Drainage - how deep, how much?

[porokelle]

Hello,
We've just finished our new coop and 3x5meter run (or at least the structure) and are discussing the best way to do drainage for the run.
It's in a low area of the yard and water pools, so I've got a gutter and french drain taking water off the roof and away, but I'm sure some rain will still get into the run when the wind blows. The coop is high off the ground, so no worry there.

The bottom of the run is lined the whole way around with 10"/25cm boards, in order to keep keep the mesh straight and the run dirt inside the run. These boards are half buried in places due to the uneven ground.

We're trying to decide if we dig to the bottom of the boards (about 8" in some places) and put maybe 2" of pea gravel, cover that with weed mat and then cover the pea gravel and weed mat with dirt and bark.
Or maybe we don't have to dig that far down for drainage? Since 8" is pretty far below some of the boards and the ground level.

I'm afraid I haven't done much homestead work in the way of drainage and looking for any advice!

Thank you!

 

[saysfaa]

Can you dig a ditch or swale from the low side of the run to where the water can flow away or where pooling isn't a problem?

 

[HeritageFan]

I live in the Pacific NW USA, so. I always err on the side of getting as much water away from my critters as quickly as possible.

We live on a steep hill. I typically run a proper French drain (dig a trench, then lay 3”+ drain rock, then a perforated drain pipe, then clean 3/4” gravel over the pipe and top dress with whatever the footing will be- for a larger run.

For a smaller run... you should not have to go to that effort or expense.

But. ....If the birds will be supporting your family with eggs and / or meat.... might it make more sense to not put the coop/ run in a low spot on your property?

It would be more healthy for them, easier for you?

Our property is challenging- totally not judging. Just asking

 

[aart]

It's in a low area of the yard and water pools,

Is there a lower part of the yard close by?

 

[porokelle]

Replying to all - The whole property is 'lumpy' for lack of a better word. But also we live on a flood plain. So large areas of farmland around us, but all of the land is ridiculously lumpy when walking on small parts of it and changes with the seasons.

We've had La nina's for three years we get too much water everywhere. Getting 150mm/6" of rain in two days is not unusual now. So having the girls in a raised bed that gets the water away from them, even if their free range area is flooded, is what we're aiming for.

In my mind, pea gravel or rocks near the base of the run would let any water that does get in the run, run out to green parts of the yard. But having the pea gravel buried more deeply would either let the water travel more quickly into deeper soil, or be disastrous and let the water from the areas around the run, flood into the area under the run and seep up from the bottom.

I'm probably going to top dress and re-seed grass around the run because it is slightly more low lying, but have to consider our leach field is right outside that, so we need to minimize flooding in that area.

Coop and girls can't be moved to other parts of the yard since we're having to fight to get proper fences with the neighbors and very few people around here keep/walk their dogs on leashes.