help with coop placement

[Apple Bill]

Hello all! I'm enjoying reading about design and seeing everyone's coops. We're planning on starting with a few laying chickens by summer. I still have a couple house projects to finish before I can start on a coop.

What I'm curious about is my placement. I've got a shed in the SW corner of my yard (residential, approx 1/4 acre). I've got 8.5' to the west, between shed & privacy fence, and about 4' to the south. In the very corner is a small rose bush my wife doesn't want to move.

I'd like to build the coop on the west side of the shed. Trying to decide if I want to make it against the shed, or against the fence. If the coop is 4' wide that leaves plenty of 'get around' room. If I place it against the shed, I can have the run off at an angle behind the shed and leave the roses in place. I might also run a shed roof off the shed to cover the coop. The door would face either north or west.

Ideas? Only ordinances in my town are no roosters and coop must be 40' from a residence. Thanks to our recent house addition that limits me to either corner of the backyard. Other corner has a transformer up on a utility pole that has a weird attraction for squirrels, meaning spark showers when one gets fried. Don't particularly want straw or chicken feathers under that.

I'll let the birds range the yard when I can. We've got two dogs, the dane/lab will be ok with them most likely, but the rat terrier will be a challenge. They're house dogs though. Only other predators we get frequently are owls & possums.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Trying to attach photos for reference. Excuse the mess, it's currently the catch-all area.


This is the west side of the shed.

 

[jetdog]

I would have it up against the shed and extend the shed roof like you said it will keep things alot dryer, if you have electric in the shed that will also make life easier in the winter for keeping water thawed.

 

[Apple Bill]

Thanks jetdog, that's the direction I'm leaning. No wiring to the shed, but that will be part of the coop build.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree next to the shed for the reasons Jetdog used. If the roof slopes like that, you probably want the door to the north so you don’t get as wet when it’s raining. Make sure you leave enough room around it so you can mow and work. Another option may be to build your run on over to that fence but you’d need a gutter to get rid of the rainwater coming off the roof. That way the chickens would keep it mowed for you.

Is that corner a low area? Where will the water off the roof go? You might consider putting some dirt in the floor of your coop to raise it above the ground a bit to help keep it dry.

 

[Apple Bill]

I agree next to the shed for the reasons Jetdog used. If the roof slopes like that, you probably want the door to the north so you don’t get as wet when it’s raining. Make sure you leave enough room around it so you can mow and work. Another option may be to build your run on over to that fence but you’d need a gutter to get rid of the rainwater coming off the roof. That way the chickens would keep it mowed for you.

Is that corner a low area? Where will the water off the roof go? You might consider putting some dirt in the floor of your coop to raise it above the ground a bit to help keep it dry.

I used my high-tech 3d modeling program to see the run between the coop and the fence (red = coop, yellow = run);

This would allow me to extend the run along the coop and forward several feet. Just past bottom of the photo is our storm shelter, so the most I'd be able to extend it is about 5 ft.
The only thing I don't like about this idea is having to enter the run to open the nesting boxes for eggs.

Our whole area is pretty flat. I think we have a 1' slope from the back of the main house to the back fence, which is about 40'. Though some areas of the yard flood, this particular area doesn't I'll likely raise the coop floor up about a foot though to be safe.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Are you going inside to feed and water? Will that coop section be walk-in? I like looking in the coop. I realize I’m different to a lot of people here but I’ve found a dead hen, a possum, and a few snakes by walking in there that I’d have likely missed if I were gathering eggs from outside.

Some possible solutions. If you are going in the coop to feed and water, hang the nests over the run section but gather the eggs from inside the coop. Don’t have the opening on the outside.

Hang your nests off the back to the coop so you go behind the shed to gather eggs.

There is no reason the nests have to be in the coop. Build your nests along the north face of your run so you can reach them from there.

 

[Apple Bill]

Yes, I'd like to be able to walk into both the coop and the run. I like your reasoning for that as well.

I suppose you're right about going in to the coop for egg gathering rather than opening up exterior nest doors. I also wasn't aware that the nests could be outside, that's something to think of also.

Thanks for the insight, that's exactly what I was hoping for when posting.

 

[chfite]

Another point to consider with nesting boxes accessible from outside the run is that you don't track through any droppings to retrieve eggs. My coops can be managed completely without having to enter the run, so it helps with cleanliness in general.

Chris