Coop position and flooring

[Neejchee]

Hi all, I am about to build my first chicken coop. I have a vast majority of it designed and supplies available, but I'm stuck on position and flooring.

I have a 'perfect' (for me) position that I originally planned around. It would have an open dirt floor and I would be doing deep litter, with dug in hardware mesh at the vulnerable edges to keep diggers at bay (I'm in Canberr, Australia, so foxes are the biggest risk) and I have stirrups to keep wood off the ground which would be surrounded by metal sheeting for the bottom of the coop sides.

The problem here is I've realised it's SUPER close to my neighbours. As in, the coop would go against my side fence (the short side with the lest ventilation, but still) and their house is damn near built on top of the fenceline, with that whole side of the house being bedrooms and a bathroom. They're nice e people, and I don't want to torture them with smell. I also wonder whether there are restrictions on building a coop so close to a house, but can't find anything specific for my region.

The alternative site is a few meters away from their fence, on a brick paved area. This obviously means not a bare floor, but I guess pavers would be a pain to clean out when necessary? Deep litter, so not frequent cleaning out, but I assume a complete removal of muck still needs to be an option.

If I go with the paved spot, I guess that means flooring for the coop? In which case, it adds a significant cost which I would prefer to avoid, but also needs to be cleanable. I assume flooring directly on the pavers would go gross, so it would need to be lifted a bit. Then I thought maybe linoleum (I know it can't have vinyl) would make cleaning easier, but lino would get moldy if it's directly on plywood. I could put down lino straight onto the pavers? But possibly the same issue with mould?

So I guess after that long ramble, my questions are:

Will a deep litter coop (a touch under 6m² which is about 60ft²) with a max of 6 adult birds (likely 4 or 5) be smelly or otherwise problematic for neighbours?

Is it worth moving it to the paved area (not worrying and predators from this perspective)?

If on pavers, what would you suggest for my flooring dilemma?

 

[Neejchee]

This is a terrible picture of the side of my place. The blue is roughly where I am looking at putting the coop. The roof of my place sticking out there is covered courtyard, not actually the house itself.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I also wonder whether there are restrictions on building a coop so close to a house, but can't find anything specific for my region.

This would be my main concern. I don't know what's standard in Australia but many areas in the US have setbacks for any sort of structure, or restrictions specifically on how close animal housing.

Is there anything like town/city or county ordinances, or a town hall that would have the rules?

No experience with pavers so I can't help on that front.

Will a deep litter coop (a touch under 6m² which is about 60ft²) with a max of 6 adult birds (likely 4 or 5) be smelly or otherwise problematic for neighbours?

Is that strictly the coop or a combination of coop and run space? If that's all the space it's likely too tight for 6 standard size adults. I'd aim for 4 max.

Smell can be managed by litter. I don't know what specific litter plan you have, but it would be best to check in with other folks in your area that have chickens to see what works for them.

Noise is another issue that could be more problematic, especially since you said the neighboring bedrooms are right by the fence line. Even hens can be noisy and I can sometimes hear my chickens from the other side of my neighbor's 2 acre lot. Do you have any noise nuisance ordinances?

 

[Neejchee]

This would be my main concern. I don't know what's standard in Australia but many areas in the US have setbacks for any sort of structure, or restrictions specifically on how close animal housing.

Is there anything like town/city or county ordinances, or a town hall that would have the rules?

No experience with pavers so I can't help on that front.

Is that strictly the coop or a combination of coop and run space? If that's all the space it's likely too tight for 6 standard size adults. I'd aim for 4 max.

Smell can be managed by litter. I don't know what specific litter plan you have, but it would be best to check in with other folks in your area that have chickens to see what works for them.

Noise is another issue that could be more problematic, especially since you said the neighboring bedrooms are right by the fence line. Even hens can be noisy and I can sometimes hear my chickens from the other side of my neighbor's 2 acre lot. Do you have any noise nuisance ordinances?

The only council/local government info I can find is about permanent structures (this I'm hoping will last a damn long time, but won't be concreted in etc.) or about chicken management itself, like welfare requirements and rooster rules. Nothing so far about coop placement.

