Downslope Coop/Run Questions

[EsqChick]

Hi All. I am brand new to BYC (in fact I am picking up my first 4 chicks this Saturday from the local farm store - 1 of each Orpington, Australorp, Ameraucana and RIR). I am in the final stages of selecting a coop and run for my flock (pre-fab, I am not handy at all and doubt my husband would be enthused to build a coop right now!). Anyhow, my backyard where the coop/run will be located in fairly big (25x50-ish) for urban Oakland, CA. Problem is it is almost entirely downslope. There is some trellising, but the only really flatish part of the yard is at the very back of the property line and even that is slightly sloped. I plan to locate my coop/run there, which is fine as we have no rear neighbors, just an empty lot full of trees and vegetation.

My question (after reading as much as I could find about downslope coop/runs in the forums here) is how level should the coop/run be? Is it important that the coop be completely level for the comfort of my hens (and safety of eggs later)? Or can it be slightly sloped one way or another? I have lead time to spend some hours making sure the area they will be cooped is completely level, but if it is not necessary, I'd frankly rather not spend the money or time doing so. If I do need to level the area for the coop/run, what materials should I use? Dirt from the yard? gravel? pavers?

As I said, I am in Oakland, CA - we don't too much rain (at least we have not this season), but drainage may be an issue because of the location of the coop, so I want to keep that in mind as well. Any insight or experience is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[squadleader]

Perhaps a picture of your backyard would help.

Of interest would be the nature of the soil, is wet natured, does stay wet during portions of the year. You certainly wouldn't want there to be any flooding history where you're going to put your coop.

Take a look look at this thread it explains some important principles regarding light and ventilation. It's so easy to buy a very poorly designed prefab design that wastes your money and makes your birds miserable.

Here's the link, read reply number 16.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ods-semi-monitor-10-x-16-house.1220460/page-2

Ideally your coop would be at that top of a slope, or at least on the slope, generally bottom of the slope isn't usually as well drained.

Also orientation is important, do you happen to have a good view of the southern sky?

Your location is to your advantage, at least I think, unless that old Mark Twain joke is true. He said the coldest winter he ever spent, was a summer in San Francisco.

If your temperatures are moderate all year, all the better. I'm a huge fan of free ranging, I think that can sometimes be done in an urban area.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

If you go out there with a tape measure and the coop/run dimensions in hand I bet you'll find you have a flat spot. Prefabs tend to be much smaller than they appear in the photos. So the actual dimensions will help envision how it will fit.

 

[EsqChick]

Perhaps a picture of your backyard would help.

Of interest would be the nature of the soil, is wet natured, does stay wet during portions of the year. You certainly wouldn't want there to be any flooding history where you're going to put your coop.

Take a look look at this thread it explains some important principles regarding light and ventilation. It's so easy to buy a very poorly designed prefab design that wastes your money and makes your birds miserable.

Here's the link, read reply number 16.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ods-semi-monitor-10-x-16-house.1220460/page-2

Ideally your coop would be at that top of a slope, or at least on the slope, generally bottom of the slope isn't usually as well drained.

Also orientation is important, do you happen to have a good view of the southern sky?

Your location is to your advantage, at least I think, unless that old Mark Twain joke is true. He said the coldest winter he ever spent, was a summer in San Francisco.

If your temperatures are moderate all year, all the better. I'm a huge fan of free ranging, I think that can sometimes be done in an urban area.

I'll try to post a picture of the backyard tonight if it is still light enough when I get home. The soil is pretty dry, even this time of year with the rain we recently had. Though there are lots of weeds currently in the backyard which are helping it to retain some moisture.

I don't think putting the coop at the top of the slope is an option. Unfortunately local ordinance requires the coop to be a minimum of 20 feet from the house and by the time you get to 20 feet you're already on the down slope. The good thing though about our slope is that the lot adjacent to our backyard continues on the downward slope, so we don't get any ponding or pooling in rain!

The backyard has both western and southern exposure with lots of sunlight from about an hour after sunrise until sunset each night, so we're definitely lucky there. And yes, it does not tend to get too hot for us (or too cold). Generally coldest temps here are high 30s-low 40s (this winter lowest morning temp we had has been right around 37) and in summer we generally stay in the low-mid 80s, with a few crazy days of heat during our Indian Summer....but we do get the occasional cold snap during summer too!

Our local ordinance is silent on free ranging, but I have seen some hawks/prey birds in flying nearby and we have a significant wild turkey population in the hills where I live (they sometimes like to sit on my roof or hang out in my neighbor's back yard!). I am hoping to free range the chickens from time to time, but only under supervision. It makes me nervous to even think something might happen to them!

 

[EsqChick]

If you go out there with a tape measure and the coop/run dimensions in hand I bet you'll find you have a flat spot. Prefabs tend to be much smaller than they appear in the photos. So the actual dimensions will help envision how it will fit.

Thanks! Yes, we measured out last weekend and found the flatest spot we have, but it is still slightly graded (my best guess is maybe 2% ish). I know it will work, I just need to figure out how much prep work in need to put in to make it more flat if necessary!

 

[Dayrel]

Hello EsqChick. A few thoughts from another urban chicken owner:

• Nice selection of chickens. Good layers, can easily handle your climate and easy to identify.
  
• The common minimum recommendation for space for full-sized chickens it 4sqft coop/bird and 10sqft run/bird. Prefab backyard coops always lie about capacity.
• The coop should really be fairly level, but it doesn't need to be precise. This makes many thing easier, from doors/windows to eggs rolling and keeping the roosts/floor easier to move around on. I'd think the run being level is less important (assuming the slope is not ridiculous).
• Free ranging means that you are accepting the risk of losses. Everyone handles this differently. I have a small flock like you and value the individuals more highly. They spend most of their time in the coop/run and have supervised free-ranging only. I've had three hawk encounters in the last year that have convinced me this is a good system.
• Given the slope of your yard, it doesn't sound like drainage will be a problem unless that spot is at the bottom of the slope or in the middle of a channel that water drains through.

 

[Ohmyheart]

The ground is fine not being level. You should level the coop though, it will make things so much easier like Dayrel said.

 

[aart]

Slope in run can be an issue for erosion and/or migration of bedding down hill.
Waiting to see pics.
Oh, and, Welcome to BYC!

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Level doesn't matter. I once had a coop at the top of a small hill and ran the run down the hill to a flat area that was also enclosed by the run.

 

[EsqChick]

Soooo...after examining my backyard with the specific coop I’ve ordered in mind (eventually I will build one, but for now prefab will have to do), I’ve decided the coop and run would be best in the middle of the yard, just above one of the retaining walls. The spot gets better sun, is more level and is further from the fence (and potential predators). Anyhow, a few pics attached. Yard is COVERED in clover for now, but DH and I are planning to spend some time weeding tomorrow and better planning coop location. I’m almost positive we’ll need to level a bit more, but I realized I have TONS of rings from a tree that was cut down in our yard that I think will make great leveling structures (drainage won’t be a problem). I have a pretty strong feeling we’re looking to figure out the next 2 years or so, then we’ll need to upgrade the coop/run situation so I’m a little less concerned about everything bring perfect right this second.