Coop size

[JackE]

I never thought about lifting the coop off the ground for additional space. Time do do some research about how tall I want my coop so I can add some legs to it.

Not only for additional space, but it is a good idea to get it up off the ground, so you can easily see and control what's going on under there. Mice and rats love dark hidden spaces to set up housekeeping, especially with a good food supply nearby.
Jack

 

[Chicks4me8]

Just a quick question about lifting it up. How far off the ground do you recommend?

 

[JackE]

Just a quick question about lifting it up. How far off the ground do you recommend?

My walkin coop is up about a foot and a half. Since it is sited on a slight slope, one side is a bit higher. You just want it up so you can totally see under it. A smaller coop could go up higher to make access to the interior easier, for maintenance and egg collection.
Jack

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I never thought about lifting the coop off the ground for additional space. Time do do some research about how tall I want my coop so I can add some legs to it.

cknkids has a great idea there...there is another thread around here where the folks were having a hard time keeping rats from living under the coop (not a raised coop). With it raised there is no habitat created for rodents there.

 

[aart]

Just a quick question about lifting it up. How far off the ground do you recommend?

Depending on how big the coop is, you want to think about being able to access the entire area under the coop if necessary.

 

[Chicks4me8]

So I have moved the older 6 outside and they love it. And of course the coop ended up being bigger than I planned as well as their "yard". I have yet to add the 2 bantam chicks to the mix as they are still in the house. I am hoping that they will go outside by the end of the month. And I am not overly worried about adding them into the mix as we have on RIR that "adopted" the Fayoumis and I have taken the bantams outside and the RIR watches out for the bantams.

 

[cd2675]

Hi everyone
I'm planning to convert a shed, 11'6"' x 5'8", into a coop with an outside run looping around the outside from one side to the other (sorry, no measurements for that one). From what I'm seeing here, it sounds like my planned coop would be big enough for the following (all hens):
1 Australorp
1 Barred Plymouth Rock
1 Rhode Island Red
1 Star
1 Welsummer
I live in MA and we can get some pretty snowy winters so I just want to be sure I'm assuming correctly.
Thanks in advance for the time!!