The space is for the coop only. They will be semi-freerange during the day; semi because there are tick bushes that will likely stop them getting to the other end of the yard, but at least double the coop size accessible as moderately planted run (dwarf apple trees and some shrubs) which is dig protected but not currently aerial protected. It would be viable to cover it though, if it turns out there are nasties getting in overhead. We don't have raccoons here and our possums don't hurt chooks, and whilst we do theoretically have some hawks around they're rarely a risk to anything grown up. The real risks are foxes and cats climbing over my colorbond fencing, in which case my cat (indoors, but access to the courtyard so clear sight of the whole run) will scream blue murder until the police come knocking. She haaaates other cats with a passion.

Chooks here are exempt from the standard noise nuisance laws but instead come under domestic animal laws. Basically as long as there's no rooster and they're not going stupid all night they're okay. The noise factor is more that I don't want to be an arsehole neighbour lol

 

[rosemarythyme]

The only council/local government info I can find is about permanent structures (this I'm hoping will last a damn long time, but won't be concreted in etc.) or about chicken management itself, like welfare requirements and rooster rules. Nothing so far about coop placement.

Hmm that's tough then. Might try calling it in anyhow, to see if you can talk to someone in zoning, but it always makes it difficult to figure things out when there isn't clear regulations.

For the sake of peace with the neighbors my kneejerk reaction is to say don't put it up against the property line, and to just put it on the pavers. How's drainage at that location? Theoretically if the interior of the coop can be kept mostly dry then a floor might not be needed, just keep your cleanouts dry as well. Dry = less odor. However that would be deep bedding more than deep litter, so do not expect composting action on the poop and litter in that case.

The space is for the coop only. They will be semi-freerange during the day; semi because there are tick bushes that will likely stop them getting to the other end of the yard, but at least double the coop size accessible as moderately planted run (dwarf apple trees and some shrubs) which is dig protected but not currently aerial protected. It would be viable to cover it though, if it turns out there are nasties getting in overhead.

Good to know. If they can reliably free range for the majority of the day everyday then 6 birds should be fine in that set up.

The noise factor is more that I don't want to be an arsehole neighbour lol

Fair enough. Have you talked to your neighbor about how they might feel about it? I have double paned windows so even though my set up is about 20' outside the living room I can nap in the room without issue, but maybe your neighbors like having windows open.

 

[aart]

As in, the coop would go against my side fence

Regardless of local laws, it's not a good idea to build anything against a fence or another building. You want access all around your coop for maintenance of both fence and coop.

 

[Penpal]

You could lay a tarp over the pavers and put the litter over that.

 

[Down Under]

Sorry but a brushtail will eat a chicken if it roosts in a tree at night or if it the brushy can get into your coop.

You are right, most states have a set back of X meters from a boundary but Canberra being federal only has this https://www.act.gov.au/health/topics/staying-healthy-in-your-home/keeping-birds-at-home

Your paved area would work, the pavers would stop digging. For a base make a box out of some redgum or eco sleepers (non CCA sleepers in other words but be aware that eco sleepers are treated with insecticides and pesticides if you are aiming for organic) on top of the pavers and fill it with some dust free wood chips. It will give you a semi-deep pile base without the smell and away from the fence, the hardest part would be working out how to secure the sleepers to the ground.

 

[Down Under]

I also have to ask, have you looked on Gumtree for a reasonably priced cubby house? It will save you a ton of work, you can put it on your pavers and there are plenty of places doing kits to turn them into coops if you don't have the time to build the bits yourself. https://www.mycosycoop.com.au/product/cosy-cubby-conversions/

 

[Neejchee]

I also have to ask, have you looked on Gumtree for a reasonably priced cubby house? It will save you a ton of work, you can put it on your pavers and there are plenty of places doing kits to turn them into coops if you don't have the time to build the bits yourself. https://www.mycosycoop.com.au/product/cosy-cubby-conversions/

I have the front, back and roof of a cubby house that I'm planning on converting. It's a crazy heavy and strong thing, insulated balls and roof, with metal roofing batons and all sorts. I'm intending to raise it, because it's only 1.5m high and I want at least an 1.8m door for ease of access, but depending how I go with that I might go even higher because I have a screen security door that I could add to the end if I frame it high enough, and will put metal sheeting around the base of the framing, so it'll be a matter of making the raised base framing strong enough to securely support the rest at an additional 55cm.

I didn't realise brushtails were a risk for grown chickens! I knew bursitis would need extra safety, but I'll make a point of dusk to dawn security against possums now that I know, so thanks!