Help me with coop layout and run

[ehoneybee]

Hi all! My family of 5 recently purchased an in town property with an acre of land. We are in a right to farm community so anything goes . Anyway, there's really only one place that is suitable for a coop and that is on the west side of the house where it is shady, behind the garage. It is a big area, about 1/2 of the backyard, but I also need to use the space for the kids to play, and then there's the septic on the other 1/2. So, I'm trying to figure out the kind of coop. I want to let them out but I know they will destroy the grass and I will need to move them around. How often do they need to be moved and how long will it take for the grass to grow back? I plan to start with about 4 chickens, maybe bantams. I've seen coops with runs but they always have mesh underneath, so obviously they still need to be let out for free ranging. There are too many choices of coops but they're all kind of the same, too. Thought about repurposing a kids' playhouse or shed.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Rob Tof]

From what your talking you sound like you want a tractor type of set up? Am I correct? What state are you in? I personally would put the coop farther back on your property. Coops attract flys. I clean mine a lot and still have flies. Knowing where you live and weather you want a tractor or permanent structure. Also your level of construction knollage.

 

[Rob Tof]

Is this something you want to build or buy? How many chicken total you plan on keeping?

 

[andreanar]

My thoughts are go bigger than you think you need!! Look in your local ads, craigslist for coops for sale, or sheds for sale and rework it to your needs. Start there and then youll get lots of help and advice on here once we can see what you are dealing with.
I'm not sure where your located, so I cant give advice on where to put the coop.
Free range birds rarely ruin your grass as they move around a lot. Putting them in a run, yes they will ruin the grass in there and generally it wont grown back unless you get the chickens out of there.
Do NOT waste your money on one of those prefab coops! They are junk and they aren't predator proof, nor are they big enough to keep one chicken happy, let alone 4.

 

[ehoneybee]

I live in MA. How many chickens do I need for us to have eggs when we need? We go through about a dozen eggs a week. I can build or buy but thought I'd tweak anything bought. I can put coop farther back, for sure, near the overgrowth before the train tracks. I saw a coop on wheels and thought that was a good idea except they need to be fenced in.

 

[ehoneybee]

My thoughts are go bigger than you think you need!! Look in your local ads, craigslist for coops for sale, or sheds for sale and rework it to your needs. Start there and then youll get lots of help and advice on here once we can see what you are dealing with.
I'm not sure where your located, so I cant give advice on where to put the coop.
Free range birds rarely ruin your grass as they move around a lot. Putting them in a run, yes they will ruin the grass in there and generally it wont grown back unless you get the chickens out of there.
Do NOT waste your money on one of those prefab coops! They are junk and they aren't predator proof, nor are they big enough to keep one chicken happy, let alone 4.

So, I could let them have the whole back half of the yard but I thought letting them run over the drain fields would not be a good idea? Also, we were going to put a swing set back there...I guess the chickens will move out of the way of running kids ;-)

 

[scottcaddy]

Hi all! My family of 5 recently purchased an in town property with an acre of land. We are in a right to farm community so anything goes . Anyway, there's really only one place that is suitable for a coop and that is on the west side of the house where it is shady, behind the garage. It is a big area, about 1/2 of the backyard, but I also need to use the space for the kids to play, and then there's the septic on the other 1/2. So, I'm trying to figure out the kind of coop. I want to let them out but I know they will destroy the grass and I will need to move them around. How often do they need to be moved and how long will it take for the grass to grow back? I plan to start with about 4 chickens, maybe bantams. I've seen coops with runs but they always have mesh underneath, so obviously they still need to be let out for free ranging. There are too many choices of coops but they're all kind of the same, too. Thought about repurposing a kids' playhouse or shed.

Thanks for the help!

You can have nice grass and chickens on it, but it will be a whole lot of work.
You need to decide what you want more, real nice grass or chickens and their mess on part of it.
A chicken tractor with a wire mesh bottom will let the birds eat bugs and grass without digging anything up, but has to be moved alot, and the mess left behind cleaned up. Any time a chicken has access to dirt they will scratch and dig for goodies, it's what they do.
You could build a small fixed coop with moveable runs attached to it, or just free range within reason.
Scott

 

[scottcaddy]

So, I could let them have the whole back half of the yard but I thought letting them run over the drain fields would not be a good idea? Also, we were going to put a swing set back there...I guess the chickens will move out of the way of running kids ;-)

If the drain field is working right that is where the best grass is growing anyway's.
Yes chickens will get out of the way of running kids, ours always did.
Scott

 

[andreanar]

I wouldn't have any problem with hens and kids sharing space! The kids would probably love it. Roosters are a different story. We free range and our grass is fine, except for the odd spaces under a few bushes where they like to dust bathe.

 

[ehoneybee]

Okay, thanks all! We were at the property yesterday and got our septic plan so we know exactly where the field is. We have more space than we thought to allow the chickens to free range. I think we will have a fixed coop near the back of the side fence where it is shady and have the run all along the back yard where it is sunny and shady. They will have about 100' to do whatever they want. I forgot to mention, we have active train tracks behind our house, so I'm not sure the chickens wouldn't just cross over them if not confined. There is a lot of vegetation before them and we also plan to put up a fence, but they could still get around either side since it will be free standing. The idea of moving something around isn't very appealing. I plan to have a garden toward the front side of the house that I can let them out on, as well. I guess I'll have to add a little fence around it so they don't roam into the neighbor's yard. My friend has chickens and no fence and they really don't stray to far from the barn, so maybe I'm giving them too much credit ;-)