COOP RUN HEIGHT????

[Kay56]

HI...we are finishing up our coop (if the weather will cooperate) and need some advice on the run area. We are going to make it 5 x 12 but do not know if we should make it short, or tall enough for me to walk in. It will be covered in 1/2 inch hardware cloth all over as well as the floor area to deter predators. At least four inches of sand for the flooring over the hardware cloth and a lightweight removable cover for when the weather is bad.
We see so many different heights on here so can you tell us........ WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU?????

 

[bj taylor]

in my opinion, having it tall enough for you to get into is the better option.

 

[mb poultry]

Definitely make it tall enough to stand up in, its way to hard to clean out if you have to stay bent over.

 

[jeepguy982001]

make it tall enough to stand in i didn't now i'm going to have to redo it. But i'm sure the neighbors loved watching me trying to catch a skiddish chicken on my hands and knees for 30 minutes though.

 

[Jaxon4141]

My personal preference is to make runs small enough so that you can pick them up and move them. The size I like best is 5' wide, 5' long and 2' high made out of heavy fencing. Runs always get barren and muddy. Nice to be able to move them over to a new stop.

 

[prescott2k]

I'll have to agree with keeping a coop that wide tall enough to get into. If it was only a couple feet wide, I can see keeping it low if you were to put a hinged roof on top so you can access the run. However, with a 5 foot by 12 foot run, you won't want to deal with a roof that big. Keeping it taller definitely makes cleaning easier as well as enables you to access a sick/injured bird without injuring/frustrating yourself.