To elevate or not?

[mamacearc]

So we are finally planning our permanent coop and run in southern Alabama, and after looking at so many examples, I'm still not sure what the pros and cons are of elevating the coop or not. The site we'll most likely use is mostly shaded most of the year (NW of the house under live oaks, etc.), but it stays mostly dry (dry-ish... It is Alabama.) It seems to me that the costs would probably be about the same, and security might be a touch worse if it were elevated, but there would be a bit more covered run room under the coop.
What pros and cons do you see? If you had it to do over, which route would you go?

Thanks in advance, and for all the wisdom already shared!

 

[Ohmyheart]

My coop is four feet off the ground and I love how it's raised. So much easier to clean no bending over. It's high enough off the ground that cleaning up under it is not too hard either. Scrubbing walls and roosts are not hard either.

Plus the extra run space is a big plus when you can't free range.

But I'm new to chickens and have only been at this since Feb.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Not sure how many chickens you're housing, I'm limited to 4 - 6 pullets (residential area), I wanted something easy clean, Hubby came up with this idea. My yard is fenced but got dogs on one side therefore I don't free range. Gets pretty warm/humid here with RAIN, went with deep litter (shaving), shower curtains on EMT rods. The dog house is their nest box with a poop board above the roost over it. My BOs have no complaints & it's easy clean & maintenance.

 

[mamacearc]

We have 6 at the moment (after one homicide & one assault--hence the new coop and run), but we plan to get some new chicks this spring. We plan to need space for about a dozen or so.

 

[PirateGirl]

I like that my coop is elevated. Easy for cleaning and egg collecting.
The girls love hanging out under the coop. It's good shade in the summer and good shelter from rain/snow/wind.

the area under my coop is fenced from the coop to the ground. If I had it to do over I would make one of the under coop fence panels removable so that the space under the coop is easy to access for a human. It's really hard to crawl underneath to catch a chicken or fetch an egg or food dish or something that ends up down there where it doesn't belong.

 

[blackdog043]

Build something that is easy for you to get in and clean out. I personally like a shed style coop.

 

[ChickNanny13]

 

[JackE]

If you build directly on the ground, and have a dirt floor, you will probably have to have some kind of deterrent, to burrowing pests. Be they predators, like a weasel, or a fox. Or, rodents, mice or rats. You can dig in a hardware cloth apron around the coop, to deter them from digging in.

But, if you intend on having a wood floor. It's really a good idea to have the coop raised up. You do not want to provide a nice, hidden space for rodents (And who knows what else) to set up house for themselves. Raise it, so you can keep an eye, on what's going on under there. And raise it a couple of feet up, not just a half a foot. Make it, so you can get under there, if you have to.

 

[aart]

Cons-Rodents or other preds.
Pros-deep shade.

I made part of the main run fence just 4' under the edge of coop shed(which is 18-30" off the ground due to slope)so I wouldn't have to crawl too far(except to install said fence). Tho I have never really had to, used a rake to get an egg a couple times is all. Auxiliary run also goes under a lower portion of coop shed but only a couple feet due to lower access. Both areas provide the only shelter in runs from rain, deep shade, and great dust bathing almost year round.

 

[Folly's place]

My coop /run combination is on the ground, a shed type structure, and I love it! It's on higher ground, so no flooding issues, and being able to walk into it, and never crawl under something, is a huge plus.
If you can only have four birds, and have very limited space, a raised coop may make more sense, otherwise, I think a modified garden shed, or a Woods coop, or a three sided shed, works best, and can be used for more than chickens.
No matter what you build, predator proofing is most important! Also ventilation, and adequate size for the birds you will have.
Build big! Nobody complains about having too much space, and too small is awful.
Mary