purpose of raised coops

[WVchick71]

My coops are large enough for me to walk in but they are also raised. We had a few reasons we did this: 1) we felt that it would give a shady place on hot days for them to go and still be outside of the coop. 2) Its also provided a place for them to go in the event of hawks over head until i can put roofs on them. 3) It gives them more run space in general. 4) It also has greatly reduced/almost done away with the rat issues we had previously. I really like them being off the ground...our first coop was not and it was a huge disaster...I would never have another one right on the ground.

 

[AtholCoop]

One less thing I have to dig out every single time it snows. Once a week maybe, but every day? No thanks.

 

[georgiagail]

Brrrr!!!!

Your picture reminds me that I've been wondering how our chicken friends buried in the Halloween snow storm are faring with their coops and chickens.

Gail (in sunny but a bit cool Georgia...I may need to put the heat on in another month or so)

 

[debid]

My initial thought was that I'd rather sweep litter into a wheelbarrow than shovel it. 24" legs were easy enough to add (one 8' 4x4) and I'd do the same again for a similarly sized coop (it's a 4'x8' design with full-width doors on both short walls). I'm also enjoying the lack of rodent/spider habitat and the chickens run under there in a sudden downpour.

 

[chfite]

Mine is raised so that I don't have to stoop to clean it, change the food, check on the chickens. In addition, there is added space under the coop as part of the run.

 

[bantamboy]

Quote:
i love your coop nice idea

 

[Ole rooster]

To me nonny gave the best reasons as to why do we raise our coops. I did it for the same. But one thing I got I didn't expect was this summer the chickens all went under the coop and made them each a spot in the sand. It must have been much cooler there than out anywhere else. I don't know if it made any difference but the insulation I put in the coop might have had a effect on the temps under it. Don't know but I do know they liked it.

My main thinking is raising mine was I've found possum, snakes and other critters under small passage ways, piles of wood, etc: I didn't want any of that associated with my coop. I want clear view of every angle and I have it. There is no place any creature can go around my coop that I can't see it. It may have cost me a little more work to do it that way but for me it has worked great.

 

[Sonic Pug]

All of the above reasons cited and don't forget... It is just so darn cute the way those fluffy butts walk up their ramp everyday

 

[LindenLiving]

Raised coops are great to provide protection from the elements and shade in the summer for your chickens. Just remember to make the coop high enough for your rooster. Made that mistake and my rooster can't fit under my coop so I had to provide him with a rooster condo to protect him from the elements using my rain barrels.

 

[Oosik]

I raised my new 8x6 coop for a number of reasons: Better ventilation and no rodents under the coop are two reasons. Best reasons are 1. the girls would always go under my trailer where it's dry and would have a nice dust bath. I tried multiple ways to give them dust bath areas in my prior pen area with little success. Now that they 18 inches between the dry ground and the coop floor I am hoping that the ground will remain dry enough for dusting purposes. 2. My old 3x5 coop was on the ground and slowly but surely the ground in the pen area rose up and then things began to come into the coop - water, leaves, muck, etc. With the coop raised it will take a long time for things to rise up to the coop floor level.

Oh, one other reason is that I built on sloped ground. It was far easier to get the coop level by sinking some 4x4s and then running the joists -- sure I had to dig the holes for the posts, but it was easier than trying to get nearly 48 square feet equally level.