Coop Question... Up on Stilts?

[Hackleberry]

I have been giving a lot of thought to my chicken house design and am about to begin construction. I'm going to build it on 6 X 6 treated posts set in concrete. There will be about 2 feet of space under the floor which will provide shade in the summer and no place for predators to hide. I will have access doors at the back of the nests for gathering eggs from the outside. I'll have sliding door for the chickens to go in and out of the chicken house which I'll be able to close at night without entering the pen. Since the chicken house is elevated a couple feet I'll want to be able to gather eggs and close up the house for the night without having to climb up the steps and enter the chicken house. I've also thought about a sliding access door for feed and water. This sliding access door would be a the floor level so you can put you wheelbarrow up next the elevated chicken house and shovel the interior floor off into it. I will build this chicken house large enough to handle 50 or so chickens. I only have a couple dozen but a little extra room is always handy to have especially in the winter. Its fun planning and adapting the design for your own individual needs.

 

[digitS']

Hackleberry, I know from some experience that you live in a fairly high crime (predator) part of the world.

Also, elevation should help for access with all that snow.

Ashley80 wrote:
. . . - We're going to clad down to ground level and put a shelf in about 15cm off the ground that will hold a couple of rodent proof feed bins.

Thats the theory anyway, the proof will be in the pudding I guess.

Ashley, I'm not sure what you mean by "clad down to the ground level" but if it means exterior siding, that will be almost like having a 2-story coop.

Of course, this isn't such a new idea - take a look at this page from Belgium, click on "COOPS" in the upper left corner and then on "pile coops."

Edited to say, "pilecoop with ventillation" looks like a good choice for a backyard, to me. And, edited to correct my spelling of "Belgium"

.

Steve​

 

[orcasislandchickens]

My chickens like having the additional run space under the coop. It is 18 to 20 inches tall. I can also easily close that area off as a solitary confinement area for a broody with chicks. It is very sheltered there already and if I add an enclosed nest box, and small barrier, it makes up into a wonderful tiny house mini run. There is also a separate access to the larger outdoor run area under there that is mostly kept closed. So I have a little bolt on removable setup that I can put together for a hen determined to hatch eggs and raise babies.

 

[Heather J]

I know I'm looking at building on stilts to provide shade to my chickens because there are very few small trees in the area, and none near the chicken run. In the summer they all crowd into the shady spaces. I hadn't thought about being able to block the space off for a broody or younger crew but that's a really good idea. I'll have to consider that when I build the stilts.

 

[SophieLain127]

I'm putting my coop 18" off the ground. I'm doing it so that way it will provide extra shade and running room for my girls. I gave alot of thought to the neighbor hood animals and I'm actually putting my coop inside of my run.

 

[karen71]

DH put my first coop on stilts to make it easier to clean -
I wouldn't have to bend down
I just push the wheelbarrow under the opening and put the bedding into it

I have a new coop that is tall enough to walk into - haven't decided which I like better yet

oh and by the way

 

[aidenbaby]

You guy shave somewhat inspired me to think more about raising my coop (and for more than just the cats). It would give the chicks more room than they currently have and as we all know more space is better.