How far off the ground does a coop need to be?

[nittanyxi]

how far off the ground does a coop need to be to keep animals from setting up home under it?

 

[HEChicken]

I would think the further it is off the ground, the more animals would be able to make a home out of it. I have mine sitting directly on the ground (see my personal page).

 

[patandchickens]

If it is less than a foot or so, it is pretty inviting for animals. More than a foot and a half and nothing is really gonna try it (it is too exposed for them to be secure). So, somewhere in that range

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[AtholCoop]

Just a touch higher than your wheelbarrow

 

[Marie1234]

Quote:
Yeah, that's the perfect height!

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

I am no expert but I would say 3-4 high range it is enough for you to put a wheelburrow under it to cleans as well is high enoh to stick feed and waterer's under plus give the chickens a way to get out of the sun but I warn you the will dust bath under there so you may not want to put the waterer under their with them.

 

[PineappleMama]

Ours is 2' up and our girls like it just fine. We used 2x4 studs for the 'corner posts' of our coop... 1' is buried, 2' stilts, and the rest is the actual coop walls. So far it's working well. Hope that helps.

 

[chickerdoodle]

We built ours 30" off the ground so I can use a rake or get under it myself if necessary. I need to be able to use a rake because we are using sand in the run (pine shavings in hen house). No critters can get in there (well mice could but they would be dinner for the hens).

The hen house itself is 4'x5' and surrounded by 1/2" hardware cloth securely fastened around 3 sides to 2x4's so they can use it as part of their run (the run goes another 12' and its also secured the same way)

We did bury hardware cloth under the entire run and its attached to the frame of our coop to prevent diggers--including rats. We also put doors that open almost the entire length of the hen house on both sides for easy cleaning (and yes we have a removable "lip" on the sides so shavings don't just pour out if it when we open unless we want it to). I like the idea of using the wheelbarrow to figure the height needed

--I believe there will be plenty of room for that under ours!

If that's too high for your plans I have read that a minimum of 18" is best. Oh--we also are going to add 2-3 feet of cement pavers around the entire coop to prevent digging near the base even though its wired underneath. I am obsessive and want a clear area around it--well a few ceramic flower pots to dress it up.

My motto--no rats no rats no rats no rats..... Please! no rats no rats no rats...

Helpful thread!