazil and Portugal.
Galinheiro
B1This is the most universal and literal word for a chicken coop or henhouse. Derived directly from the word galinha (hen), it refers specifically to the physical structure—whether a wire enclosure or a wooden shed—where chickens live and lay eggs.
O raposo conseguiu entrar no galinheiro ontem à noite.
(The fox managed to enter the henhouse last night.)
Precisamos de limpar o galinheiro e trocar a palha.
(We need to clean the chicken coop and change the straw.)
A minha avó vai ao galinheiro todas as manhãs buscar ovos.
(My grandmother goes to the henhouse every morning to get eggs.)
Eles construíram um galinheiro maior no fundo do quintal.
(They built a larger chicken coop at the back of the yard.)
A porta do galinheiro ficou aberta e as galinhas escaparam.
(The door of the henhouse was left open and the chickens escaped.)
Capoeira
B2In European Portuguese, this is a very common synonym for a stationary chicken coop. However, in certain rural Brazilian contexts, capoeira can also refer to a wicker basket or cage used specifically to transport poultry to markets. It is important to look at context, as capoeira also refers to the famous Afro-Brazilian martial art and a type of secondary vegetation.
Feche a capoeira para que os bichos não fujam.
(Close the coop so the animals do not run away.)
Ele levou dois frangos para a feira dentro de uma capoeira.
(He took two chickens to the market inside a transport basket.)
As galinhas já recolheram à capoeira para dormir.
(The chickens have already returned to the coop to sleep.)
Esta capoeira de madeira é muito antiga e precisa de reparos.
(This wooden coop is very old and needs repairs.)
Não há espaço suficiente nessa capoeira para tantos perus.
(There is not enough space in that coop for so many turkeys.)
Summary
Use galinheiro when you want to be universally understood as referring to the building where chickens live. Use capoeira as a synonym for specific enclosures or coops (especially in Portugal) or when referring to a transport cage/basket in rural contexts. Be aware that capoeira is also the name of a Brazilian martial art.