Why are many coops elevated off the ground

[fairytails]

I do not want to make an awful design decision with my first coop. Why are so many I see on the site, up off the ground by a foot or two on stilt-like construction? Does this make for better ventilation? Are you putting a wire floor in or solid? Does it keep snakes out?
Or is it just easier to build using posts sunk in the ground or in properly prepared concrete footings, than to lay a concrete slab or pray treated floor joists do not rot.

Partly I ask because I am considering putting part of the coop under a deck. That space is only about 4 feet tall, and if I elevated the coop then it could be too short for me to get in to clean. But if the elevating is required, please let me know and I will foget about that site even though my best option.

 

[zorba1]

We did not have a coop, our chickens were on their own. We did have a very large barn, machine shed, a four bin grainery, two wood stave silo's, an ice house and smoke house and some small odd buildings where we used hand cranked tools to remove corn kernels and grind our own corn and wheat.
The reds took up the machinery shed. The leghorns stayed in the lower level of the barn which had pens for the three milk cows, one or two steers, pigs and sheep. It was warm from the body heat, and there was always good pickings of dung.
Grandpa had two huge dogs, i never knew the breed but they weighed about 150 to 180 lbs each. He would let them loose at night, they did not bother the chickens and we would often find dead weasels, coons, possums, skunks, bobcats and stray dogs in the daytime.There were no coyotes in northern Ohio fifty and sixty years agur only "worry" came from above.
We had about twenty good red sitters, they would sit on 6 to 10 eggs and hatch 4 to 6 chicks each.
About one rooster and one hen would grow to an adult from each clutch.
Did you ever try to catch a chicken on open ground? They run like hell. The reds ducked for cover or the livestock when an Eagle, Hawk, Falcon, Owl, or Turkey Vulture circled overhead.
Vultures can and will take live chickens and chicks, i have seen it happen. Often other predators are blamed. We sometimes had a rare black bear or cougar come through, but they were not any trouble. In the open the leghorns were sitting ducks, i guess their brains were bred out, by the first molt we would butcher twenty or so remaining out of fifty.About six months before the first molt, grandpa would buy fifty leghorn chicks for two cents each. They were protected their first month. Grandpa liked white eggs and lots of them.
Chickens have survived for millions of years without our "help". Mainly from Asia they were here with the Sabre tooth cat, giant lions, wolves, leopards, hyenas, wild cats, bears, and a host of other predators and most likely will still be here when humans are long gone.

 

[Redangler]

My coop i'm currently building is elevated for a few reasons.

1.) This will put my nesting boxes at waist height when completed.
2.) My run is mostly in the full sun so i wanted a place for the girls to find some shade.
3.) Also will be there first pen when they are to small to roam the real run because of daytime predators.

What i have found out thru my research is that there really is no right or wrong. Just what works best for your situation. Besides you can always change it later if you find out its now working out how you thought it would.

Good Luck!

 

[kcwazzu]

I elevated mine as I don't wan't rats living underneath.

 

[cluck-cluck]

I think the main reasons are as Redangler stated and I think ease of cleaning is implied, but I thought I'd spell it out

One other note is that since the structure is there, it makes it easy to increase the useable run space.

 

[downsm75]

Water retention, cleaning, shade, egg collection, and the wood lasts longer

 

[steelchair]

My hens shelter under giving more outside room . Floor is dryer. Waist high is easier for me to clean, just park the wheelbarrow under the door.

 

[3riverschick]

My reason is mathmatical. Large fowl need 4 sq. ft.per bird inside of the house if they need to be enclosed nightly or for stretches in the adverse weather. They need 10 sq. ft. per bird outside to prevent crowding stress issues.(bantams? Just cut the numbers in 1/2) If I raise my coop, I get to count the space beneath in the yard math. This means more yard space for extra runs of I want them. Also, I tack vinyl clear, frosted carpet runner acround the three sides outside the run around the bottom of the house; and underneath the house becomes a shade and fowl weather shelter in case they don't want to go inside. Also a neat place for a dusting box which won't get wet when it rains or snows.
Best,
Karen

 

[Dwkuska]

Greetings to you! I have my coop elevated 32" off the ground. This means that my roosts actually are around the 4' or 5' mark. Its been my understanding chickens like to sit up high when they roost so this is about as high as I figure a chicken would get in nature. My hen boxes are actually about chest height so cleaning requires a step-stool(an oversight on my part). I suspect chickens would be ok with being under your deck, my only concern is depending on how big the deck is are they getting enough sunlight? On a side note I live in the Pacific northwest(30 min from the ocean) so keeping the wood off the ground potentially triples its life span. To help with wood lifespan I also used only pressure treated wood on the legs only as I have read pressure treated wood leaks poison into veggies so maybe it would get to the chickens? Either way good luck and I would love to see a pic of what you came up with.

 

[clogan98]

I was worried about this too. But I decided to do DLM with a dirt floor so mine is on the ground. I did make a 6" base for it to sit on though to elevate the dirt in case of any rain run off.