Raised coop?

[Heather_PA]

Hi - I'm trying to plan a chicken coop and a lot of pre-made ones I see have a run under the coop itself. Is this a good idea for a cold-ish climate? (I'm in Western PA.) I guess I'm concerned about how drafty that seems. Thoughts?

 

[mowin]

There very popular. However most I've seen are not walk in coops. I prefer a walk-in as easily to clean. Access to the birds for medical/treatment or just to evaluate them is easier.

In hot weather a raised coop gives them some shade, or dry spot during the rain.

 

[CindyinSD]

Welcome to BYC!

If you have a choice, go with a dirt floor coop--sooo much better! I do have a coop that's off the ground on posts and it seems satisfactory to the chickens, plus they do like the space underneath for hot days. But, I built it from very sturdy materials and @ 4' x 8', it's a lot bigger and stronger than mass produced pre-fab coops. I wouldn't go with a mass-produced pre-fab. If I were buying one ready-made I'd ask around and find a local who builds them.

Any coop you're likely to purchase AS a coop is likely only going to comfortably house 5-6 birds at the *most*, and that's not allowing for the fact that northern birds may need to stay inside for weeks at a time due to snow over their heads. A good alternative, if you can manage it, is to purchase a shed and convert it and add a little chicken yard to it.

Look in the "articles" section for ideas. There are many coop articles.

 

[aart]

Hi - I'm trying to plan a chicken coop and a lot of pre-made ones I see have a run under the coop itself. Is this a good idea for a cold-ish climate? (I'm in Western PA.) I guess I'm concerned about how drafty that seems. Thoughts?

The prefab coops are rather inadequate...too small, no ventilation.
Runs can be 'winter-proofed' to block most wind but still offer good fresh air.
There's a lot to learn about coops before deciding where to buy or how to build one.
3 great reads linked in my signature....must reads for newbies.
Let me know if you can see or open them.

Oh, and......Welcome to BYC! @Heather_PA

 

[imnukensc]

My coop is homemade and raised, but the area under the coop is not part of the run. I don't want to have to be crawling under there for sick/injured chickens or eggs if a chicken has decided that's a better place to lay than the nest boxes.

I wouldn't give 2 cents for a prefab coop. They're junk.

 

[Heather_PA]

Thank you! Looks really nice (and a lot nicer than I can figure out how to make!)

 

[MgnRose]

We had a friend of ours build our coop for some extra cash- I’m sure you could find someone on NextDoor to help! This is our coop, we opted for a raised coop with a run area underneath for some sun protection in the summer in the morning before I let them out to free-range. I live in the PNW and it can get 10 degrees on average winter nights- my girls are totally warm. We also do the deep compost method in the run, so that helps with the temperature.