Anyone ever build on a somewhat steep slope?

[NVtransplant]

I would love to get 3-4 hens but my only option for a coop
is on a somewhat steep slope in my backyard. Would like to get a
ready made coop with minimal alterations. I live in the North valleys of
Reno,NV. Would anyone in this area have any ideas as far as a low cost
way to do this. I would love to be able to have a few chickens again.
Thanks

 

[TwoCrows]

We live on a mountain side and everything has to be build accordingly. You will need to level out your space and use cement blocks or something similar to hold back the dirt. Any style of coop will work if you level out your dirt.

 

[Grandpa Chook]

I would suggest the easiest solution would be to install 4 corner supports (8"x 8" concrete pyramid block) that have been dug into the ground enough to be sitting flat on a surface area that is 50% larger than the block measures (this leaves room to achieve square). Attach 4"x 4" post to blocks and construct small platform (a floor without the sheathing) on top of posts that connects all 4 posts together and gives support to certain areas of ready made coop that you choose. Be sure to angle brace all 4 corners in both directions from at least half way down the post back up to the platform. You would then just drop your coop of choice on platform. This probably sounds a little confusing but this is the first time explaining something like this without using proper terminology which could be even more confusing. Anyways this all would work so long as your slope is not sand or equivalent material. Hope this helped.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I like Grandpa’s idea because it’s close to what I did. Well maybe not that close. Install four posts and level them. Make a rectangular frame to set the coop on. Fasten it all together so the wind doesn’t blow it off. There are several different ways to do that. Depending on the size and slope, TwoCrows idea works too. There are always different ways to solve these things. How rocky the ground is and how steep that slope is are factors.

To support a 4’ x 8’ Grow-out coop maybe 18” off the ground, I drove 4' long sharpened 2x4’s into the ground with a sledge hammer and got them level that way, then built a 2x4 frame on top of those to set the coop on.

I did not use any diagonal bracing but if your two downside posts are very high, it’s a great idea. I’m a structural engineer and triangles really stiffen things up.

The main reason I’m posting is that I think you will have another problem if you build a run. Erosion. Chickens will clean off any vegetation that is there and the soil will erode away in a heavy rain. Their scratching will move that dirt downhill too.

Someone had some nice photos a while back on this. They solved the problem by installing timbers across the slope from one side of the run to the other to sort of form terraces. Their run was basically a series of steps. A timber across with level dirt behind it, then another timber with level dirt behind that.

 

[TwoCrows]

Here is what we did on a recent project with sloping land...


After this was completed, we banked the dirt away from the back and laid down tarp paper and covered that with dirt and rocks so water would not run thru the cement blocks. You can even trench the back side so the water runs thru a channel and away from the interior. The interior was also leveled during this project.

 

[NVtransplant]

Thank you everyone for your help. We live in the north valleys area of Reno,NV
so anyone who lives here knows some of what I am facing. I am just trying to find the simplest
method. Anyone in the Reno area please chime in.
Thanks again to everyone.