Coop in garden over electricity cables

[aart]

The main thing, though, is that I've got this far and haven't found any cables to electrocute myself with!

That....is a very good thing!

 

[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).

 

[3KillerBs]

Glad it worked out for you.

 

[tiho_prskalo]

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?

 

[tiho_prskalo]

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?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Your neighbor 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.

 

[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!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Good to have good neighbors.

That being the case, I've nothing to add, and will simply repeat my heart emoji for your picture above. Good looking build.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Does look good! How many chickens?

 

[aart]

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.

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?