coop location and design advise please

[mrvaudo]

i've been thinking about getting chickens for a while but due to a dog and location placement it's always been put off. i think i have an idea for a location and i'd like some advice from the experts



here's the location i'm thinking of. I'm thinking the coop goes on the patio on the left side of the picture and then i can make a run where the planter is next to the patio. the run would be about 20 feet long and 6 feet wide if i go to the fence.

some issues i'm wondering about are i have a chain link fence with ivy and creeping fig in the back behind those four trees. could i use that fence as the back of my run? i've heard that chickens will eat pretty much everything they can so will they eat the ivy and ficus (and thus my privacy). behind that fence is an alley. would having your coop and run up against an alley matter at all? Thanks for any help you can give!!

 

[jim c]

placing the end of the coop as far to the back as possible is always a good idea. to keep the chickens from eating the ivy on the fence just place some 1inch chicken wire on the fence. it will allow the chickens to some of the plants but not enough that you would lose privacy. any fresh greens for chickens in a run is good for them.