Coop Location - INPUT PLEASE!

[egibsch]

We have our coop under construction and are looking at two places in our yard for its final location. We'd love some input!

Background
Site:
We live in Northeast Ohio, where temperatures range from average lows in the 20's in the winter (although sub-zero windchills happen occasionally) to average highs in the mid 80's (with peaks up to mid-90's) in the summer.

Flock:
We have a mixed flock, with Easter Egger, Olive Egger, Buckeye, Barndelver, Speckled Sussex and Wyandotte. (10 birds total)

Coop:
We are building a coop based on the Daisy Coop design, which is sized for up to 12 birds. We will have a run 8'x16' until we expand it further next year.

Site Option 1
Closer to the house - about 90 feet. It is relatively flat and is on the downward slope away from the house - it does tend to get soggy with rain. Morning sun, but otherwise shaded, with a thicket on the west side.

Site Option 2
Farther from the house - about 270 feet, but near a 40x20' garden (which I planned on having fenced in the future for the flock to wander in - attached to the run eventually). Higher and dryer, but also receives more summer intense sun. There is a thicket on the east side. Doesn't have much of a windbreak. Better winter sun.

QUESTIONS:
In our climate, I am wondering if we need to be closer to the house in order to run electricity to the coop in the winter. We don't plan on heating the coop, but I am wondering about keeping water thawed.

What other things do we need to consider in choosing which site to place the coop?

Thank you!!!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

My main criteria for locating a coop and run is drainage. If the area is wet you will almost certainly have problems. If it is dry problems are much less likely. I understand the convenience of all the other stuff but to me it would be an easy decision.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

We have our coop under construction and are looking at two places in our yard for its final location. We'd love some input!

Background
Site:
We live in Northeast Ohio, where temperatures range from average lows in the 20's in the winter (although sub-zero windchills happen occasionally) to average highs in the mid 80's (with peaks up to mid-90's) in the summer.

Flock:
We have a mixed flock, with Easter Egger, Olive Egger, Buckeye, Barndelver, Speckled Sussex and Wyandotte. (10 birds total)

Coop:
We are building a coop based on the Daisy Coop design, which is sized for up to 12 birds. We will have a run 8'x16' until we expand it further next year.

Site Option 1
Closer to the house - about 90 feet. It is relatively flat and is on the downward slope away from the house - it does tend to get soggy with rain. Morning sun, but otherwise shaded, with a thicket on the west side.

Site Option 2
Farther from the house - about 270 feet, but near a 40x20' garden (which I planned on having fenced in the future for the flock to wander in - attached to the run eventually). Higher and dryer, but also receives more summer intense sun. There is a thicket on the east side. Doesn't have much of a windbreak. Better winter sun.

QUESTIONS:
In our climate, I am wondering if we need to be closer to the house in order to run electricity to the coop in the winter. We don't plan on heating the coop, but I am wondering about keeping water thawed.

What other things do we need to consider in choosing which site to place the coop?

Thank you!!!!

I’d keep it closer to the house for two reasons. One is for the electricity. I usually have a fan going on the summer. Closer is also slightly better for maintaining your human presence and deterring predators, but this is arguable really.

I would also consider shade. Ifpossible the coop should receive shade from 3pm onward. My biggest concern is heat, not the cold.

I also agree with drainage. You want to have the run as dry as possible so if it’s a lush area of your property it probably has more water run off or drains more poorly.

 

[3KillerBs]

Can you solve the drainage problem for the close to the house area with grass swales and French drains?

 

[Folly's place]

Drainage, shade, and you will want electricity out there, for heated waterers in winter, if nothing else. Fixing drainage issues can be done, best before things get soggy, and electricity can be run 270 ft. out there, it will just cost more. Without pictures, Site One sounds better to me, with the drainage issues fixed.
You can plant trees and shrubs outside of your coop and run to provide a windbreak in winter, and summer shade. While that's all maturing, shade cloth and construction will help mitigate those issues.
How large will your coop be, and how about some pictures of these sites?
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

#1 has more shade, closer to electricity, better wind protection, all of which are pluses. Only downside is drainage, so look into fixing that, and you're good to go.

 

[egibsch]

Thank you all! I’m honestly not sure about how to correct the drainage issue just due to the way the yard slopes. Pics coming.

 

[egibsch]

The yellow box is the option closer to the house. There is a small garden there that would be moved. We got 1/2” of rain today and it is still pretty soggy. The run would run along the thicket, so as to not jut into the yard.

The green box is out past the pine trees next to the big garden. With our 1/2” of rain, this spot is much dryer. The run would be between the garden and the thicket.

one pic has a red box. It is another option near a tree for shade but still by the big garden. It is dryer than the yellow.

The pics were taken around 6 in the evening and generally looking to the north.

The coop will be 4x8 ft with nesting boxes on each end of that (added on to the 4x8 size).

 

[Folly's place]

Shade is good, and soggy ground is bad. You do have good choices though!
Your garden is beautiful! And your chickens will love it too.
I would want electricity out there somehow, and that may mean fixing the soggy ground closer to the house. Carrying water to the coop 3x daily during freezing weather won't be fun!
We also have an all-weather hydrant next to the coop, wonderful! Think about winter, and ice, and icy ground, and two feet of snow.
Mary

 

[pozees2]

Maybe on the spot closer to the house, you could consider a few things that might make it more amenable. Possibly put it a little further out from the trees, if it's a little less soggy there? or build a base under the coop that's sort of like a raised bed but full of pea gravel, or patio blocks, with a walkway out to it? I prefer having the birds within 100 feet if at all possible, we ran power to our shed coop that's just about 100 feet from the house, trenched in conduit and ran permanent power to it, for heated waterers in winter and fans in summer, as well as heat plates when I'm raising chicks out there. The closer it is to the house, the more likely you are to hear a fuss and get to it quickly to check on whether the fuss is, "I just laid an egg!" or "There's a monster in here!" 270 feet doesn't seem *that* far right now, but as others have mentioned, in winter, it seems more like 2700 feet when you have to shovel a path to get to them just to do basic daily care, let them out in the morning, etc.