Coop/Run Placement

[PTFowl]

The coop is arriving in a couple weeks and the chicks will be here soon. I was planning to put the coop with run right along the side of the house but it won't get any sun there. I'm in WA state where the weather is often cloudy and it rarely gets very warm or very cold. I hope to be able to free range the chickens in the fenced yard but at times they'll be confined to the 13-foot long coop/run area. Is it a bad idea to place the coop in a fully shaded spot?

 

[ECBW]

I found that moisture uauslly lead to smelly coop and even moldy coop if it stays damp too long.

 

[cicichick]

I see shade as an advantage for a couple of reasons. We have a coop with two separate runs. One mostly shade and the other mostly sun. Those in the sunny side tend to spend more time in the coop and out of the sun when it is really hot. The shady side chicks are out more. And having a mostly shaded side has worked out great for the chicks my son shows at the Fair. We house them on that side of the coop so we avoid any bleaching of feathers from sun.

 

[PTFowl]

I hadn't thought about the moisture/smell and moisture-leading-to-mold issue until you mentioned it. Plus the ventilation will be worse if it's right near the house. Going with a partially sunny spot seems to make more sense. Partial sun seems like a better choice than no sun at all in this wetter-than-average climate.

 

[Patricia Jane]

Mine are in partial shade and I find they do enjoy sun bathing occasionally.

Enjoy. They are a lot of fun, not to mention addicting