coop question???

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peggymamma

peggymamma

Hatching
Mar 16, 2015
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Good morning! I've been raising kiddos all my life, but I'm a newbie with chickens. My girls are nearly a year old and are doing great in what's basically a covered run. However, We've recently moved to the country so now we can build them something permanent.
we want to let them free range for sure, but with a small run for when we're not at home.
we're looking at coop designs and wondering why some are raised off the ground and some are not. Can someone educate me on the benefits of each design, please????
Thanks so much. I need lots of guidance. :)
 
Hello
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and Welcome to BYC!
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Glad to have you join! Feel free to make yourself at home! I have had both types of coops and at the moment I have one off the ground because I had raccoon's and snakes dig under the coop and get some hens, so it's harder to get in.
 
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I would not change the basic structure of what you have been using. I'[m guessing you live in a temperate or warm zone (Where you live has a lot to do with which structure is best.) In most climates, chickens can actually survive with no buildings, although they certainly behave as if they like to get in out of heavier rain or snow, and in the summer, breee and shade are a ecessity. But coops are mostly designed to keep them safe from predators -- which you may prefer to do with hardware cloth rather than solid walls. They are much more tolerand ot cold than heat.

Here is a link to a good thread on setups people use in the southern part of the US -- and some use similar setups farther north as well. If you live far north, or if you want an enclosed building anyway, look at the first two links in my signature line.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/163417/please-show-me-your-hot-weather-coops
 
Hello & welcome!
I also am new, but can add from my experiences. Our coop sits on the ground. We have many coons & snakes where I live, so we put a pad of landscaping stones under our coop floor for extra security, we also made sure to add locking mechanisms to each entry as those coons are darn smart.
Hope my comments help you with ideas!
Much luck to you :)
 
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if you live in the cold north east, avoid being high off the ground,, the cold wind can freeze up the bottom, drafts are also a problem... that would be the main reason for height differences.. which ever way you go,, if you have a good solid base,, ie- plywood, solid boards without holes, predators should stay out easier..
 
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So glad you have joined us.

Not sure if you mean a coop just off the ground or one elevated for living space underneath.

IMO it depends on where you are.

If you have cold winters with snow, ice, then a larger walk-in coop would be better for times of confinement, space to feed, water inside.

If your climate is moderate - cool or cold winter, rare frozen precipitation like ours - where you can feed, water in a protected covered run, then a raised coop just for sleeping works well.

Really warm climates you can just give wind ,rain protection and roosts in a protected end of the run.

The final decision should factor in how you plan to service and clean the coop.

Good luck with your new plans.
 

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