I have to ask

[Ole rooster]

Because I'm cheap. Raising mine 24 inches means I got to use less material, 2 foot less. And I'm still around $1000.

 

[7&8]

Quote:
You're not cheap, you're frugal!

Me...I'm just tighter than bark on a tree!

 

[AtholCoop]

Because I don't need anything else to dig out every time it snows.

I'm also curious about knowing people who've had chickens freeze to death. With 8+ inches of pine shavings on the floor for insulation I've never had a problem. In fact last year I experimented with no heat except for the water. Everyone did just fine even with -15 degree temps. So this year both coops are going to heat for water only.

 

[Farmer Mike]

I built mine on the ground, but with a wood floor. The base is made from 4x4s sitting on gravel and bricks. I am using a deep litter method and hope this provides insulation from the ground as well as absorbent for the waste. I built it so I could have a people door and enough height that I could get in without ducking down. The hens have a fully secure run attached so they can come and go as they like. Sometimes I feel I built it too nice as they spend about 50% of their day inside (or maybe they don't like the run?). Both the run and coop were made to meet 4sq.ft. per bird inside and 8 sq.ft. per bird outside. (I have 8 hens)

My main concern lately is condensation and the upcoming winter. Seems most people do not heat their coops, and with warm air holding more moisture, I now know why. I will likely use a water heater of some sort and deep liter. I just read the posts above that the composting liter may also provide heat...I never considered this. (I learn something new every time I visit this site)

I am also considering insulating the coop but don't look forward to covering over the insulation with wood (to keep silly chickens from eating the insulation).

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
I understand the silts now from some posters if you have wet swampy ground. However, I have reasonable drainage and the sub-ground level dirt floor composting pit keeps the deep litter at just the right moisture level for composting. (not dry, but not wringing wet either). It rarely freezes the water tub during the day and the compost pit seems to moderate tempertures in the Coop. I do not have my walls insulated but do have good ventilation under the eaves on the low and high side of my coop (See my BYC page for pics of my set up). My broodys will raise their chicks with no problems and quite often have scratched out holes in the compost all the way down to dirt level. Since I add litter from the lawnmower clippings bag that includes everything from pine cones to weed seed heads, there must be something the mother hen (and flock) find in the pit worth digging for and mixing it up for me.

 

[allpeepedout]

I assumed that the raised coop was born of frugality and limited space.
My great grandmother had a poop board in her coop, so the idea goes back 100+ years in my family in the midwest.
The more land or room you have, the less work and the less need to resort to complexity and invention, methinks.

 

[coalroadcabin]

OP. Just because everyone is different.

For instance: I would not plant a Mulberry tree if you paid me to. You obviously like Mulberry trees. You aren't right or wrong - just different from me.

I have a poop board (actually a sand box) You don't . I'm not right or wrong - just different from you.

My coop is raised. Yours isn't. You aren't wrong or right - just different.

You are happy with the way you manage your flock. I am happy with the way I manage my flock. Remember Baskin Robbins and the 51 flavors - something for everyone!!

I am curious as to whether your original post was truly a question or if it was an editorial?

It is hard to tell sometimes just by reading a post what the poster's true intent was. Some people write with a fairly abrupt manner & that can give an arrogant voice to the most innocent question. So that's why I'm asking. I know that I have a kind of flippant style of writing that can read as sarcastic sometimes. And I'm not that way at all, so please don't take my question as sarcasm.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
A little of both, I never even thought of a floored coop during my research all them years ago and am happy with the way mine has worked out. It wasn't until I got on BYC and saw all the stilted coops that it seemed to me more artsy craftsy then long term functional practically. My intention when I designed and built mine was for the long haul, I only wanted to build once and be prepared for Y2K, then the alignment of the planets, then the economic meltdown, then the 2nd great depression, and now for the Zombie Apocalypse.

 

[heatherkh]

(xposted with the original poster himself!)

We dug out a dirt floor coop as well and so far so good! We had a horribly wet spring/early summer and everything inside the coop/run stayed dry. It works with our climate and location. Some would probably say our coop is too open, and we may need to tarp some walls if it gets super cold this winter, but we generally have mild winters. Our neighbor has a very low-fi, dirt floor coop situation and has been keeping his chickens healthy and happy for eons (he's 87).

I think the original poster asked an honest question in a very balance matter. I think it landed wrong with some people who interpreted as an attack on their style of coop (perhaps with the exception of his distaste for poop boards). I also think a lot of you educated him on how the raised style of coop works better for you in your given situations (urban requirements, predation, climate/drainage issues, simple personal preference). But I don't think he intended to be condescending or nasty about it.

 

[lauriej57]

Quote:
I normally only use a 60 watt bulb in each of my coops, about 15 inches above the water bowl. It provides extended lighting, it keeps the water from freezing, for the most part, and it provides some warmth in the coop. My big coop has 2 floor, it's 4x8 by 6 ft high. They sleep/roost in the top floor and any heat from the bottom rises up. On those really cold blizzardy nights, I can leave the light on all night, and they still go upstairs to roosts, where just barely gets to. They have a whole in the floor with a ladder to get up there.

My smaller coop is the same size, but not 2 floors and not as tall. I normally put my older hens in there during the winter, and used to only use the light when it was really cold, but last winter, we put up a divider, making a smaller area for the food and water, so I can keep the light on more during the day, but it doesn't light up the whole coop, mainly keeps the water from freezing and provides a little warmth. It's rare that I leave that light on at night, and they do just fine.

I've never even had a frostibitten comb, not even from my 2 leghorns that usually spend the winter in the smaller coop.