Dilemma, little sun and distance from well

[mudmucker]

I feel as if I am in a bit of a dilemma, and maybe you folks can offer some insight. I live in rocky New England.

Other than where the house is and the general flatter backyard right out the door, my land is very rocky and undulating. There are very few usable areas that get good sun. Those areas that do have the sun are taken up by garden space. There are two areas near the end of the open yard part I would like to put a permanent coop that are slightly less rocky and get sun, except they are 30 feet from my well.

1. I could put a coop just about anywhere in the 1.5 acre wooded section except that there would be little sun. The trees around it are too big for me to try to attempt to cut on my own and hiring out would be expensive. I might possibly be able to cut down a few more trees in one of the spots mentioned above, and at least get 50 feet from the well, but there will be less sun.

2. I would prefer a permanent coop, as I have many predators. After reading this great forum I have decided to use sand in the coop, and probably sand in the run. I intend on having a roof over the run too.

3. The well I have is a deep bedrock well that goes down to 400 feet. However, the bedrock is 10 feet from the surface, and the casing of the well is 10 feet into the bedrock so it's protected to 20 feet below surface at a minimum.

So even though I have space, I feel limited in where I can site the coop. But I don't have any practical knowledge on chicken poop dynamics.

Now the questions:

1. Exactly how much nitrogen does let's say 4 hens generate (for example, equivalent bags of fertilizer?) Knowing it's a bedrock well and the 30 foot distance, how feasible is it that nitrogen would get into the water at potentially worse case, 20 foot depth? And, would the roof over the run help in mitigation, meaning that some of the poop isn't pounded into the ground or running off towards the well? And, does the sand actually help mitigate as opposed to bare ground and I wonder by how much?

2. Then, the other alternative is a tractor as a permanent home, but I am apprehensive because of the predators. I looked at this site at length at tractors and there are alot of good ideas. But all these tractors are made for even, flat terrain. I haven't really found a great solution for predator proofing a tractor on uneven terrain. It doesn't seem that putting wire fencing as a floor would work well. The only thing left is to have a 2 foot apron extending out but again, there are rocks and uneven terrain where there still could be gaps, even if secured down.

Certainly I could make a 4-season tractor with some coop space for them at night, but I want the luxury of a lot of run space so then it would start to get heavy. I am 130 lbs and would need to move this myself. A lightweight tractor probably would not be substantial enough and if it were 4-season I'd have to make the coop bigger. Any thoughts on how to predator proof a tractor on uneven rocky terrain where the chickens would be in it overnight? Any thoughts on designs to make it lighter? Maybe I make a decent sized movable coop separate from a movable run and then attach them?

3. And the third alternative would be to have a tractor for the non-winter months and a permanent coop/run. Sort of like separate summer and winter housing. Lot of work for like, 3 hens.

Even with a less permanent tractor, they would have to stay in there perhaps a couple of days at a time. Meaning, I wouldn't be able to be home every day to move them in and out or around. And then, I'm back to my permanent coop dilemma as well.

Any answers to my questions? Is my thinking too narrow - any other thoughts and insight to help expand that?

 

[cptbahama]

Wow, you are putting a lot of thought into this!
With the natural process of nitrification (and thus nitrogen fixing bacteria surely to exist in your soil already) and only 3 or 4 hens, I don't think you should worry much about any nitrogen (or nitrites/ nitrates) getting into the groundwater. Anyways, if the well was constructed correctly, there should be an external solid casing that protects the internal screened casing from surficial leeching.
I'm going to end up with about 8 hens and my coop is located about 80 feet from my well. My well is only 60 feet deep (we are in the slate belt and monster aquifers are shallow here). If it really worries you, you can have the well tested regularly, which wouldn't be a bad idea anyway. It is worth the piece of mind.

A lot of times you hear about nitrogen in water systems but I think the vast majority of this is agricultural leeching (fertilizers) and it runs into streams, etc.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
It sounds like you have a decently good well (casing down to bedrock, deep well) and are planning only like half a dozen chcikens or fewer.

That being the case, personally I would not sweat the distance from the well too much. I mean, put the coop *compost* somewhere further away and where it drains in another direction, sure, but 3 chickens 30' from the well are not likely to hurt anything (if they do, your well had other problems already from other sources)

As far as sun goes... meh. Sun is good, but it is not like they will curl up and die without all-day sun. Frankly with large trees I'd be just about as worried about not having large limbs (or small trees) come down on the coop during a windstorm. Put the coop wherever seems GENERALLY sensible, and you'll be fine

2. I would prefer a permanent coop, as I have many predators. After reading this great forum I have decided to use sand in the coop

Not if you are in New England, not in wintertime. At best it will be too cold on your hens' feets; if damp, it will also freeze solid. I would suggest using a good quality of shavings, but chopped straw is also an option, as are a bunch of other alternative materials. For wintertime in New England you really want something *plant-based* though, and of a reasonable depth, for warmth.

2. Then, the other alternative is a tractor as a permanent home, but I am apprehensive because of the predators.

Yes, that, and nonflat ground, and New England winters. I think you are really a lot better with a permanent coop. If you later decide you also want to try a day tractor for summertime use, you can make that then; but I'd suggest starting off with a good permanent coop. DOn't make it too small - it is hard to winter hens in harsh winters in a tiny coop.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​