Why are so many coop designs elevated?

[Harrietsmum]

Quote:
Adorable doesn't describe it! I absolutely love it!

My four bantams live very happily in this coop. We have a temperate climate in New Zealand, so they are outside all day every day. When I am home, they free range in the garden. The bottom run part always has grass clippings and leaves etc added to keep them busy when I am not home.

 

[check-in]

in my case it's a function of convenience. the way i'm set up i have the coop about 30" off the ground with just the front edge inside the run. I have two large doors in the back that open out. Wheelbarrow will fit underneath and I just drag out the unwanted stuff and haul it away. Since it's not a walk in coop it also makes it easier for me to do any maint. that might need to be done.

 

[grandads]

Kassaundra, I also would like to see pictures. Sounds exactly like what I want, but I need pics! I am from Missouri the show me state, don't get it unless you show me!

 

[motoclown]

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Also, we just had 80 trees logged out so we had a few extra giant free polls for the corners.

Then we put blocks around the back to block the wind and turned over an old truck bed liner for more weather protection.

 

[froggiesheins]

Hi BYCer's I want to show off my homemade Birdie Townhouse and run. I live on a normal city-sized lot in southern California. I wanted to keep everything small (chickens included--hee hee). So after looking in my garage and rangling free this and that I managed to build, what I think is a cute little coop. I just love it. I am in the process of making the run longer, before I know it the whole backyard will be a covered run. We have lots of ferel cats so birdies have to be safe. When I can hang out with them they can free range in the rest of the yard.

 

[colowyo0809]

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awww, well thats just the cutest little thing!

 

[Chick named Lola]

I love my elevated coop. I will be adding more run space in the spring, until then, this is what it looks like. With the addition, I am going to change the door from the drop down type to a pop up coming off the side into the new run space. I HATE the drop down opening. It is impossible to insulate, makes clean out much more difficult and I would prefer a totally flat floor so they don't poop on the drop down ramp every night. It will also give me more space underneath for a hanging roost for the gals.

 

[oldchickenlady]

My coop is 8'x8' but I still have it elevated off the ground. The reason I did that is because there are no level spots on my property except way out in the horse pasture, out in the sun. I didn't want my coop/run in my horse pasture, so I found a spot closer to my house that was shaded and built it raised on landscape timbers. I didn't want to have to dig holes due to very rocky ground and about a bazillion tree roots. I figured it would be much easier to level the floor! I did gain extra space underneath for storing the 5 gallon buckets I use for poop board cleaning. I just scrape the poo into the bucket then take it outside and sit under the coop until it gets full. Then I take it to the compost pile and start over. Here is a pic of my set up. I love it and am planning on adding some SLW's in the spring! This is from the front, before I added the run, it is only about 12" off the ground on that side.

Here is a pic of the side that is about 36" off the ground. I can store other things under there also, if I need the space.

Here is the run I made myself with minimal (I do mean minimal!) help from my very sceptical son and husband...both kept shaking their heads and mumbling "It'll never work!" Well, guess what? It works!

Here is a pic of the two put together. I made the run where it could be picked up and moved because I made it first and wasn't quite sure where my DH was going to agree to putting the coop...

I live in the country and can have all the chickens I want!

 

[Weedchick]

This is the coop my fantastically handy and long suffering husband made me!

We bought the framing materials and the roofing and hardware, but the siding, which is REAL 2x6's, and 2x4's, (redwood and cedar ,no less,) came from a customer who had it stored under their cabin, and said we could have it. My DH sided it with the planks and then ripped some of the redwood 2x4's for the battens. The back window I rescued from a dumpster, it's double paned, and the little front window was $3 at the RE-STORE. The reason we built it raised, well , primarily anyway, is so we wouldn't need a permit since it's (theoretically) movable . But it also makes a handy hideout when the hawks do a fly by. Next summer it will get a coat of stain or paint, although I admire the aged weathered look.
The only thing I wish was different, is that we had made it bigger. It's only big enough for about 6 chickens...

 

[KensingtonHens]

Weedchick, that is a beautiful coop! I love it! But what about predators? I notice there is no covered run.