Building a better run from scratch

[RevRico]

I'm trying to plan out my run for the year. I have the advantage of not needing to change anything current and getting to start from scratch.

I live in southwestern PA, where it is mostly rainy, somewhat windy, and on rare occasions actually sunny outside. This has me going back and forth with a few different options for a run, and I can't really decide which would be best.

I've picked a spot in my yard that is relatively flat, and somewhat higher than the rest considering I live in a valley, but everywhere on my 2 acres is generally wet, with the yard happily trying to steal shoes year round. I feel like that is really important in regards to run design and the chickens.

Anyway, on to my options:

Option 1, build a square run off the coop completely out of wood and chicken wire, with corrugated plastic hard roof sloped to the back, possibly with a gutter to send rainwater to a catch barrel to try to keep the run dry

Option 2, slightly cheaper, yet also more labor intensive. Build a hoop house, line the bottom 3 feet all around with hardware cloth as well as both ends, then wrap 6 mil clear plastic across the top. I don't know how this would handle water drainage or snow buildup though so it could be a wasted effort. Two 10 foot sticks of PVC should make my run 6 feet wide and tall, and take it 25 feet long. The big issue I see is attaching the plastic to the PVC, might need a wood frame above the chicken wire to minimize tearing.

In either case, I'm going to be digging out an area about a shovel deep and burying quarter inch hardware cloth across the entire bottom to prevent snakes and digging pests, then either filling it back in with the dirt I took out or sand, then for safety and entertainment sake, throw down a couple pallets so they can be outside even if we get really heavy rains.

I don't know if dirt, sand, or $$ pea gravel would be a better base for as wet as the yard seems to stay year round. I haven't found what I would consider a solid consensus for one base over another. I think dirt would be easiest and obviously cheapest, but sand could have the potential to drain better, and I'd be afraid of gravel sinking into the mud like my driveway does every year.

So I turn my future over to you experienced chicken growers. If you could start from scratch, which option would you take? What would you prefer for a base in a wet climate?

 

[Melky]

I think everyone struggles with this age old question. Many people like sand. I use mulch and peat. Peat because it breaks down ammonia better of manure and both are compostable for the garden.

In fall I add leaves again good for garden and free from yard. Chickens break it down for you.

In winter straw because it holds heat and removes risk of freezing to death and frostbite.

So my plan changes based on season. My worst seasons in wetness are spring rainy season and winter rainy season. Just have to keep regrading and adding in base per seasonal requirements.

 

[aart]

I've picked a spot in my yard that is relatively flat, and somewhat higher than the rest considering I live in a valley, but everywhere on my 2 acres is generally wet, with the yard happily trying to steal shoes year round. I feel like that is really important in regards to run design and the chickens.

It is important.
Drainage is of utmost importance to manage and there are many ways to do that.
Swales, or trenches, and berms to carry ground runoff away from run.
Gutters on roofs.
Good the coop/run site is on higher ground.

Best to figure drainage out before you build
I'd lay out coop/run area with some stakes and then watch during heavy rains,
Yes, getting out there when it's pouring rain is the best time to create swales, berms, and trenches as the water will show you where you need to go.
It's not so much fun, good raincoat and rubber boots a must.

Once that's done, plan your roof(s) to drain in the right places to work with ground drainage.
How much snow do you get? Keep that in mind too.

Bedding for run....the best, IMO, is aged ramial wood chippings mixed with some other dry plant matter. The larger chunks of wood will help absorb water during deluges and digest the poops so no cleaning up.

Oh, and, Welcome to BYC!
Thank you for adding your location!

ETA..Do you already have a coop and chickens?

 

[RevRico]

ETA..Do you already have a coop and chickens?

Not yet, which is why I wanted to get some opinions first. Hardware cloth, hinges, locks, feeders, and waterers are all due in this week. I'm hoping for one or two dry days so I can pickup the plywood and posts I need for the coop to start putting together.

Coming up on month 5 of the PA winter, I'm beyond stir crazy, but that should be solved soon because I need to start seeds for my garden as well as get this stuff all built.

My goal is to have the coop built and pullets or chicks here growing by St. Patricks Day inside the house, with the run being finished by the first of April.

 

[aart]

My goal is to have the coop built and pullets or chicks here growing by St. Patricks Day

Doesn't sound like you're going to do any drainage prep then, eh?

 

[RevRico]

Doesn't sound like you're going to do any drainage prep then, eh?

I'm going to make am attempt at drainage control via some site work. The mixed heights of my yard are hard for me to photograph, but I think a combination of corrugated run roof, gutters, and rain barrels will help somewhat. I'm also, whether for better or worse, going to try to slope things down towards my creek when I dig everything up to put in the snake barrier. Might be easier said than done, but I'm going to make the attempt at least.

I'm also kind of banking in the chicks staying inside the house for their first month or so before they're big enough to go out to the coop. Since they'll be my only birds, I feel as long as the weather is appropriate they'll be fine in the coop after a month even if the run isn't quite finished yet. So I guess buying them by Saint Patrick's day and moving them out by Cinco de Mayo is a more appropriate timeline.

I've seen you mention the Ramial Wood Chips before. I've never heard of that before coming to this forum. Is that something any medium sized landscaper should have or is that something I'm going to need to hunt down?

Edit: as far as snowfall, we haven't had a storm over 6 inches yet this winter, and none of it stays more than a week thanks to the rains that follow. We're getting less snow annually, but seeing short periods of ridiculously cold temps and increased rain.

 

[aart]

I've seen you mention the Ramial Wood Chips before. I've never heard of that before coming to this forum. Is that something any medium sized landscaper should have or is that something I'm going to need to hunt down?

It's what you'd get from tree trimmers, often crews that are clearing around power lines, or any tree trimmer that has a chipper. Not sure if a landscaper would have access or not.

 

[RevRico]

It's what you'd get from tree trimmers, often crews that are clearing around power lines, or any tree trimmer that has a chipper. Not sure if a landscaper would have access or not.

That's interesting. I'm going to be hosting a chainsaw party in the next couple weeks to clear out 40 or 50 trees (2 to 10 inches diameter average) so I can plant fruit trees next year. I have access to a wood chipper as well. I remember in another thread you mentioning seasoned being better, but as long as there isn't oil or detritus, fresh could work in a pinch(maybe?). There has also been a contractor cleaning up the power lines in the neighborhood lately, if I can get a dryish day to dig, getting them to come dump here shouldn't be hard to do.

 

[paneubert]

Your chainsaw party is the perfect opportunity. Fresh is less than ideal, but still completely acceptable. I consider fresh to be like.....85 acceptable on a scale of 1-100.

Try to get leaves and smaller branches in the mix. Helps to keep the size of the resulting chips varied.

 

[Acre4Me]

Depending on how wet, slope of site, etc, etc...you might want to prep by thinking above ground rather than digging down. For example, if your wire across the bottom of your run deteriorated due to soggy ground much of the year, then that protection is gone. But keeping it out of/off of the soggy ground prolongs the life of the metal. If you did something like a raised bed, which is above the ground rather than ground level. Then the lowest part could be gravel, then your wire, then the woodchips on top, you’d haves dry base, and degradable material for the chickens to walk on. The wire remains intact longer. You could additionaly divert some water as needed.

Good luck