Coop location /space

[mym1414]

Hello, I am planning to start a backyard chicken coop. I plan I getting this coop for 4 chickens and eventually have up to 10 if the hobby grows on me.

https://aivituvin.com/collections/c...n-house-with-run-air46?variant=44743597752601

Which location seems better for me to set up the coop? 2 different corners in my back yard. Both have a slope though and seem to get pretty muddy when it rains. I can set it up on a raised flower bed. Or that flatter area next to my house.. please let me know your suggestions.

 

[DobieLover]

That coop is not at all worth the price that they're asking and it will not hold 4 birds let alone 8 to 10. Chickens require 3.5 to 4 square feet of floor space per bird and that does not include the nest box area. They need 1 linear foot of roost space and as close to 1 square foot of permanently open ventilation per bird in the coop as you can possibly manage. The run should offer an additional 12 to 15 square feet per bird. As you can see the specs on that coop do not fit the bill.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum, glad you joined!

The first thing I look at is drainage. If the area drains you are usually in a pretty good situation, you can handle all of the other issues. If water stands or it stays wet you have problems. If the poop stays wet for a few days anaerobic bacteria set up and it can stink to high heaven, let alone be unhealthy. You say both areas get muddy when it rains. How long does it take for them to dry out? What dirt is in that area? If it is sandy it may drain pretty fast but if it is clay it may hold water for a while.

If the area is in a low spot where water doesn't drain you need to look at how you can get the water to drain. That may be some type of French drain or a drainage ditch of some type. Another option may be to raise the level there to keep water out but be careful to not dam the water up where you create a pond.

I put my coop and run on a slightly raised area. My coop is on the ground so I filled it with a few inches of dirt, that kept the water out. The coop stays dry. My run drains reasonably well but can get muddy when the weather sets in wet for a few days. I put pea gravel in areas where I walk to get to feeders and waterers and live with it otherwise. It drains well enough that it doesn't stink.

A lot of people use the prefab coops. Most of the manufacturers use commercial standards when looking at capacity. We don't use commercial standards. For example we do not typically cut off their top beak so they can't peck and cannibalize their flockmates. When you pack them really tight their behaviors can be really aggressive.

Some prefab coops are well designed and well made, a lot are not. I cannot tell enough about that specific coop to say if it is decent quality, details are sparce. I can't see how well it is ventilated or how the roosts and nests are situated. How easy is that to access the inside for cleaning? I just cannot tell from their site.

You can maybe build a coop for 8 chickens and be able to access the inside without walking in if it is well designed. Anything bigger than that I'd want a coop that I could walk in. I want to be able to reach everywhere inside so I can clean or retrieve an injured chicken that does not want to be caught.

The way I read that, the coop itself without nests is 40" x 33.5". I don't totally agree with Dobie's numbers, a lot of that depends on your climate. If your winter is rough enough that they can't get outside much it takes a lot of room, her numbers aren't that bad. If they can get outside every day of the year they don't need that much room in the coop section as long as they have access to the outside when they are awake. Even in a nice tropical climate I would not want to put more than 4 hens in there. That would be tight.

I hope we haven't discouraged you too much. It can be a fun hobby but you need to set it up so it can be fun instead of work and problems.

 

[thecatumbrella]

It's hard to make a call without knowing your yard. You want to give them the largest and shadiest (actual sun shade, not crime-ridden) spot possible.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Any location that's low lying or collects mud and rainwater is a bad choice, as you will have odor and sanitation issues.

The best spot for a coop and run would be sitting a little higher up, with good drainage. Depending on your climate ample shade during the summer is generally ideal. Slightly lower on the list of concerns but still a consideration: Can you run electricity to the location if needed? How hard is it to get water to the location? If it snows in winter how hard will it be for you to get from the house to access the set up?

You also don't mention if there's any setback restrictions. Even if there aren't, chickens aren't quiet animals, so consider that if you're planning to build near a neighboring house.

 

[mym1414]

Hi, welcome to the forum, glad you joined!

The first thing I look at is drainage. If the area drains you are usually in a pretty good situation, you can handle all of the other issues. If water stands or it stays wet you have problems. If the poop stays wet for a few days anaerobic bacteria set up and it can stink to high heaven, let alone be unhealthy. You say both areas get muddy when it rains. How long does it take for them to dry out? What dirt is in that area? If it is sandy it may drain pretty fast but if it is clay it may hold water for a while.

If the area is in a low spot where water doesn't drain you need to look at how you can get the water to drain. That may be some type of French drain or a drainage ditch of some type. Another option may be to raise the level there to keep water out but be careful to not dam the water up where you create a pond.

I put my coop and run on a slightly raised area. My coop is on the ground so I filled it with a few inches of dirt, that kept the water out. The coop stays dry. My run drains reasonably well but can get muddy when the weather sets in wet for a few days. I put pea gravel in areas where I walk to get to feeders and waterers and live with it otherwise. It drains well enough that it doesn't stink.

