new coop - floor plate or posts in ground?

[Lulu-vt]

I'm building a new coop and kinda following a plan that a friend gave me. The coop calls for a square base (what they call a ground plate) to build the coop on. The ground plate rests on the ground and the legs would be built up from there. I'm confused why you'd have a base that sits on the ground instead of digging holes for the posts to go into. Wouldn't it make sense to have a secure base concreted into the ground instead of your base sitting on the ground? Even if it's treated wood, it's still wood on the ground.
I realize it's my choice what to do but I wondered if there was something I'm missing since I haven't done a ton of building?
All I know is that it rains a lot here and our ground is wet more often than not.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

All I know is that it rains a lot here and our ground is wet more often than not.

Hi, hope you are enjoing BYC!

It rains a lot here also.. anywhere from 40-100 inches per year.

To me ONE main reason for building it on the extra base is in order that it may be moved to various locations eventually. Not like a "tractor" but just not set in stone.

Also because digging requires extra work and many folks are lazy or looking for short cuts.. OR may have rocky ground, or other environmental factors. The right way is the way that works for YOU.

Really even digging in the poles they will eventually rot and then need replacing. Seems much easier to replace if it can easily be removed without digging it out or trying to dig a new whole next to the original. It's the air that rots the wood at about ground level not the water below the dirt.. according to my current understanding.

My larger chicken coop that will never be moved.. well.. if I put poles in the ground then I need a building permit for anything beyond 100 sq feet. By placing it on concrete pillars above ground and not permanently built in.. NO permit required in my location.

I do like the raised thing over all.. as it seriously helps reduce rodent issues.. as opposed to my pole barn with all of its access points.

My smaller coops.. that base is just a part that's built in for the birds to hang out under during bad weather.. some have wheels added to make them easily movable.

I don't have tons of building experience either.. but thought I would share some possibilities. Best wishes for a fantastic and functional coop!

 

[StinkyAcres]

In Vermont if you can't get your posts deeper than four feet in the ground they will heave. And even at four feet there is no guarantee it will stay put. I think the plan is fine as long as the ground plate is resting on concrete blocks. You are right that pressure-treated wood does rot eventually and it begins to rot faster when in contact with the ground. All of my outbuildings, including my 10x12 coop/barn, are built on concrete blocks set on top of a gravel base.

 

[Krugerrand]

In Vermont if you can't get your posts deeper than four feet in the ground they will heave. And even at four feet there is no guarantee it will stay put. I think the plan is fine as long as the ground plate is resting on concrete blocks. You are right that pressure-treated wood does rot eventually and it begins to rot faster when in contact with the ground. All of my outbuildings, including my 10x12 coop/barn, are built on concrete blocks set on top of a gravel base.

This is exactly what I did and why. I have a reasonably small coop and I wasn't about to dig the 3' we would need to around here to get below the frost line. I dug down some to get a gravel base underneath and ensured that had some space for drainage to downhill. Then, leveled out and did a single layer of cinderblock on top of that.

 

[Lulu-vt]

Hi, hope you are enjoing BYC!

It rains a lot here also.. anywhere from 40-100 inches per year.

To me ONE main reason for building it on the extra base is in order that it may be moved to various locations eventually. Not like a "tractor" but just not set in stone.

Also because digging requires extra work and many folks are lazy or looking for short cuts.. OR may have rocky ground, or other environmental factors. The right way is the way that works for YOU.

Really even digging in the poles they will eventually rot and then need replacing. Seems much easier to replace if it can easily be removed without digging it out or trying to dig a new whole next to the original. It's the air that rots the wood at about ground level not the water below the dirt.. according to my current understanding.

My larger chicken coop that will never be moved.. well.. if I put poles in the ground then I need a building permit for anything beyond 100 sq feet. By placing it on concrete pillars above ground and not permanently built in.. NO permit required in my location.

I do like the raised thing over all.. as it seriously helps reduce rodent issues.. as opposed to my pole barn with all of its access points.

My smaller coops.. that base is just a part that's built in for the birds to hang out under during bad weather.. some have wheels added to make them easily movable.

I don't have tons of building experience either.. but thought I would share some possibilities. Best wishes for a fantastic and functional coop!

Those are some good thought. I would never be able to move it. But I know the ground is rocky (post hole auger to the rescue). I’m worried about leveling it if it’s on flat ground.

 

[Lulu-vt]

This is exactly what I did and why. I have a reasonably small coop and I wasn't about to dig the 3' we would need to around here to get below the frost line. I dug down some to get a gravel base underneath and ensured that had some space for drainage to downhill. Then, leveled out and did a single layer of cinderblock on top of that.

View attachment 3879666

Oh I like this!! Then I wouldn’t have to dig holes. But it would still be off the grass. Do you put your hardware cloth down into the ground? What is your critter barrier?

 

[Krugerrand]

Oh I like this!! Then I wouldn’t have to dig holes. But it would still be off the grass. Do you put your hardware cloth down into the ground? What is your critter barrier?

I use under my coop for storage. The chickens have no access to it. So, it needs no barrier. I have 1.5-2' of hardware cloth extending around the run on top of the grass. Well, it was on top of the grass, now the grass has grown through it and you can't tell it's there. There is hardware cloth under that rock section which is over a ditch to direct rain water around the coop. then it's the driveway.