Does this coop need a floor?

[aart]

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[NatJ]

I thought about skipping the front wall, but I feel like the birds should be out of sight when sleeping. I don't like the idea of predators looking at my birds at night. Seems stressful for the chickens, and predators might be more motivated to break in. Am I being stupid?

I don't think it makes much difference, to the chickens or the predators. The predators already know the chickens are there (smell, sound, and seeing them in the daytime.) The chickens know the predators are there (sound, and maybe seeing them in the daytime. Chickens don't see well in the dark, and I don't think their sense of smell is all that good either.)

Besides, with no floor, any predator on the ground outside the pen can look diagonally up and see the chickens from underneath.

Another thing to consider: if you have hot summers, the sleeping area will be cooler if it has no front (because heat rises, so the hot air will not fall out the open bottom. But it can go out sideways through the nonexistent front.)

 

[rosemarythyme]

NatJ's solution is probably the best approach here since you mentioned a desert climate - it addresses overall space, the flooring issue, ventilation, etc. Don't know why it didn't occur to me earlier!

 

[fat brown hen]

I don't think it makes much difference, to the chickens or the predators. The predators already know the chickens are there (smell, sound, and seeing them in the daytime.) The chickens know the predators are there (sound, and maybe seeing them in the daytime. Chickens don't see well in the dark, and I don't think their sense of smell is all that good either.)

Besides, with no floor, any predator on the ground outside the pen can look diagonally up and see the chickens from underneath.

Another thing to consider: if you have hot summers, the sleeping area will be cooler if it has no front (because heat rises, so the hot air will not fall out the open bottom. But it can go out sideways through the nonexistent front.)

Makes sense, thank you for your suggestions!

 

[StinkyAcres]

Are you planning to make it into a chicken tractor or free range daily? Because that run is much too small for any more than 2-3 chickens.

 

[fat brown hen]

Are you planning to make it into a chicken tractor or free range daily? Because that run is much too small for any more than 2-3 chickens.

Don't worry, I have a barn and fenced pasture. This is a holding pen for the littles.

 

[Krugerrand]

I used this tractor for isolating new pullets. This was only used in mild weather, but there is no floor below the roost bar. It's designed so that it can hold food & water buckets. Plus, there's space for a nest box if I need to isolate hens for health/behavior. ... but to date, I have not had to build the nest box for it.

I used welded wire fencing around the bottom for an anti-dig apron. Not fun to move, but not terrible.