Maximum coop elevation

[3KillerBs]

It occurs to me that I have seen some photos of elevated coops -- conversions of kids' outgrown playhouses/jungle gyms. They had stairs though.

I'm not sure how an electric fence would help. Are you thinking just around the base of the platform?

A few, well-placed hot wires are the easiest way to deter a wide variety of predators. If you have bears it's the only thing that really works.

So I'm trying to figure out if there is an obvious reason this won't work that we are overlooking.

I really think the maintenance part of it is going to be the downfall. Are you really able and willing to regularly lug up loads of bedding? Going up there daily in all sorts of weather to clean out, bring up food, fetch eggs?

That was exactly my thoughts. The daily work of chickens doesn't take a day off for adverse weather, illness, etc. Collecting eggs on a ladder isn't so bad in nice weather in the summer, but looks different in a blizzard.

The use of Deep Bedding can reduce the frequency of cleaning, but I hauled away two full Gorilla carts yesterday from a 16 square foot coop and it makes a lot more work to have to shovel it out onto the ground then shovel it up into the cart from the ground.

Given my northern location with sub freezing weather I think I will need a completely enclosed and insulated coop.

Actually, no.

If you have adequate ventilation then insulation really doesn't do much. Chickens tolerate cold wonderfully well as long as there is adequate ventilation to keep them dry (they give off a lot of moisture through their breath and their poop).

This is BYC's definitive article on cold-weather chicken keeping: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

 

[Artichoke Lover]

This is actually one of my biggest concerns and why I asked about what varieties of chicken would do best for this. It would be rather unfortunate if I put in this effort only to find out that the chickens couldn't get to the coop. I have a friend who has spent a lot of time on farms and assures me this will work with some chicken breeds but I have not been able to find any examples of someone actually doing this. So I'm trying to figure out if there is an obvious reason this won't work that we are overlooking.

Thanks!

If you aren’t worried about daytime predators maybe rig out the coop door as sort of draw bridge. Have rope or ropes run through hooks at the top that you can you to raise or lower it. When it’s down and the coop is open it would work as the ramp. When you close the coop it will become the door. Of course if you want to leave the coop open 24/7 or have problems with daytime predators this might not be the best idea.

 

[moonthief]

Fairly new at this, 5 years, or just over. Still have never had a predator try to enter the coop. All my losses have been in daylight, free ranging. Will be following to see how your plan works.
I was considering an automatic door. But i forgot to count the girls when i thought it was too dark for them to be out and found one on the roof the next morning. So i am still looking for a more self contained less "MY" hands on system. lol

I've seen a mink run across the back yard before so I'm sure I'll lose some to predation. They need to be free range to provide tick control though and I'm not really fond of fences. So this is kinda my approach to a hands off system where I provide a place they are sheltered, safe from predators and they can come and go as they please. Your comment about your chickens using roosts 6 feet up give me confidence that this is at least worth a try. Thanks!