Coop in garden over electricity cables

[Frattoneyes]

Hi all,

Hoping for some advice on building a new run before I get my first hens.

My requirement

• To build a simple walk-in chicken run that will house Eglu Cube chicken coop and 3-4 hens (each with 2-3 sq meters space.
• To use the existing wooden garden fence on 2 sides. This is a redundant part of the garden so I want to utilise all this space.
• Height of run to be the same height as existing fence posts - plus an additional height for sloping roof. Keeping under 2.5 meters.
• DIY to keep costs down

The problems:

• There are municipal electricity cables running underground in the area I've shaded in red. I do not want to dig in this area (other than a few CMs/inches for levelling)
• The tree is under Tree Preservation Order so must be avoided by law. Hence the L-shaped design proposal.
• The tree has roots which are near to the surface along the dotted red lines. This makes the ground uneven, impossible to dig down along the dotted lines.
• The entire area is uneven. The fence at the back is approx 1ft higher than the lawn at the front (nearest camera).
• The fence at the back isn't a perfect right angle
• The area has been cleared of bushes but the stumps remain. Digging or grinding these out would be impossible due to the proximity of underground electricity cables - will the hens mind the stumps in the run?
• My L-shaped requirement and the sloping nature of the ground means there aren't any off-the-shelf runs suitable.

The positives

• There are 3 concrete fence posts (shaded green in annotated picture) which could be used to support poles

Questions

• Would it be possible to use the existing fence posts as part of the frame structure? Or would I need to build all sides of the frame as new?
• How would I safely attach a frame to the existing fence posts? joist hangers?
• What should I use for the base of the coop to support the new vertical poles required to make the frame?
• How can I level the structure without using concrete or any permanent building (building anything too permanent is prohibited over the cables in case access to cables is required)
• My understanding is that contact with wood to ground is likely to result in the wood rotting (even if treated), therefore, how should I create the "foundations" of the frame to ensure longevity, strength and level whilst being unable to dig due to roots and cables?

 

[Frattoneyes]

Hi Folks,
Just to let you know I've now built my run and I'm super excited to get my first hens tomorrow. Thanks for the advice on building the run. I used Railway sleepers for the base and 2X4s to construct the frame.

(I've got a bit of tidying up to do on the roof edges and guttering).

 

[Frattoneyes]

Your neighbour is ok with you directing water/leaves over their fence? Or you own that property too? If not, when you add flashing, etc, you may want to hang a gutter and keep what falls on your property on your property.

The railway sleepers were a great idea. Should hold up for decades.

Hi - yes, I've got guttering in place already. I just need to attach the downtube and into the wastewater pipe which, handily, runs underground alongside the fence. I'll also replace the trellis to the top of the fence.
The neighbours are used to the leaves - all the trees are protected (as we're in a conservation area) and they get a fair few of my leaves anyway!

 

[ackie]

I love this because it sounds like doing projects at my house. Sticking things between trees and using existing structure makes things almost more like tetris. And NOTHING is square here, so dont even worry about it, haha. Unless you are huge on aesthetics.

I dont see any reason why youd need to level the area. A slight slope is actually good for drainage. I guess if any particular area pooled water, it might be useful to fill in the hole.

Your girls will not mind the stumps at all.

Wood on the ground will rot eventually, but it depends on what kind of longevity you're talking about. We put in a pressure treated fence probably 10 years ago and are replacing it now because the uprights are rotting, but it had no weather protection at all.

I probably have more points but I forgot them.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I do not trust in work having been done to code.

Neither do i. I dig my own trenches, and supervised the local electric company when they dug on my property. Its a wise position you have taken, I'm going to join you on that hill.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My opinion, feel free to disregard.

Use the light deck blocks, they are lower to the ground. Attach skirting around the outside of the run, lay it on the ground, stake the outside perimeter, and cover with leaf litter. Done.

DO NOT use pavers or similar inside the run. Prevents water from moving into the soil, making the run muddy. They are impermeable. Also prevents air exchange with the tree roots, stressing the tree. AND you will have to rip them all up if they ever need to work there on the lines. Finally, all the moisture they are surrounded by, plus the slow decomposition, will cause them to break up and crumble anyways.

DO put several inches of leaf litter, pine or cypress bark, wood shavings, etc on the ground for cold composting. Water can move thru those, they don't completely block the roots abilities to exchange oxygen, and will ultimately be beneficial to the tree - to a point. Draw an imaginary line connecting the bottoms of your posts or beams in those light deck blocks. When the run's litter has composted to that height, rake most of it out for use ion your garden. Replace with fresh litter, and toss/mix to combine. Just as you can damage a tree by burying the roots under concrete, you can bury under too much compacted soil.

Most of the root area is not under the run, so if you don't do this, you likely won't notice the effect - the tree will try to get what it needs through less well covered roots in the zone - but it is good stewardship to minimize damage to the land.

 

[Frattoneyes]

Can you get back there to maintain that side of run and that gutter?
Wastewater pipe is buried....very near the power cables??
When was it buried and where does it go?

Hi,
Yes, I can squeeze between the fence and run. Also, I can access by either hopping up on the roof or from the other side of the fence: Next door is large communal grounds so access from either side of the fence isn't a problem.
Further investigation ref waste water this weekend: the pipe doesn't run the whole length of the fence as I was told. So, I'm planning to get a big water Butt. In the meantime, I've extended the guttering at ground level to the nearest drain which is about 6 meters away. The electricity cables angle away from the fence.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I was about to suggest those deck blocks when @U_Stormcrow beat me to it.

How deep are the cables? The chickens will dig down a surprising depth. Maybe laying some pavers directly over the cables would be a good idea to prevent digging in the immediate area?

How long treated wood lasts is highly dependent on climate. In a cool, dry climate it can last decades. Here in the steamy southeastern US you won't make the first decade. The experts at your local lumber supply can best advise you about how to deal with your local conditions (BTW, you can add your general location to your profile to help people give well-targeted advice).

As for the stumps, chickens will love them.

***IF*** they buried the cables to code??? 3' minimum.

 

[3KillerBs]

***IF*** they buried the cables to code??? 3' minimum.

I do not trust in work having been done to code.

 

[aart]

There are municipal electricity cables running underground in the area I've shaded in red. I do not want to dig in this area (other than a few CMs/inches for levelling)

How much do you know about the accuracy and depth of the power lines?

Agrees, that blocks sitting on top of ground is your best bet.
If the tree is protected, does that include covering the root area,
which can greatly impact the health of tree?

Welcome to BYC! @Frattoneyes
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!