Chicken run by swimming pool/run off

[laura001]

Hello. I'm thinking of placing my chicken run and coop near my inground pool. The run is completely fenced and roofed...no free ranging. The run and pool are separated by a retaining wall. The run is higher than the pool. My question is: are there issues with rain run off going thru run and getting bacteria/e coli into swimming pool? Thanks in advance! Laura

 

[AnnPann]

Depends on the kind of rain you get. In my area, because of the insane amount of rain we get in the spring, I wouldn't want my chicken run anywhere near a pool, retaining wall or not. Regardless of the "invisible" issues like bacteria, I just wouldn't want the debris running into the pool or onto the pool deck. Also remember when it's dry, if it's windy, you'll get debris from the run blowing into the pool area. And if you ever do decide to let them wander a bit out of the run, more likely they'll poop on your pool deck since it's so close. And if they molt when your pool is still open... feathers everywhere!

 

[laura001]

Depends on the kind of rain you get. In my area, because of the insane amount of rain we get in the spring, I wouldn't want my chicken run anywhere near a pool, retaining wall or not. Regardless of the "invisible" issues like bacteria, I just wouldn't want the debris running into the pool or onto the pool deck. Also remember when it's dry, if it's windy, you'll get debris from the run blowing into the pool area. And if you ever do decide to let them wander a bit out of the run, more likely they'll poop on your pool deck since it's so close. And if they molt when your pool is still open... feathers everywhere!

I'm not particularly concerned about debri. It's chain link covered in 1/2 hardware cloth. Also if debri becomes an issue, I'll cover that side w a tarp in summer.

 

[3KillerBs]

If there is any chance that groundwater could flow through the run and into the pool during a severe storm then you could have a serious contamination problem.

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

if they are let out in the summer, they will go swimming. I'm not kidding. my chickens LOVE the water. they can't get over it. My evil rooster used to like to bathe in anything that was filled with rainwater. it was so funny. the hen that he was with just didn't understand. neither did I.

 

[perkolator]

I'd be concerned with the regular dust that will spread around from the chicken activity - in my coop there's a layer of fine dust that gets on everything nearby; IMO it would definitely get into the pool. My chickens always kick around bedding and it definitely goes through the 1/2" HC -- so if that could be an issue than I'd place the coop further away.