purpose of raised coops

[Newwell]

We have 8 chickens. Ours is a "tractor" 8x4 + 3-1 sq ft nest boxes . We have an 8x4 detachable run + 8x4 area underneath = 64 sq ft of forage. It takes up less yard space. Yeah, it's big, but we use 20" bicycle wheels. I like the idea that our chick babes can get out of the sun, rain, & hide if need be. We can move it around the yard for fresh forage. Chickens can beat up a section of ground in a week.

 

[Nonny]

Since mine don't have a cement floor, the reasons I went with a raised design are:

1. Less chance of rising damp affecting the coop (we get pretty big dumps of rain during the Summer storms and a lot of it runs overground)
2. Better ventilation
3. Cooler
4. Predator protection
5. Somewhere for the chooks to seek shade on a hot day
6. A shady spot to hang the waterer
7. More floor space in the run
8. Easier access for me to clean/check for eggs etc without having to stoop low
9. The coop doesn't block the view of the run so I can keep an eye out from my window.

and the best reason:

10. My girls have a better view out their window!

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I have a raised coop. It's small too, just 4 by 3 feet. The girls do love to hang out underneath it. It's always in the shade so it's always cool under there. And they feel safe under there. That's where they go stand if I'm trying to catch one and they don't want to be caught.

 

[Tracydr]

Mine is raised on concrete blocks because we have flood irrigation for our trees every two weeks. The water level gets right up to the edge of the concrete blocks but doesn't quite touch the wood floor. Without the raised coop, my chickens wouldn't have a safe dry spot during irrigation and their coop would flood, causing me to have to completely clean it every two weeks, plus anytime we have a monsoon rain storm.
As it is, it's high and dry. I also think it may stay cooler with the raised floor, with air flowing underneath.
I have it blocked all the way around, so chickens can't go under. I didn't want to have to clean under an 8x 8 coop.

 

[LiLRedCV]

All of those things listed above PLUS if if your area tends to get standing water at all, having the raised coops help prevent it from flooding inside. Also, if there's snow on the ground, having it raised a bit can make for easier access for you to check on your girls as you won't be as prone to having your doors covered with snow drifts.

We're planning to use our old 4' x 8' coop/run (coop itself is 4' x 4' up about 2.5' off the ground with a 4' section of run underneath and and additional 4' section stretching out beyond that) as our breeder pen and have built a new coop (wood shed kit convert) to house all our girls together. It's still up off the ground for potential standing water since we live in the Land of the Rain (tho' not as high up as our original by any means). We have the underneath wired off to keep the girls out tho' 'cuz it would be mighty inconvenient if they went under there to lay their eggs or if we needed to catch one up and it ran underneath. There is a section for our cats to squeeze through tho' so they can access any potential rat/mice problems that may occur.

 

[Patricia Jane]

Mine is raised as well for all the above reasons.

 

[Daisy8s]

All the previous posts list great reasons for raising a coop but it doesn't have to be. It happened that I constructed my coop on an area formerly used as a gravel dump. The ground was so hard from settled gravel mixed with sand (think cement) that my husband had to use a pick axe to dig the footings. I am completely convinced no animal is going to burrow into that ground to dig under the walls!

So, if you cannot raise the coop then you could think about footings of tamped down gravel. Gravel that filled trenches at least 18 inches deep and several inches wider than your coop walls would be nearly impossible to dig through (use damp gravel slightly mixed with sand and tamp it down well).

We have plenty of predators (raccoon, skunk, possum, weasel, coyote) and nothing has gotten into our coop...not even a mouse, that I can tell, anyway!

Good luck--enjoy your chickens when you get them!

 

[MissJenny]

Hello -- Glad you're here!!

I think it makes for a warmer, drier, cleaner coop -- less access to mice and other vermin. A raised coop is easier for me to clean it and climb in it. And the NUMBER 1 REASON FOR A RAISED COOP -- My girls like to go under there for protection from the elements -- in the heat or the rain, they are outside, but under cover. It works out real nice.

Jenny

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

As I am originally from Florida, it just made sense to me as a means to keep water out and feet dry. I've been building them that way ever since. Also, I've never had a chicken house, but rather smallish coops about 2 feet off the ground, which also made them easier to keep clean. In Florida we always had wire floors in our coops. Here in Alabama we have wood floors because it is cold here in the winter. We still have raised floors, though. Keeps the snow out, the predators out, and I think the chickens stay warmer in the winter with the raised floor.

HTH


Rusty

 

[WoodlandWoman]

For a small coop you're going to reach into for servicing, I prefer a raised coop design, for the reasons others have given.

For a large walk in coop, I wouldn't want a coop raised that high. I don't need another flight of steps to climb every day.

I think small raised coops and larger walk-in buildings are both nice designs for coops.