Coop near septic system?

[jjhllnd]

What are the issue or possible problems associated with housing your flock over or near your septic system? Thanks for the help!

 

[DobieLover]

What are the issue or possible problems associated with housing your flock over or near your septic system? Thanks for the help!

Sooner or later, you will need a new septic system and the entire area will be dug up.
I would only put something easily removable over the septic system like the fencing for a pen.
I recently had a new system installed and the entire thing sits within the confines of the chicken's pen but their coop and run are up hill from it.

 

[tsperry88]

What are the issue or possible problems associated with housing your flock over or near your septic system? Thanks for the help!

You can't dig holes or drive posts unless you are 100% sure where your distro box and lines are. If everything sets on top of the ground, I wouldn't worry about it. The chickens won't hurt anything for sure.

 

[jjhllnd]

Sooner or later, you will need a new septic system and the entire area will be dug up.
I would only put something easily removable over the septic system like the fencing for a pen.
I recently had a new system installed and the entire thing sits within the confines of the chicken's pen but their coop and run are up hill from it.

Thanks for the reply! So your saying the chickens will scratch around until they uncover it? I am just making sure I understood you.

 

[tsperry88]

Thanks for the reply! So your saying the chickens will scratch around until they uncover it? I am just making sure I understood you.

I think DobieLover was just saying that septic systems sometimes fail and need replaced. Mine was installed with a full size excavator, and the whole place was torn up. They should last a really really long time. My parents is going strong after 21 years.

Assuming you are talking a traditional septic system and not the fancy engineered ones that I know nothing about, chickens will not damage anything. Just don't drive a post through anything. And make sure the tank(s) are accessible for pumping. I have 2 tanks but on gravity systems there is usually one.

Somebody with more chicken knowledge should answer about bird health concerns about foraging on top, but if the leach field stays dry, it wouldn't worry me.

 

[aart]

More info here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/32x32-chicken-run-project.1412287/

 

[Alaskan]

Same as already stated... I can't imagine chickens being able to hurt my system... just make sure you can access the clean out pipe... if there is any chance it might need to be replaced, definitely don't put the coop on it, but a run, or a coop on skids would be great.