# I'm new to raising chicken



## chris32 (May 19, 2017)

I live on and good chunk of land in Colorado. My girlfriend and I have decided to get some chickens. I have been looking everywhere for a coop and found one at Lowe's. It holds up to six. We are going to put up a fence around it. Is there any advice you can give me to make it a better environment for the chickens?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Hi Chris and welcome to the forum! Cute little house. My main suggestion would be to get it up higher off the ground and make sure it's predator proof. Even though the directions say "up to 6 birds" it probably won't be. You need around 4 sq ft per bird to have adequate spacing. When you get ready to fence make sure you have an impenetrable footing under it so critters can't dig under or you won't have chickens very long.


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## chris32 (May 19, 2017)

I'm starting with four so that should be great for them. I was going to build a 3 walled structure around the coop. About a foot deep. Should I still have the coop lifted?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

My opinion only but I would want mine up a foot or two for ease in cleaning and reaching inside. Also if it's on the ground it may have rot and wet damage to the material it's made of. It will also help temperature wise and for air circulation.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

You could use cement blocks to raise it a bit. Be sure your fence surrounds the whole area including your coop.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I like my coops up high enough where they can be outside in the rain and stand under the coop.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I keep mine off the ground mainly because of moisture.Your floor will rot quickly and your birds may sustain leg/foot injuries.The second reason I put it up is because of rodents.They will burrow under there and set up shop.They will be very hard to get rid of.If you leave space,it's not so inviting to them and you can place poison under there.Rodents can make your chickens sick,injure them and give them lice.I have my coop up on a lot of cinder blocks which also helps support the floor.It's a metal 10'x12' shed.You can probably buy one for a little more than what you are paying for a cheap pre-made hen house.That way you have more room for more chickens and it will be more secure but don't buy the floor,make your own.Metal floors aren't good in a chicken coop.


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