Coop/Run on a slope?

[CynAlexa]

How steep is the slope?
How big will your coop be?
Pictures will help a ton.

Added pics thank you

 

[CynAlexa]

Welcome to BYC.

Nothing wrong with having your coop on a slope as long as your construction is sound. In fact, it almost guarantees good drainage -- as long as runoff is channeled around the chicken facility rather than through it.

How many chickens were you thinking of getting and how big is the coop? Also, where, in general, are you located? Climate matters so we can give better advice if we know what sort of weather and predators you'll be dealing with.

Show us some photos of the proposed site and the proposed coop and we'll be happy to help you sort it out.

Max 4 hens, coop is 4x6

 

[RoyalChick]

Mine is on quite a steep slope - which definitely has benefits from the point of view of drainage - I never get a flooded run!
But it was quite challenging to figure everything out.
I posted with some questions and people seemed interested so I updated with pictures etc. Here is a link to my thread where I posted about it - I keep meaning to update it with a full set of pictures but I keep saying 'when it is finished' which I realize may be never as I am always tinkering!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/coop-on-a-hillside-roost-heights.1338548/
Hope that helps - if you have specific challenges with the design I am more than happy to weigh in on how I solved the equivalent problem. You can see from my fist post in the above thread that I started worrying about roosts.

 

[Alaskan]

This is a pic of my coop and the area where I want to move it to and make it into the run for the hens. I would put the coop High enough so that the door is at the level of the slope and they can walk out to the area that is currently a little garden.

Sounds like you already have it all planned out.

But... that coop looks like a box/house with little ventilation...

And the photos make me think you live where it is crazy hot.

So I would just put a fence around as much area as you can, roof as much as you can.

In a super hot climate, an open air coop, or aviary is what you want.

So think all possible shade and all possible breeze.

 

[aart]

Sounds like you already have it all planned out.

But... that coop looks like a box/house with little ventilation...

And the photos make me think you live where it is crazy hot.

So I would just put a fence around as much area as you can, roof as much as you can.

In a super hot climate, an open air coop, or aviary is what you want.

So think all possible shade and all possible breeze.

Ditto Dat!!

Another thought struck me too.....that is a very steep slope, erosion might be an issue once they destroy all the vegetation.

 

[CynAlexa]

Sounds like you already have it all planned out.

But... that coop looks like a box/house with little ventilation...

And the photos make me think you live where it is crazy hot.

So I would just put a fence around as much area as you can, roof as much as you can.

In a super hot climate, an open air coop, or aviary is what you want.

So think all possible shade and all possible breeze.

We live in So Cal...our summers get hot but winter can get down to the mid 30’s...I was planning on modifying the area where the window is to make it into french door type for easy access to clean and potentially add a larger screen area for more air flow. Keeping in mind there is also a door on the other side...just can’t see it in the picture. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Alaskan]

We live in So Cal...our summers get hot but winter can get down to the mid 30’s...I was planning on modifying the area where the window is to make it into french door type for easy access to clean and potentially add a larger screen area for more air flow. Keeping in mind there is also a door on the other side...just can’t see it in the picture. Thanks for the reply!

Mid 30s is not cold enough to need a traditional coop.

A big open air coop is still your best bet.

If you want, make it so that you can set up three solid walls around the perches for winter.

And chickens are super happy in the 30s.

However, they can easily be near death in 90 and higher.

 

[3KillerBs]

We live in So Cal...our summers get hot but winter can get down to the mid 30’s..

That's not cold for a chicken. Chickens are wearing built-in down parkas.

 

[Rosie34]

Hi- I’d love to see how you got on as I’m facing a similar situation?
thanks