Hanging Coopdominium

[Flock In Texas]

I sold my coop and chickens when I sold my house during the divorce. I will be starting over with about 6 hens and a rooster.

I have just bought 6 1/2 acres of land in East TX and am getting ready to build a barndominium. I have many trees on my property and I want to put my coop under the trees to give them some cover from hawks. I want them to free run during the day and lock them up at night. I have this idea of building a 4x6x4h coop and suspending it by cable between 3 or 4 trees. I can build to keep raccoons and possums out of the coop just like you keep squirrels out of bird feeders. Is it a goofy idea? I can hang it 4 feet above the ground to keep coyotes and bobcats out and have a trapdoor ramp that I can raise at night for security. As it is in the shade 90% of the time, I can build it using metal skins to match my barndominium. I can build it in my shop and hang it using my tractor. I can also mow under my coop.

 

[nuthatched]

I've thought about doing something like this with some cluster trees, I like the idea but it may be difficult to execute

 

[Flock In Texas]

I wouldn't think about it if I didn't have my tractor.

 

[Yardmom]

As long as the trap door ranp system is good for them going in and out. And you are able to close that ,it sounds like a good plan. I have a two story coop. Guineas in the top. They don't have a ramp, but it worked much better when I added a platform outside the door. They can fly a whole lot better than chickens of course.

 

[aart]

Hanging would be difficult and probably hard to maintain.
And not likely to deter predators that much.

 

[Penpal]

A coyote has no problem jumping four feet. A bobcat is a CAT and can climb trees then drop down onto anything. They are also good jumpers. I might put the coop where it will get shade, but far enough from the trees for a cat to climb up and hop down. Use electric fencing to keep out pests.

 

[Flock In Texas]

They can jump up 4 feet, but they will hit a locked door and all vents will be hardware cloth. I will have metal roof overhangs around the outside so predators can't hang on I'm thinking about electrifying an insulated outer layer of chicken wire and setting up a security camera just for fun. The hens might enjoy the show from the inside. I'm pretty resourceful, I'll make it work.

 

[wrathsfarm]

You could build a moat around it with a drawbridge and landmines around the outer perimeter.
I'm kidding....
Unless its a cool idea then I'm not.