Maximum coop elevation

This may be obvious, but don't expect them to fly through a small entrance.
Give them a nice porch or bar or something to land on, then they can walk through the door.

Or else skip the floor of the coop and maybe some of the walls, and just build it as a roof and roosts, supported by your climb-proof posts. That way they could fly up from any point and land on the roosts. Depending on the weather, they might be just as happy without solid walls and a solid floor.
 
I'm thinking about building a coop on a platform 4 to 6 feet off the ground with climb resistant posts and no ramp as a method of providing a safe place from predators. From what I've read chickens have no problem flying up to roosts much higher then this. I intend for the chickens to have free range of the yard with the hope that they will curb the tick population while also producing eggs. I live in a fairly wooded area in the northeast. I would appreciate thoughts on this plan and suggestions on which varieties of chickens would do best for this. Thanks!
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
 
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!
Don't think it is the flying up part that would be a problem. I inherited my coop and the roosts are 6 feet above the floor. My Brahmas, Orpingtons and Wyandottes do not seem to have any problems. Though my Brahma rooster doesn't use the roosts anymore.
 
This may be obvious, but don't expect them to fly through a small entrance.
Give them a nice porch or bar or something to land on, then they can walk through the door.

Or else skip the floor of the coop and maybe some of the walls, and just build it as a roof and roosts, supported by your climb-proof posts. That way they could fly up from any point and land on the roosts. Depending on the weather, they might be just as happy without solid walls and a solid floor.
I was envisioning a platform a couple of feet wider and longer then the coop with the coop in the center so they would have about a foot of landing area on all sides. This would allow them to reach safety from any side.

Skipping some the of the walls is an interesting idea. Given my northern location with sub freezing weather I think I will need a completely enclosed and insulated coop. I was thinking of making the sides open on hinges for easy access though and I might just leave them open if the weather is nice and the chickens like it.
 
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.
 
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!
 
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.
Have seen a mink run across the back yard in the middle of the day so probably not a good idea for me. :) Good thinking though. Thanks!
 
Google :
A rat can jump 4'. A domestic cat can jump around 5'. A bobcat can jump 6' or more.
I'd be terrified! I'd fall off that ladder when I found the rat in the coop. 😬
I hadn't even thought about rats. Did some reading though and it seems like the 4' jumps are only in the horizontal. Vertical leaps max out at under 3'. The only domestic cat I've seen around here is mine and I have the least jumping cat you've ever met. As for the bobcat if one wanders by then I (or should I say the chickens) would be hosed. I haven't seen any around yet but definitely a possibility.
 
Have you considered just making the coop secure and letting the chickens out to free range? If you got an automatic door, you wouldn’t have to close it up each night either or open it on the mornings. Chickens are vulnerable at night, but during the day they’re able to spread out, hide in undergrowth, and stay alert. Occasional losses can certainly happen while free ranging, but having a secure coop can prevent a predator annihilating your flock while they sleep. And if you’re not building a run because of free ranging, a solid wooden coop is fairly easy to make “predator proof”
 

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