A lot of people use the prefab coops. Most of the manufacturers use commercial standards when looking at capacity. We don't use commercial standards. For example we do not typically cut off their top beak so they can't peck and cannibalize their flockmates. When you pack them really tight their behaviors can be really aggressive.

Some prefab coops are well designed and well made, a lot are not. I cannot tell enough about that specific coop to say if it is decent quality, details are sparce. I can't see how well it is ventilated or how the roosts and nests are situated. How easy is that to access the inside for cleaning? I just cannot tell from their site.

You can maybe build a coop for 8 chickens and be able to access the inside without walking in if it is well designed. Anything bigger than that I'd want a coop that I could walk in. I want to be able to reach everywhere inside so I can clean or retrieve an injured chicken that does not want to be caught.

The way I read that, the coop itself without nests is 40" x 33.5". I don't totally agree with Dobie's numbers, a lot of that depends on your climate. If your winter is rough enough that they can't get outside much it takes a lot of room, her numbers aren't that bad. If they can get outside every day of the year they don't need that much room in the coop section as long as they have access to the outside when they are awake. Even in a nice tropical climate I would not want to put more than 4 hens in there. That would be tight.

I hope we haven't discouraged you too much. It can be a fun hobby but you need to set it up so it can be fun instead of work and problems.

Hi thank you for the response! It usually takes until afternoon to dry if it rains over night, so about 8-12 hours. The dirt is compact and clay like with some woodchips over it .



I think it is in a low spot , there is a drain but it seems to be a little higher like the soil washed away around the pvc .



I live in the Bay Area so there’s about 2 months out of the year that it rains almost everyday. So it gets pretty muddy .



I can’t really tell the details of the ventilation and ease of cleaning either… I’ll see if I can email them. Is it better to clean out the coop everyday or to do the deep litter method? What kind of maintenance time should I be expecting? Everything I’ve read so far is saying that chicken keeping is low maintenance?



My plan was to make a run to attach to the coop and a chicken tunnel that goes along the fence in the back, so they’ll have more space .



Thanks , I’ll do more research but I’m definitely reconsidering my decision to get them now lol

 

[mym1414]

Any location that's low lying or collects mud and rainwater is a bad choice, as you will have odor and sanitation issues.

The best spot for a coop and run would be sitting a little higher up, with good drainage. Depending on your climate ample shade during the summer is generally ideal. Slightly lower on the list of concerns but still a consideration: Can you run electricity to the location if needed? How hard is it to get water to the location? If it snows in winter how hard will it be for you to get from the house to access the set up?

You also don't mention if there's any setback restrictions. Even if there aren't, chickens aren't quiet animals, so consider that if you're planning to build near a neighboring house.

Ok so maybe it’s a better idea to put the coop on my raised flower bed . I can reach it with an extension cord if I have to . What will electrical be used for ? And water hose is long enough to each the coop in those areas as well . I live in the Bay Area so luckily I don’t have snow but maybe I’ll need a mister for the couple weeks in the summer ? It usually reaches and stays around 90-100 for a couple weeks . I know people have chickens around other subdivisions but didn’t really get details on exact rules when I spoke to city hall. They just told me I can have chickens . Do you think I Should get this in writing ?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Everything I’ve read so far is saying that chicken keeping is low maintenance?

It can be if you plan it correctly. That generally means the coop and run does not stay wet, they have plenty of room and ventilation, and predator protection is adequate. @rosemarythyme what am I forgetting? In the Bay area you do not have to worry about winter cold.

 

[NatJ]

Ok so maybe it’s a better idea to put the coop on my raised flower bed . I can reach it with an extension cord if I have to . What will electrical be used for ?

In below-freezing weather, electricity can be nice to heat the water so it doesn't freeze. You may not have to deal with that.

If you want to provide light during the winter to encourage the hens to lay more eggs (instead of stopping when the days get short), electricity is handy for that. Or if you want a light so you can see if you have to do things at the coop after dark.

If you have electricity at the coop, you can also brood chicks in the coop instead of brooding them in a house or garage and moving them to the coop later. Young chicks need a source of heat such as a brooder plate or heat lamp, generally for the first month or two depending on the weather at the time.

 

[NatJ]

Is it better to clean out the coop everyday or to do the deep litter method?

Either one can be good for some people and some situations, and not for others.

The deep litter method requires enough height that the chickens can walk on the litter without bumping their heads, and a way to keep the litter from falling out the door. This will not be possible in the raised coop you linked. I can't be sure, but it may be possible in the run area of that coop.

In general, small coops with low roofs will do better with daily cleaning. Large coops, especially ones big and tall enough to walk into, can often be designed for either one.