Elevating chicken coop

[FC16]

I have a chicken coop similar to the one in this photo although it is bigger and has nesting boxes either side, it is only temporary but I want to elevate it off the ground for ventilation and safety reasons. Could anyone recommend some easy/cheap ways of elevating it? Thanks

 

[U_Stormcrow]

That's a very attractive doll house, completely lacking in ventilation. Under no circumstances would I house chickens in it.

Weight dependent, the easiest way to elevate it is with 4x4 pressure treated timbers as "legs" at each corner - assuming there is material to screw into.

While you are at it, you will want to add a lot of ventilation while simultaneously keeping weather out. If you are that handy with tools, better to set your 4x4s into the ground and build a new coop around them, at the desired height.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Please don't take my comments personally, you didn't know better when selecting a coop, and FeelGoodUK has a very slick looking web page. Indeed, perhaps the #1 mistake made by people before discovering BYC is the selection of a coop with inadequate ventilation. Mistake #2 is believing manufacturer claims about how many hens one of their wooden boxes will hold.

It keeps this forum very busy.

I thought, briefly, about suggesting you return it in favor of this (i assume similarly priced), more practical (if much less attractive) design, but they use "chicken wire" for the walls. Chicken wire is suitable only for keeping chickens in, it provides no predator protection whatsoever. So not only would you be building a roost and nesting boxes (milk crates work surprisingly well!), but you would also be replacing the walls. And (climate depending, of course), that suggestion might not be the best choice either, if you have significant wet snow accumulations.

 

[FC16]

Please don't take my comments personally, you didn't know better when selecting a coop, and FeelGoodUK has a very slick looking web page. Indeed, perhaps the #1 mistake made by people before discovering BYC is the selection of a coop with inadequate ventilation. Mistake #2 is believing manufacturer claims about how many hens one of their wooden boxes will hold.

It keeps this forum very busy.

I thought, briefly, about suggesting you return it in favor of this (i assume similarly priced), more practical (if much less attractive) design, but they use "chicken wire" for the walls. Chicken wire is suitable only for keeping chickens in, it provides no predator protection whatsoever. So not only would you be building a roost and nesting boxes (milk crates work surprisingly well!), but you would also be replacing the walls. And (climate depending, of course), that suggestion might not be the best choice either, if you have significant wet snow accumulations.

No I understand it’s quite a doll house coop, I was gifted it as a temporary fix for chickens which I had rescued. Until I construct a decent coop I wanted to make the neccescary ventilation and safety adjustments for time being. I’ve seen something about using concrete blocks underneath the legs to lift it up a bit, I could then build a ramp up to it. What do you think of this?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

No I understand it’s quite a doll house coop, I was gifted it as a temporary fix for chickens which I had rescued. Until I construct a decent coop I wanted to make the neccescary ventilation and safety adjustments for time being. I’ve seen something about using concrete blocks underneath the legs to lift it up a bit, I could then build a ramp up to it. What do you think of this?

As long as you don't have wind loads that would tip it over, yes, you can absolutely set it on cinder blocks, or anything else of suitable height. By my calculations, that coop is only about 7.2 sq ft in size (sorry, i think in imperial), meaning its sized (arguably) for two birds. The nest boxes don't count - though odds are good the birds will sleep (and poop) there, because the floor of the nesting boxes are higher than the roosting bars - another very common mistake in premade coops.

How high are you planing on lifting it? a meter? half that? 30 cm?

 

[FC16]

As long as you don't have wind loads that would tip it over, yes, you can absolutely set it on cinder blocks, or anything else of suitable height. By my calculations, that coop is only about 7.2 sq ft in size (sorry, i think in imperial), meaning its sized (arguably) for two birds. The nest boxes don't count - though odds are good the birds will sleep (and poop) there, because the floor of the nesting boxes are higher than the roosting bars - another very common mistake in premade coops.

How high are you planing on lifting it? a meter? half that? 30 cm?

The coop in the picture isn’t mine it’s just a similar sort of design, mines much bigger and comfortably fits my 4 birds for now. (It’s only for a few weeks or so). With the blocks I’m planning on using, They are 64cm high, plus the small stilts already on the coop, would you say that is high enough?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

High enough for what??? I'm unsure as to your purpose for raising it.

 

[FC16]

High enough for what??? I'm unsure as to your purpose for raising it.

Chicken coops should be raised (I’ve now found an answer online as to how high) they should be at least one foot of the ground to better air flow for your chickens, it also helps In case of flooding and rats and mice. It’s also good as it creates space under the coop(providing more outdoor shade for them on sunny days)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have a raised coop - it sits 3' (approx 1m) off the ground, and yes, the chickens often sit in the shade under it. It also provides airflow, but that's because I designed the coop to draw air from under it (there's actually a "hole" in the floor to do so, in that its built as a raised "U"-shaped platform with a door at the U opening.

While the ramp is in place, anywhere your chickens can get, so can a mouse. Unless the door is closed, even places a chicken can't get, a mouse often can.

For practical reasons, I consider the 3' / 1m raise a minimum - not only is it enough that I can roll in a wagon/wheelbarrow for raking out the raised floor when its cleaning time, but because that coop measures 8'x12' (2.4m x 3.6m) it gives me enough space to crawl underneath and reach the back corners - not really a concern for a coop the size of yours.

and the run /ground should always be sloped away from the coop so seasonally heavy rains don't pool under it, or get directed thru it.

 

[FC16]

I have a raised coop - it sits 3' (approx 1m) off the ground, and yes, the chickens often sit in the shade under it. It also provides airflow, but that's because I designed the coop to draw air from under it (there's actually a "hole" in the floor to do so, in that its built as a raised "U"-shaped platform with a door at the U opening.

While the ramp is in place, anywhere your chickens can get, so can a mouse. Unless the door is closed, even places a chicken can't get, a mouse often can.

For practical reasons, I consider the 3' / 1m raise a minimum - not only is it enough that I can roll in a wagon/wheelbarrow for raking out the raised floor when its cleaning time, but because that coop measures 8'x12' (2.4m x 3.6m) it gives me enough space to crawl underneath and reach the back corners - not really a concern for a coop the size of yours.

and the run /ground should always be sloped away from the coop so seasonally heavy rains don't pool under it, or get directed thru it.

Yes I agree it’s much more practical it being higher up for cleaning purposes