Raised Coop - Pros & Cons

[tackyrama]

I am building a new coop this summer and I am considering building it on posts instead of a concrete slab. My other coops have been on slabs and have worked out very well. I have my reasons for considering a different approach but I would appreciate hearing from anybody with a raised coop. Thanks, Tacky

 

[teach1rusl]

The biggest (and for me only, really) advantage I've found is that it gives the chickens a place to go on hot days, thunderstorms, or when hawks are flying overhead...

 

[mommto3kiddos]

I love our raised coop! It cut down on space & allowed more run space & shading!!

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Well when I think of a "raised" coop I apperently have a different idea than most. I have two raised coops, meaning the chickens are at my waist level and there is no walking in poo, no bending to clean it out, and the bonus for me is storage underneath. Most people raise the coop on legs and incorporate the shaded area into their run. I put my bale of shavings under there along with two metal trash cans for their grain and scratch. Works perfectly! When I need to clean it out, I open the door and use a rake or a hoe and pull everything out the door into the wheelbarrow.

Now, my second coop started as a shed. The people door is on the right so I made it so I can walk into the shed and the raised coop area is on my left, again with storage underneath it. I have grain cans on the right when you walk in and all my rakes, hoes, etc are hung on the wall inside the door. Still no poo on my feet, no bending to clean, and the bonus with this one is I am inside during inclement weather.

Both have secure runs attched to them and the first coop has one that is covered fully with a shingled roof so in inclement weather I can work the coop and gather the eggs from within the run, but them I get poo on my shoe

I only have pics of the first one.

This is where I clean the coop from and the storage door inderneath

 

[Cooperkeeper]

Nottingham, your coop is so cute. We are in the process of building our first coop and the original design was to make it 6x8 built 18 inches off ground to provide a dry area to run. We have since revised the idea because I was picturing myself lying on my belly trying to rake out the 8 foot length of run under the coop..

!
New design will be 7ft. wall ht. in all of shed with attached 6x20 covered run.

 

[GiddyMoon]

We are doing a raised coop as well. It just makes sense to give them the extra square footage that comes with having another level and a place to hide and get cool underneath.

 

[tackyrama]

Wow! Lots of replys! We have plenty of room, that is not a concern. Our flock is free range but surprisingly predators have not been a serious problem. I have visions of crawling under to gather eggs and other nasty jobs. Too low and it's too hard to access. Also too low and it creats a haven for all kinds of critters. Or am I wrong? put wire around it and anything that does get in cannot get back out.

My wife is pushing this idea from a economical vewpoint. I am not yet sold on the idea. Also in our area anything with a concrete floor is considered permanent and your taxes go up.

Thanks for the replies. Keep the opinions coming!

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have a few raised coops and I love them. These are the reasons that I love my raised coops.

PROS
1. Elevated so predators cannot get it.
2. On the hot Louisiana days, they can either hang out on the inside out of the direct sunlight or lay below the covered coop in the shade.
3. Easy access for cleaning. I lay hay (bedding) on the wire floor. When it's time to clean, I remove the hay and the wire floor is pretty much clean. The hay catches the poop. If there are any pieces of poop, I can push them through the wire.
4. My (open air) raised coops gives my chickens the opportunity to have cool nights during those hot Louisiana summer months.
5. When it rains, they don't have to go into a closed building/chicken house/coop to get out of the rain. They can jump in their raised coop and watch the rain drops and take a nap. They can even chill out under the coop and get out of the rain and still get fresh air (outside)
6. If they see a hawk, they can run under the raised coop for protection.


CONS
1. Once you get 1 raised coop, you will want more.

 

[AtholCoop]

Quote:
I see you're from snow country, so I'll throw in my favorite reason for an elevated coop.

One less @#)$*)(@#$ thing to dig out every time it snows.

 

[1muttsfan]

I have a large raised coop, 8x14', set on 6 cedar posts. The right end is storage for chicken and horse stuff; from just left of the door over is a large indoor pen. Winters here are very harsh, so many days the chickens stay inside. Interior is insulated with bubble wrap/foil insulation stapled to the walls and covered on the inside with thin plywood. There are windows on the south (right) end and the east (backside) end. The floors are covered with vinyl flooring glued down to plywood - very easy to clean. The chick door leads to a 20' square fenced-in run, hardware cloth on the bottom buried and stapled underground to slab cedar and covered over with 2" heavy duty poultry netting. Lumber stored underneath its for my next building project

The smaller building on the left is my new chick house - neighbor's daughters playhouse refitted for chicken use.