Coop on a hill???

[cleoandtheo]

Hubby & I are thinking of buying a vacation property in our local mountains. There's a good-sized back yard on the place we are looking at, and we plan to go for at least a week at a time during the summer & vacations, so would bring our dogs -- and hopefully the chickens!

So we will have a challenge. There is a space I think might work, but the whole house is on a fairly steep hill. The space I am thinking of would be a long, narrow strip of hill that is accessible at the bottom.

If you have a coop built on a hill, would you please post a picture to help me with inspiration for how to build??? Many, many thanks!!!

 

[cleoandtheo]

This is the spot I am thinking of, but there is a whole yard I can use. All of it is on a similar slope, however.
I just want to be able to bring our chickens with us on vacation.

Someone please share an idea for a coop on a hill???

 

[speckledhen]

Mine is on quite a slope. You must have a good level because your eyes will deceive you! If you go to our coops section, look at Large coops, my Clutch Hutch has several pages of construction photos and you'll see what I mean.

 

[spartacus_63]

Piece of cake. Building on a slope is not much different than on level grade. Just have to build up one end more than the other. My coop is on a hill (not as steep as yours) and I wouldn't have it any other way. My coop is large, but the principal is the same. I have pics of my coop on my profile page.

Looks like a great poultry vacation spot to me!

 

[crazyhen]

Hum... building on a hill is a bit more complicated. No corner is the same ht. from the ground. You have to really use your level. The ground also has a tendency to wash down hill around your corner supports. Make sure the door is not on the upper level close to the soil. The soil will build up there and run in the coop if it is low to the ground. You can still build there just watch your level and stabilize the foundation post etc. Good Luck and yes I think it would be nice to take you chickens on vacation with you. Gloria Jean

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Taking your chickens on vacation!

Now I have heard it all!

 

[spartacus_63]

Come on now, would you not want your coop level if it were not on a slope? You will not have to pull the level out any more often while building on a slope, than you would building on a flat grade. Never have I built a structure where all corners are the same.

My recommendation would be to elevate the entire coop some to allow for drainage. If the birds will bee in the run long enough to remove the vegetation, you will want to consider erosion precautions. If they will only be there for short vacations, you will probably be OK.
I am assuming you will be building a smaller hutch type coop for a few birds. Build the coop and then put it on stilts (posts, similar to your deck.)

 

[patandchickens]

You reeeeallllly sure you ought to take your chickens on vacation with you for a week here and a week there?

That is going to be very hard on the chickens, both physically and socially/mentally. It is jsut asking for problems. They are not like dogs or cats, they do not travel well or readjust easily.

If there is ANY way you can POSSIBLY leave them at home with a responsible person tending them, that would be WAY WAY better for the chickens...

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[spartacus_63]

I would not be to worried about moving the birds. As long as they feel secure while in transit and that there living conditions and diet are similar while on vacation. They may be timid at first, but they will get used to it and eventually, you may have a hard time keeping them out of your car. It took a couple of mine exactly one trip in the car to figure out that not only was the car a great place to sit under (it is really a 3/4 ton Suburban) for shade, but a great way to cross the road.

I would want my chickies to come with me if I were going to the lake house. You and the birds will enjoy it more than if they were at home in someone else care.

 

[MamaChic21]

on the right hand side of the picture, is that a deck or stairs ? (hard to tell) Is it possible for you to build them a coop/run there ?