Foundation/base for 8x8 coop?

[blackdog043]

Mine is on a slope. To make it level, the back had to be higher, the left corner is the highest. If it were on flat ground, I probably would have raised it 2 blocks, to get air flow underneath.

 

[flyin-lowe]

Mine sits directly on the ground. One corner was a little out of level so we drove a treated 2x6 into the ground which one corner rested on and we screwed it to that. I bought a 2 foot wide role of welded wire fence and set my coop and run on it to help keep digging animals out. Then I have a perimeter of rock about 18 inches out all the way around. I used treated lumber from the floor down and standard pine for the wall studs.

 

[Howard E]

Are you ready to commit to permanent? If so, traditional A#1 floor of choice for a chicken house and run is a cement slab, elevated about 4 to 6 inches above the adjacent soil, so it is high and dry. Cement offers protection from digging predators, including weasels, and is rat proof. If done correctly it is dry, a cement slab is easy to clean and sanitize.

If not permanent, then go with what the others suggest. Whatever the case, it should be located on a well drained, south facing slope if at all possible (never, ever a north facing slope in northern climates) and openings facing south away from the cold, north winter winds and into the warming south winter sun.

 

[aart]

a cement slab, elevated about 4 to 6 inches above the adjacent soil

How does one pour a slab 4-6" above the soil?
Or do you mean a 4-6" thick cement slab?
Slab poured over tree roots would likely kill tree...or tree roots may eventually destroy slab.

@green_thumb are you in Ohio(tag)...northern or southern?
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[Howard E]

Top of slab would be elevated that much above adjacent land. So dig some perimeter footings, bed those in gravel, bed interior of slab on gravel, then pour your slab. Again, you want the top of the slab the house will rest upon to be at least 4 inches above the adjacent soil level. And then slope soil to drain away in all directions. Let gravity solve a whole lot of moisture problems for you. Leave it high and dry.

And if this has to go under a tree, then NO slab. It will kill the tree or the tree will kill it.

 

[aart]

However, my intended site is under a silver maple and we are bound to run into all kinds of roots trying to dig down any amount.

And if this has to go under a tree, then NO slab. It will kill the tree or the tree will kill it.

 

[green_thumb]

How does one pour a slab 4-6" above the soil?
Or do you mean a 4-6" thick cement slab?
Slab poured over tree roots would likely kill tree...or tree roots may eventually destroy slab.

@green_thumb are you in Ohio(tag)...northern or southern?
Welcome to BYC!
Here's who to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!
View attachment 1659608

Central Ohio, thanks for the tip!

Yeah, concrete isn't really an option for several reasons. Drainage is pretty much my day job so I've been carefully staking out a spot since we bought our property about 2 years ago: flat, no ponding (because it's Ohio, a certain level of "wet" needs to be expected in late winter/spring), nearby slope to drain rain and snowmelt away, protected by the tree shade in summer, south-facing with the coop located west of the run to help block the bitter winds in the winter...

 

[Acre4Me]

because it's Ohio, a certain level of "wet" needs to be expected in late winter/spring

Ain't that the truth!

I'm in OH too (although not raised here), and its a little too wet for my tastes, clay soil takes some work to make a garden flourish, and driving around to see all the standing water after a good rain can be a humorous pastime. At least I don't have a basement that can flood (no basement, didn't want the kids thinking they could live with us forever).