coop/run location shade or visibility?

[drangle]

Hey guys, I am about to build my first coop/run and I am having trouble deciding where to place it. basically it boils down to putting it near some trees so they will have some shade in the summer which sounds great except I wont be able to see the coop and run from the house to keep an eye on predators sneaking up. its not far from the house but I will have to walk 75 feet or so before i can see it.

the second option will give me line of sight on the chickens at all time, but it will be out in the open. no trees, no shade, no windbreak other than what i build into the run.

we have foxes and coyotes around here and while I plan on building a predator proof run you can never be too sure, I am torn on what to do. what would you choose if you were in my position?

 

[DobieLover]

Shade. Always in the shade. If you build it correctly you won't need to keep an eye on it for predators sneaking up.

 

[aart]

I am torn on what to do

What is your climate?
Hot where shade will be more important?
Lots of snow where that 75' walk may get really long in winter?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, where, in general, are you?

Shade is almost always a plus, but in a hot climate it's critical to either provide deep shade or to vastly increase your coop ventilation.

 

[drangle]

I am in Se Colorado i would describe the area as arid plains. HOt summers lots of 95-100 degree days. We usually get a couple storm in the winter but outside of a 10 year blizzard event nothing too bad. They will primarily be free ranging so they will have access to the trees 90 percent of the time.

 

[3KillerBs]

I am in Se Colorado i would describe the area as arid plains. HOt summers lots of 95-100 degree days. We usually get a couple storm in the winter but outside of a 10 year blizzard event nothing too bad. They will primarily be free ranging so they will have access to the trees 90 percent of the time.

This is my hot climate chicken keeping article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

If you also get severe winters it's possible to make removeable panels for your coop/run to allow you adjust between the two extremes.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

They will primarily be free ranging so they will have access to the trees 90 percent of the time.

Definitely in the shade! And if they will be free ranging no amount of "line of sight" is going to save them from a fox or coyote

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I moved my coop from Sun to Shade and I do not regret it. I used to have a hard time in summer and I wasted a lot of water misting and such. I've never had to do that with it in the Shade. It needs to be predator proof no matter where it is as you can't babysit it 24/7 so why not choose the place that will make them more comfortable and less maintenance.....

 

[perkolator]

Shade and go toward beefing up security.

My setup is in the shade until the evening sun, placed away from the house out of line of sight, and with 20ac of wilderness behind our property. Because of that I made the main structure like a fortress, as there are plenty of predators. No losses inside my fortress; plenty of losses when free-ranging and in a 2nd additional run that was not built like a fortress - lessons learned, build everything secure.