Coop location

[Gone fishin]

I’m new to the chicken world and will be starting my first flock this spring. I’m knee deep in my coop build. Went with a Lone Star Coop plan and am having a good time. Its a plan with a covered run and an elevated hen house. A lot like the Carolina coop-American. Plan is the put in an automatic chicken gaurd door and have free ranging pretty much all day long. I’m trying to decide between two locations and hope you seasoned experts will chime in.

Option 1. Nice flat gravel area with power access (for water heater in winter) Gravel is about the size of marbles. Plan to fill the run with bark mulch mix on top of the gravel. Predator apron would probably sit on top of gravel outside run. Curious what the chickens will do in that gravel outside the run.
Option 2. About 20 yards further away on the natural grass area. Power would have to be trenched over. May have a little more moisture run off control from time to time.
What are your thoughts about these two options? Another question how far away from the coop should I expect the chickens to roam.
Thanks.

 

[DougVC]

You will want it in a dry location. Wet conditions and chicken runs do not mix well. We have about 2 acres of land and our chickens use just about all of it as well as some of the neighboring woods. So they do get some miles on their feet during the day.

 

[3KillerBs]

Gravel and chickens are a bad mix.

Any time it rains the poop would be washed down into the gravel where, without any carbon-rich organic material to compost with, it will rot and STINK.

Additionally, if it's rough-edged gravel rather than smooth river gravel it could lead to bumblefoot.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hate and despise gravel. Fills with "stuff" - mostly manure - way too fast, then prevents drainage thru the gravel bed. Stinks when wet. Packs hard like clay, so when you go to seasonally or annually remove composted soil to amend your garden, you hit... rock.

Dig your trench, run your power, put the coop in the grass (which the chickens will promptly destroy) and grade the area of your run to encourage drainage when it does rain.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Option 2 is better than Option 1 because of the gravel.

 

[David61]

grass for now but not for long with raptor cattle . if you are going to deep litter with wood chips it doesn't matter. Shade and drainage is what i would go to.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Tough one here - option 1 sounds nice except for the gravel, while option 2 sounds like it could work but might be more work fixing the drainage issue and running out power (though you could just run an extension cord).

If you're planning to free range they'll be wandering in both areas doing as they please.