Self-sufficient set-ups?

[aart]

Was thinking of diverting it so it will run to the coop then back out to the stream, ideally.

You want the coop to stay dry, you don't want 'a river running thru it'.
Looking at drainage is one of the most important parts of planning where to put the coop, don't put it anywhere that could become flooded.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So you are looking for ways to avoid running electricity and water out there. Thanks for asking Aart, good question. At least I think I have a clue what they are talking about..

I see you are in Connecticut, thanks for providing that information. That means you will be dealing with freezing water in winter. And since you are asking about solar it sees you are willing to go to some trouble and expense.

In winter i use a black rubber bowl to provide water. If you can set it in the sun it absorbs solar heat, my water stays thawed in the teens. The sun doesn't always shine, especially at night, so when it freezes I just knock or stomp the ice out and refill. Since it is rubber the bowl doesn't break.

What is the elevation of that intermittent stream relative to your coop/run? Part of the question has to do with potential flooding. Flooding is not good. But if it is on a slope you might be able to use that for water. Dig a hole (pond) in the run and create a pool in that stream a bit upstream. Run a pipe underground from that pool in the stream (take it from the upstream side to avoid collecting sand, dirt, and debris) to your hole in the run. Then run a pile underground from the bottom of your pond for overflow/discharge. Or make an overflow at the bottom of your pond that allows the water to flow back to that intermittent stream. If you set it up correctly this can create a gentle flow through your pond keeping the water fresh and avoid issues when it rains hard enough to flood. It may take some maintenance in the upstream "pool" to keep that pipe open, sand and such can settle out in that "pool".

My uncle did this to create a fish pond about an acre in surface area when he retired. It was a lot of work and took some engineering but he had a great pond. To me it is way too much work to get water in the run, especially from an intermittent stream, I would not do it. But if you like messing around it might work. I agree with Aart, your run itself needs to stay dry, let alone the coop.

As long as you are not brooding bay chicks yourself out there you don;t need heat. If you use broody hens you don't need heat for that. Dealing with ice in the winter is the only thing. And many people deal with that by carrying water.

 

[rosemarythyme]

There’s also an intermittent stream that runs parallel to where the coop will be, is there some way that I can tap into that for their water somehow? Was thinking of diverting it so it will run to the coop then back out to the stream, ideally.

I have a creek running by my chicken run. It's flooded twice this year already and the entire run filled up with water. So if there's potential for flooding, that's something to consider before plunking a coop there.

Another concern with using a stream for water is, where is the water coming from? Does it flow through farmlands that have been treated with fertilizers or pesticides? Does it pass by other people's poultry set ups, where potential for disease could possibly trickle down?

And of course make sure it's legal to tap into that water before you set anything up, i.e. we have irrigation rights off our creek.