Looking for opinions . . . To Raise or not to Raise

[aart]

I'd raise it too, nice to have a space they can get under during rain and in the winter if you have snow pileups.
Keep in mind that you may need to get under there to retrieve a chook for various reasons, so make it high enough for a human to get under there.

I would also add a run area attached for more run room....depending on how many chooks and if you plan to free range or not.

 

[Blooie]

I'm afraid I'm a nay-sayer....I wouldn't raise it up. Too hard to clean under, and if a chicken is injured or sick and hides under there it can be very difficult to get out. If you live in a cold area, that dead space underneath will mean cold air will surround the coop on all sides. With it on the ground, you at least have no cold air circulating under it. Regardless of whether you leave it on the ground or raise it, you'll still need some kind of apron around it to deter diggers. Hardware cloth used as an apron will keep rodents out if that's a concern. Rodents can get whether it's on the ground or raised. My neighbor built her coop up off the ground. She has rodents, I don't. I have hardware cloth in place, she doesn't.

Have a great time building your coop! After all of our work was done, and the chickens safely housed within, we sure were proud of ourselves. We had fun designing and building it, despite the fact that we had no carpentry skills....between the two of us we couldn't stack a straight sandwich! Most of the laughing was at ourselves.

 

[foothillsco]

From a construction point of view, raise it.

Raising it will keep it lasting a very long time, if painted.

Build a foundation of cinder blocks and rub stucco on the sides to make them look nicer and hold them together. Then place some pressure treated 2x6's on top of the cinder blocks and glue them to cinder blocks. THEN...put your coop on top of this.

Your going spend about $100 my way but it will be worth it compared to replacing a rotting structure a few short years from now.

 

[RJSorensen]

My only comment is regarding how fast wood rots. Most people have no idea just how fast it happens. So use the blocks or at least treated timbers for skids. Your time and efforts will be wasted otherwise.

RJ

 

[RonP]

My converted shed coop is 42 years old, sitting on the ground.

There were a few rotted floor boards.

I screwed a few pieces of pressure treated panels on top.

They will probably need replacing in 40 or so years also...

Really depends on your environment.