On the ground or off the ground.

[QueenBacon]

My husband and I are debating which we like better, and have been sooo unsure on what we should get for a coop, or if we should even attempt building a coop.
We have 6 hens (just babies now) We live on Long Island NY.
He likes the elevated houses that are off the ground he thinks they are going to be better because if they are not on the ground they will not be as cold.
I am afraid that because we are near the coast and it can be breezy that an elevated coop may be more likely to fall over in a strong breeze/wind. Now we have an area that just has some ugly bushes right next to our shed that might be an option to block some breeze but we want to be sure.
Now we do not have a big back yard (imo just the right size), so we are going to build/buy a small run for the chickens, but eventually they will have free range of the back yard.
Any tips or hints are very much appreciated! and thank you in advance!

ALSO, because we like to garden, grow our veggies and flowers and such we don't throw traditional grass seeds down. I like to throw down different clover seeds (hardy, looks very green, attracts pollinators) and we do not need fertilizer. Do chickens like clover? We have a mini pig and she loves to eat clovers and dandelions so if the chickens like it too that would be great!

 

[Cyprus]

Chickens LOVE clover!

An elevated coop will provide an area underneath for your hens to hide under and get some shade. That is if it is at least 6" high. An elevated coop will stay slightly warmer in the winter.
As for it blowing away, if the coop is on steady and sturdy legs that are dug about 6" into the ground it will not fall over. To add extra protection against tipping, you can use T-Posts on each wall attached to the coop , and pound those into the ground.

The area next to your shed with the bushes would be a good place to put the coop. The bushes will indeed provide some protection from winds, which your hens will appreciate. It will also provide more cover for your hens which will make them feel safer being outside.

 

[QueenBacon]

Thanks for the super fast response! I can't wait until they are big enough and we can spend time outside together!

 

[deepbluesea]

My chickens think clover is delicious! Throwing out seed is a great idea--will have to do that. I have a raised coop, and my chickens like to dust bathe underneath it. They also hang out under there during thunderstorms.

 

[aart]

I don't think off the ground is necessarily 'warmer'.
The ground can actually have an insulating factor.

Much more thought should go into building a coop for winter 'comfort'.
Good space and ventilation are much more important than 'warm' for healthy cold weather chickeneering.

 

[QueenBacon]

My chickens think clover is delicious! Throwing out seed is a great idea--will have to do that. I have a raised coop, and my chickens like to dust bathe underneath it. They also hang out under there during thunderstorms.

Deepbluesea, planting clover is so amazing for habitat. It doesn't need fertilizer to be green, it helps put nutrition back into the soil, and it attracts all the pollinators . I have had a lot of luck getting nice big bags of mixed clover seeds off of ebay. I am actually headed over to buy a few bags now. Another great thing is it doesn't have to be mowed as often, and when it flowers and you see all the different colors, its very pretty! We have cesspools where I live, and I am just a couple of blocks away from the beach/bay/ocean. Nitrogen run off is a huge problem here, so for me clover with no need to fertilize was an amazing option.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with Aart. For 6 birds, I'd recommend a coop that is minimum 4 x 8. This will also give you the most bang for your buck, comparing cost to sq. footage achieved. You can take advantage of full sheets of plywood instead of cutting everything to a smaller size. My greatest recommendation is to build a shed style walk in coop. Before you make any commitments study the Wood's open air coop design. IMO, this is the most logical design for any climate. I would build the basic 4 x 8 shed, and add the "front section" as a run. You could put a top over the section that attaches to the coop, and have the remainder of the run be more open, though it will still need a pred safe top and sides. All should have a skirt. Check out deep litter management. I absolutely would not build a coop on stilts. That would NOT be warmer!

Building your own coop and run are definitely within the capabilities of most home owners. I'm a 61 year old biddy and have built a 8 x 12' CP coop, a green house, and several tractors in the last 5 years.

 

[bjmoose]

I built an elevated coop. To me, the biggest advantage of that style is space efficiency. The total footprint of the "run plus the coop" of a layout that uses the area under the coop is smaller than it would otherwise need to be. In a 7' x 12' total space in my backyard, I get BOTH a 84 sq foot run AND a 24 sq foot chicken coop -- because the space under the coop is ALSO part of the run.

If you have a big enough yard, there's no need to go to that trouble and you can build a freestanding coop, which is simpler.