Foundation for pre-fab coop // keeping a small-ish run clean

[RojoMarz]

Just wanted to mention that Orpington's are larger birds. 6 of them take up/need more space than 6 non-large breeds will need.

 

[Sueby]

Oof, that's a tough one. With my kids, electrical hazards are something I'd like to avoid. Do you just turn it on at night?

Sorry, I don't have electric but do have bears! The 1 time a bear broke in was at night, the bobcat came during the day.

I think you have to weigh your chances of attacks against what you're willing to do to keep them safe.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you so much for your reply! I had asked TudyBot about hardware cloth last night, and it said 1/4", but I trust that you have lived experience, which AI lacks. So it sounds like I'll go with 1/2" and that should keep out our local wildlife, which includes outdoor cats, racoons, foxes, bears, etc...

1/2" is usually made of thicker wire, so that's why it's more secure vs 1/4".

I do have bears (my dogs treed a juvenile this past year) but they don't tend to cause too much trouble in our area, as they'll go for easy pickings like bird feeders and garbage cans. In this case the bear was likely following spawning salmon upriver when my dogs spotted it.

There is a section of run underneath the chicken coop, so the whole footprint for the run is 60.5 square feet. I probably won't be able to make it much larger, due to the HOA restrictions. Is there another way I can create a happier space in the run, perhaps by adding some roosts?

They won't be able to run free in the yard. It's quite a small space and kind of socially hostile here. I am fortunate to be able to have chickens at all, and they are technically permitted as therapy animals for my kids and me because no "farm animals" are allowed. So, if they become cramped, it's more likely I would sell a pullet or two, as much as that breaks my heart (I'm quite attached to the whole flock).

Roosts will help, but they won't provide any breaks in the space if any pecking order or bullying issues arise. I personally would recommend cutting the flock down to 3 or 4 at most in this situation, rather than wait for problems to arise.

It looks like the perimeter of the run doesn't have any wood along the bottom. Do you think it would be important to add that feature? I've attached two user review photos from TSC showing with and without.

Uh... wow that's weird. How does it stay together without some sort of framing at the bottom? Or is the wood included and you have to attach it??

Is there any benefit of PT runners vs. concrete blocks? Would I need to do anything to prepare the ground beforehand? I live in Vermont with plenty of moisture: snow in the winter and mud in the spring. That being said, this section of the yard has good drainage and has never gotten puddles.

What material would be best to use if I need shims to level the structure on uneven ground?

I have both runners and concrete blocks (my coop sits up about 6") because ground moisture is a massive concern for me since the coop sits about 30' from a creek. So for me the concrete was necessary to keep all the wood off the ground, and then the runners add an extra buffer between ground and building.

Full disclosure, I didn't install my coop, I had a shed company build and install it. The builder said the spot was super level so we didn't have to deal with leveling but implied he had different height concrete blocks if that had been needed.

 

[chickadee777]

Hard to imagine "HOA" and "Rural" in the same place.

It is frustrating because we also can't have ATVs, boats, etc. But people with houses right down the street can have all the animals and toys they want.

 

[aart]

It is frustrating because we also can't have ATVs, boats, etc. But people with houses right down the street can have all the animals and toys they want.

Sounds like it's time to move, eh?
Guessing you moved before the HOA was in place, or maybe not?