Foundation for Coop

[fmernyer]

I did a search for 'coop foundation' on here and my head is spinning.

If we have a 5 X 8 (or 6 X 8) coop that's about 4' high and about 18" off the ground...what kind of foundation are we looking at?

We live in Connecticut - so we expect the winters to be pretty snowy - and long. The ground we're building it on is - um - average - not particularly rocky or sandy - nothing stands out. Doesn't 'flood' necessarily and drains off okay.

Given the size of the coop (and therefore the weight) will it be enough set it on the ground? Or on top of cinderblocks?

Anything?

Do I have to worry about it blowing over?

Thanks!!!

 

[fmernyer]

Or more specifically could we place the coop on cinder blocks half buried - and if we don't bracket it to the block is it possible that the wind could get under it and knock it over?

 

[Tigertrea]

If it was me I'd do concrete footings 3' into the ground under each corner post. concrete blocks would likely be ok though. Just remember that you want to secure it to whatever you use. (you'd be surprised how many small jobs like fences my hubby pours cement at where people don't know this! LOL)

The blowing over issue is what I'd worry about using blocks too. You would have to bracket it to the block for sure. Burying the block would help prevent the blowing over I would think.

I'm no engineer though!

 

[Tigertrea]

Here is the pad poured! The dog pen in the background will be attached to the coop for a run. The pad is about 5'wide and 9'long. Had a little issue though. In a brainstorm my hubby decided to put a drain in one corner of the coop for when we wash it out. Unforunately he didn't measure right, so if we put the structure in the middle of the pad, the drain would have been on the outside! LOL. So, we moved the cleats over a bit and now the structure will sit ON the drain spot but, he has improvised and it should still work!

 

[fmernyer]

Excellent and thanks for the pic!


Do you think 2x4's would support the weight of a coop that size? (roughly 8x5 or 8x6) or should we use 2x6's?

 

[Tigertrea]

If you are raising it I'd say go for the extra strength. Especially if you even need to go into it, you will feel safer. I'm using 2X4 because it is 100% supported along the walls. 2X6 may be overkill for yours but, better to overdo than underdo right? (again, I'm no engineer LOL)

I actually meant to put that pic on my coop thread....Oh well, it gives an idea of what we are doing anyway LOL.

 

[ScottM]

We are going to just put it on cinder blocks and didn't plan to tie it down at all. It's beside another structure so not too worried about wind. Id think the foundation would be more about critters and pests, vs wind

?

 

[Tigertrea]

Ok, here is a scenario for you. Last summer my landlord/neighbour bought one of those walmart gazebos and put it up beside his garage. He used the pretty little ground stakes it came with to secure it. First storm, it blew away....I mean away, we had to collect it's pieces over about 500' of yard. He replaced it with a heavier one. He put patio blocks on all 4 corners and made sue the screening was always left open so that it had less surface area to catch the wind. Seemed to work well. Survived the first 2 storms. The next storm it was blown over and twisted beyond recognition. So, we "fixed" it and put heavier/more stones on the corners. He was supposed to get somebody to bolt it down to some patio stones (the 24'X24' ones we had holding it down) but, they never got around to it. The next storm the poor gazebo was toast.

So, this spring he had a friend of his in construction come over to quote him on a nice wooden gazebo. He was told, in no uncertain terms, he should put footing under it to secure it. Now, this is all partly because where it is, beside a garage, becomes a bit of a "wind tunnel" during high winds here. It seems even if the wind "should" be blocked by the garage it tunnels right beside it. We all thought that the weight of a wooden 12X12 gazebo would keep it secure on the ground. The contractor said "it might, but, do you want to take that chance?"....HM.....

SO.........My point? LOL.......maybe not securing it will work, but, do you want to take the chance? lol. I have looked at a lot of the designs and builds on here and am surprised with the fact that few seem to be actually secured in place. It must work though! I have always somehow secured every shed I've built/owned over the years that did not have an integrated floor. (with the integrated floor the weight of the contents helps hold down the structure right)

 

[fmernyer]

Thank you! Really - I'm always thinking overkill is better than the alternative...but my dh really can't wrap his mind around it. I wonder if he realizes that I'm going to need to get into it. I think he thinks I'll just scrap around the floor while standing outside of it....I guess he doesn't realize how messy chickens get?!? lol

 

[JackE]

I have my coop sitting on concrete block. I dug out maybe 3-4" for each block, put some gravel in each depression(Can't call it a hole) and leveled all the blocks. Then built the frame on top of that. Coop has been sitting there for two years with no problem. I would think your coop would be OK with the wind, you should not need to tie it down. But, all bets are off if you have a tornado or hurricane blow through there.
Jack