raised coop

[AntrellRockyFarm]

Good evening, I Had a question.
Is it necessary that my coops and duck houses be elevated?

 

[DobieLover]

Good evening, I Had a question.
Is it necessary that my coops and duck houses be elevated?

No. It just needs to be predator proof and protected from the elements.

 

[Mamatomany123]

It doesnt have to be. I elevated mine to provide shade and more space. Also, where the coop sits sometimes holds water when it rains so I didnt want that inside the coop.

 

[SteveE]

Good timing, I've been making notes from old threads today on this very question. I'm prepping for 12 hens on a very small city lot in the (hot-humid/dry-cold) central PA mountains. My house and my neighbors too have kitchens that will be right close to the coop. And so.... here is what I came up with, in case it helps you short cut thru the flood of info

• Searched [raised coop] no quotes; I’m sure I overlooked good threads but the ones I found helpful include
• https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/raised-coop.1354901/#post-22348349
• "Dirt floor better"
• "Raised but not part of run"
• "Raised and deep compost throughout"
• https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...round-my-thoughts-asks.1354379/#post-22339008
• Use a solid floor
• if you decide to build an elevated coop, do not make it difficult to get under (nothing less than 30" for small coops).
• Where I am, were having a lovely spring snowfall. 8 of my 10 birds are under the coop right now. It's also where I place my feeder when it is snowing or raining. Aside from shelter, my main reasoning was added square footage in the run
• My coop is 36” off the ground. I have no problem getting underneath if I need too. My girls only get to free range when I’m home, so it’s a good use of space when they’re confined to the run. I place their food under there as well, more protection from rain and snow. And since it’s out of my way I put a roost down there as well, I can see them all lined up on it from my kitchen window. Even when they’re free ranging they usually head there around 10am for a nap.
• thetanglednest.com/2010/02/our-urban-chicken-coop-plan/
• Guntanamo trap door predator proof space below coop from human away missions
• Also other threads before I started taking notes
• (I forgot where I saw this... someone had a solid floor EXCEPT some large mesh wire right below the roost for poop drop thru
• MY THOUGHTS -
• There is no climate reason either way, except for flooding which isn't a problem for me
• While a raised coop can provide shade and rain protection so can an attached overhang.
• While a raised coop lets you rake out bedding to gravity fall into wheelbarrow, with a walk in coop and deep litter composting you almost never have to do that anyway.
• Many like being able to have easy access (ie walk in) to entire inside of coop for cleaning, maintenance, making changes and taking care of sick or dead birds and getting eggs.
• If I had the yard space I’d build a woods open air style like JackE’s (https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/woods-style-house-in-the-winter.445004/).
• DECISION
• in the small yard and the coop being right outside my kitchen and my neighbors kitchen I don’t trust being able to keep the odor down enough without more frequent cleanings so gravity assisted cleaning will be a plus. In addition I need the space under the coop for a run extension and to provide a seriously predator proof mini run for when I’m away from home. So when I design I'll start with a 36" high space under the coop, though I may lower that.