Why are coops built off the ground?

[3KillerBs]

My coop is behind my garage and sheltered from prevailing winds but we occasionally get micro bursts that can do damage.

My DH always over-engineers everything. But we are in a hurricane area and I can report that when Florence paid us a visit the coop and run, then uninhabited, remained intact and the coop stayed dry inside.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

@3KillerBs
My coop wall and floor panels are screwed to the frame, I did not use hurricane ties. I used eight concrete patio blocks on the ground with 4" by 4" vertical posts,

That's how I build mine. That way you can even build on unlevel ground without much extra effort.

 

[Susan1958]

When I had mine on the ground, the girls scratched up all the grass. That's okay, I had a cleared garden spot. Then, it rained, and rained, and rained some more. The ground became a mud puddle and I found 3 inches of standing water in their coop. I moved it to a concrete slab and threw in all the leaves I raked up in the fall. No mud, instant mulch.

It's time to move them again, and I've been thinking (overthinking) my coop design. It's been raining here almost non-stop for the last couple of days, so I hope to have some time.

 

[chickencoop57]

My first coop was a converted storage shed and was on a concrete floor. I really like it a lot, but the one I am building now will be a few inches off the ground. I am using vinyl flooring in it and I will have the back of the coop about 3 inches lower than the front. With 2 grates at floor level in the back I am hoping this will make cleaning much easier. There is so much to consider when constructing a new coop. I have been looking at small exhaust fans. Has anyone had experience with them?

I have an electrical outlet in the Coop, so I just put a small fan in the coop window. That's my exhaust fan.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have an electrical outlet in the Coop, so I just put a small fan in the coop window. That's my exhaust fan.

Household fans are not meant for continuous operation over long periods of time, especially in dusty conditions. It would be safer to get a commercial ventilation fan designed for the purpose.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My first coop was a converted storage shed and was on a concrete floor. I really like it a lot, but the one I am building now will be a few inches off the ground. I am using vinyl flooring in it and I will have the back of the coop about 3 inches lower than the front. With 2 grates at floor level in the back I am hoping this will make cleaning much easier. There is so much to consider when constructing a new coop. I have been looking at small exhaust fans. Has anyone had experience with them?

@3KillerBs is right that there are fans that are purpose built for henhouses. But I use a cheap box fan on the window sill of my repurposed storage shed/ brooder house. It blows in year round to create a positive pressure state and bad air then escapes out the cracks and the ridge vent. It has been in there about 3 years. It is on its last legs but still blowing and I may not upgrade till it fails. My other buildings have much more ventilation, read that as huge openings.

 

[oldhen2345]

My coop is about 3 feet off the ground. The flooring is wood with linoleum covering for easy cleanup. the coop has hinged doors on each side for easy cleaning. there is a large hardwire window with a shutter across the front and two small ones in the back and one in the door. These can be left open or closed in bad weather. During the hot summer (I am in Texas) those can stay open to help cool.My brother built it and did a great job.

 

[sixinva]

Mine is elevated a few feet....gives them a place to go when its raining....or really sunny and they can't find shade.....

 

[slat]

I built mine off the ground for a couple reasons. I built it on runners/slides, 18 inches off the ground, so I could move it to different areas of the yard with my tractor. I've only moved it once and that was from where I built it to it's current location. Wife likes it there and that's that. It's also up so that the girls can get out of the elements, be it rain or the summer sun. They love it under there. My nest boxes are outside the main coop and the extra height makes it easier to gather eggs. Little to no bending over. I guess an unintended benefit is that when it's time to clean out the coop I can place a wheelbarrow right outside the door and it's just about the same height so it makes it pretty well just scoop and dump instead of having to lift it into the wheelbarrow. I just got lucky on that one.

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

I think they are off the ground for protection from certain predators such as snakes.