Can it work?

[lazy gardener]

Too much light? Didn't know it was possible. Good to know!

No, it's not possible for chickens to have too much light in the coop. (unless they get overheated) My coop has 3 windows, and a steel door with full length thermopane window. Lots of natural light. Windows and doors are on S and E side of coop. One of the windows is directly over 3 of the nest boxes, and shines directly in the boxes, as well as providing lots of ventilation in those boxes. The flock much prefers to use those well lit nest boxes instead of the dark secluded boxes below, or the one to the right which does not have a window view! Good lighting actually encourages birds to lay.

I'm wondering if you can build your coop off the back of this shed, while off setting it a bit so it gets some southern exposure. As for the run being on the north, my run wraps around the coop, with 2 bays to the west, one to the north, and one to the south. Not an issue. Proper drainage is the greater issue. I see that you have a slope there. Slope should ensure good drainage. It can also be used as an advantage. Nice space under coop for birds to hang out, and the slope could allow good DL management: start the DL at the top of the slope. The birds would work it down to the bottom of the slope. By the time it reached the bottom, it would be finished and ready for your garden. Biggest issue with trees overhanging, or even as part of the fence line is that predators will use them as a conduit to drop down into your run, or onto your coop roof and kill your flock.

 

[Welshies]

No, it's not possible for chickens to have too much light in the coop. (unless they get overheated) My coop has 3 windows, and a steel door with full length thermopane window. Lots of natural light. Windows and doors are on S and E side of coop. One of the windows is directly over 3 of the nest boxes, and shines directly in the boxes, as well as providing lots of ventilation in those boxes. The flock much prefers to use those well lit nest boxes instead of the dark secluded boxes below, or the one to the right which does not have a window view! Good lighting actually encourages birds to lay.

I'm wondering if you can build your coop off the back of this shed, while off setting it a bit so it gets some southern exposure. As for the run being on the north, my run wraps around the coop, with 2 bays to the west, one to the north, and one to the south. Not an issue. Proper drainage is the greater issue. I see that you have a slope there. Slope should ensure good drainage. It can also be used as an advantage. Nice space under coop for birds to hang out, and the slope could allow good DL management: start the DL at the top of the slope. The birds would work it down to the bottom of the slope. By the time it reached the bottom, it would be finished and ready for your garden. Biggest issue with trees overhanging, or even as part of the fence line is that predators will use them as a conduit to drop down into your run, or onto your coop roof and kill your flock.

I'm talking about laying birds. My laying hens came to me and laid a couple eggs on one real dark cloudy day. Then nothing for a month. One day for some reason I draped a blanket over half of my window. Bam- eggs everywhere. Haven't moved it since.

 

[lereg]

So perfect! I'll admit, I'm a little jealous

Thank you. I hope it is as great as it is in the mind, lol. On the left side of the run are 2 more properties we want to buy when they come up for auction. Hopefully we get them!!

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm talking about laying birds. My laying hens came to me and laid a couple eggs on one real dark cloudy day. Then nothing for a month. One day for some reason I draped a blanket over half of my window. Bam- eggs everywhere. Haven't moved it since.

Coincidence. The eggs that they laid when you first got them were already in the plumbing system. They then stopped b/c of the stress of the move, and did not start laying again until they were settled from the move.

I wonder if my birds that always prefer the well lit nests in my coop are laying birds?

 

[Welshies]

Coincidence. The eggs that they laid when you first got them were already in the plumbing system. They then stopped b/c of the stress of the move, and did not start laying again until they were settled from the move.

I wonder if my birds that always prefer the well lit nests in my coop are laying birds?

It wasn't because of the move. They were well moved in before the first eggs.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

The sun is invaluable in the winter. If you haven't moved the shed yet can you have whoever moves it reorient it so that it's better situated?

 

[Welshies]

Coincidence. The eggs that they laid when you first got them were already in the plumbing system. They then stopped b/c of the stress of the move, and did not start laying again until they were settled from the move.

I wonder if my birds that always prefer the well lit nests in my coop are laying birds?

I guess I'll do a little experiment once I collect my next order of hatching eggs to send off. I'll remove that blanket and see what my birds do. Might be worth a try, if you are right.

 

[lereg]

No, it's not possible for chickens to have too much light in the coop. (unless they get overheated) My coop has 3 windows, and a steel door with full length thermopane window. Lots of natural light. Windows and doors are on S and E side of coop. One of the windows is directly over 3 of the nest boxes, and shines directly in the boxes, as well as providing lots of ventilation in those boxes. The flock much prefers to use those well lit nest boxes instead of the dark secluded boxes below, or the one to the right which does not have a window view! Good lighting actually encourages birds to lay.

I'm wondering if you can build your coop off the back of this shed, while off setting it a bit so it gets some southern exposure. As for the run being on the north, my run wraps around the coop, with 2 bays to the west, one to the north, and one to the south. Not an issue. Proper drainage is the greater issue. I see that you have a slope there. Slope should ensure good drainage. It can also be used as an advantage. Nice space under coop for birds to hang out, and the slope could allow good DL management: start the DL at the top of the slope. The birds would work it down to the bottom of the slope. By the time it reached the bottom, it would be finished and ready for your garden. Biggest issue with trees overhanging, or even as part of the fence line is that predators will use them as a conduit to drop down into your run, or onto your coop roof and kill your flock.

After the run it does drop off a lilltle more. That' why I thought I'd put it there. My though was it would keep draining through the run. I do know that in the year I lived here,( before we bought it), I never saw it that wet before. I'm a landscaper so if it gets mucky in there, I can fix it pretty quick. We'll see what happens.

 

[lereg]

The sun is invaluable in the winter. If you haven't moved the shed yet can you have whoever moves it reorient it so that it's better situated?

They'll have plenty of sun in the run, which they'll have daylight access to. Plus if I window the east and west walls, I can get the mornin and afternoon Sun. In the summer it won't get very sunny for long, but the temps will be higher.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you have to terrace the run, you can even do so with hay bales!!!