In praise of elevated coops

[Ted Brown]

... Build them small enough and they are reasonably easy to move, another big advantage in my experience.

Well I got the elevated part but my coop is 10' by 16' Woods so no moving it while assembled. However, I built it per the original design from the Woods book; 13 panels that can be disassembled with a hard days work (see My Coop pictorial).

My current project is a pole shed "cathedral" to house a set of cages for breeding, bachelor pad and isolation when needed. Foot print will be 14' by 16' but close to 17' high at the peak (height a result of three trusses I was given).



Once I finish that I will build a second coop, Woods 8' x 12', on a camper trailer frame. I have been planning this for more than a year and now have all the materials I need. Just have to find some time. That will be easily moveable so can be relocated or sold.

 

[Ted Brown]

I am seriously considering doing this with my built/commissioned coop I'm planning for next year. There's a local company that makes some nice raised ones that can be raked out pretty easily. I have back and hip problems so the big debate is a smaller raised coop versus a walk in...

Tough decision. I would do a walk in with drop boards, I replace dry bedding once a year, an easy but dusty job.

 

[Happy hen lover]

I chose an elevated coop and have never been sorry. I'm limited in run space and adds to the run footage.
I crawl in coop weekly with old carpet to clean poop boards. Birds spend almost

all of summer and winter snuggled under there.

 

[woodworm]

I am seriously considering doing this with my built/commissioned coop I'm planning for next year. There's a local company that makes some nice raised ones that can be raked out pretty easily. I have back and hip problems so the big debate is a smaller raised coop versus a walk in...

Depends on how many hens your realistically going to have. I built a raised 8 x 6 coop which is plenty for me - also gave them more run space underneath.

One thing I would recommend is building it high enough you can rake it directly into your wheel barrow and also easier if you need to get underneath ...

 

[KyCoop]

I've not regretted my elevated coop. They love the space underneath when it storms. It's also has concrete in posts so I know it's not going anywhere. The air circulation under the coop is priceless in the summer.

This picture is before we took the winter panels off.

 

[tripletfeb]

I agree with an elevated coop and with what @woodworm said about the wheel barrow. Hubby and I built our coop with both those things in mind. I love it, only clean it out twice a year, throw the old bedding on the garden. Couldn't be easier

 

[Sally PB]

Our coop is built on the bed of an old trailer we found on our property. Originally, it was to be moved near the garden in the summer, and by the house in the winter. After realizing how much EASIER it was to tend the chickens with the coop near the house... there it stays.

We've added on twice, to accomodate flock additions. The coop is no longer mobile.

I didn't originally want the chickens to have access to the area under the coop, so it's closed off. It's about 2 feet off the ground...? Being built on a trailer, there are tires and frame under there. I didn't want to have to get under there to retrieve an egg, or a sick bird.

I'm somewhat rethinking that decision. It would be easy enough to enclose the are, and would add about 64 sf to the run. I have found an egg in the run twice. I don't know if a sick bird would hide there, but if I had to, I could get underneath.

One thing I am sure we did right is to make the coop tall enough for me to stand in! I have to crouch to reach into the additions, but that's doable, as they're 2 feet deep.

 

[Kellow1]

I've just started building my coop and I always knew I wanted it elevated, mostly to add to the run space and that I hate trying to reach eggs under my in law's coop. I have just over 2.5 feet under the coop I'm building. I have to get a little help to get everything in place but it's started and that's a big step!View attachment 3628108

The start looks great. My only comment would be to use hardware cloth around the bottom to keep out predators. Chicken wire is meant to keep chickens IN not predators OUT!

 

[msmidwick]

I truly miss my coop that my husband built about 3' above ground. It had nesting boxes at the height where I could just grab the eggs. There were hinged doors for easy cleaning and the ladies loved going under for shade. And a separate 'room' as a nursery. Perfect. It got old, started falling apart, and we had to replace it with a small shed. My husband wasn't interested in a project like that again! It was awesome.

 

[JustLook]

I've just started building my coop and I always knew I wanted it elevated, mostly to add to the run space and that I hate trying to reach eggs under my in law's coop. I have just over 2.5 feet under the coop I'm building. I have to get a little help to get everything in place but it's started and that's a big step!View attachment 3628108

Ummm, how does this work, will you let the run continue under that raised part which I presume is the hen house? I love it regardless just wanting to follow this thread better! Great work!!