House on a hill....coop at the top or bottom...

[Huntergatherr]

So I am living with my birds on this property in a rent to own sort of healthy friendly family situation with my partner.

We live in Southeastern PA, not far from Philadelphia at all. Our home is late 1800, brick, with additions, and situated at the bottom of a hill across from from a larger navigable creek. We will own 1 acre.

I am not sure where to place the newest coop.
I think putting the coop at the bottom of the hill, outside our 7' chainlink fence is smart for runoff, shade, and more....but the birds free range, and this would sort of direct them towards my awesome neighbors lawn, (which they know, and are happy with) but that means I would have to build a privacy blind/fence along the entire frontage of their property in order to make this work.

If I put the coop at the top of the hill, I could dig a dry creekbed/drainage ditch on the property line draining into the street.
There is less shade, less wind block. Less aerial protection for free ranging, and it just doesn't seem like the better choice?

It seems like I am kind of pushy with physical lines, and I may be, but there are extenuating circumstances in all directions far too nuanced to bother detailing. In short every one is cool with the experimentation of coop location until they are not.
Tragically I am WELL versed in moving flocks to new locations in my small 3 year poultry career, so never fear my ability to adapt....but I just can stop weighing the pros and cons of both locations!!!

My partner thinks outside the chain link, NO matter how secure and guarded is just asking for trouble.
The privacy blind I would be putting up as a wiki woven fence thing would be a MASSIVE undertaking.....and potentially ugly or flimsy.....
If I wove our raspberry canes, and invasive aggressive wisteria into a privacy blind that also could look awful and become EVEN MORE unmanageable than it already is....

I am sitting on lumber, and stalling over this......

Any thoughts at all would be wonderful!


My flock is 25 mixed ladies, 1 roo, 1 guinea. 1 duck atm but seeking to potentially separate.

Maybe the ducks at the bottom of the hill, and the chooks at the top?

...please push me in a productive direction that brings warmth and shelter to chickens?

 

[wamtazlady]

You have not mentioned electricity. Do you have power or can you run a heavy duty extension cord to either of the locations? I am not sure how cold it gets in Philly, but I like being able to keep my water thawed in winter and that takes electricity.

 

[Huntergatherr]

Water is frozen right now, and eliminating extra work is an invaluable thing I perpetually overlook, but both locations are easily accessible for electricity.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since I'm sitting here right now watching my run flooding... is the bottom of the hill location a spot that has drainage issues and if so, are you going to be able to trench and divert the water from it?

 

[Huntergatherr]

Since I'm sitting here right now watching my run flooding... is the bottom of the hill location a spot that has drainage issues and if so, are you going to be able to trench and divert the water from it?

Yes, it will be able to be trenched and diverted. There is still some elevation before the street, then eventually it runs down to the creek.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Currently sounds like the top of hill is better in that it doesn't need the fence I take it (though if the chickens wander you're going to need the fence regardless). Though shade and cover would be ideal.

I guess if the fence is the tough part, you might need it regardless of location, so if that's the case, would you still be considering both locations or would the bottom of hill be the clear winner?

 

[BDutch]

I cannot choose for you of course. Other things to take into account maybe are:

• The noise a crowing rooster,
• always nice to see the chickens from the kitchen or living room.
• Not having to go far if it ️ rains

A fence between you're garden and the neighbour doesn't have to be ugly. E.g we have a English sheep fence (chestnut with robinia poles) with all kind of climbing plants woven into it. Even grapes and beautifully flowering clematis. But a large one will cost a few bucks. One from the internet:

 

[aart]

Oh, analysis paralysis, I know it well.
I'd choose the spot with the best shade for summer and access for winter.
As far as fencing to keep ranging controlled, might consider a secure run.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My top priority on location is drainage. A wet coop and/or run is bad, very bad. A dry coop/run is good. It sounds like you can handle that at both locations.

There are always nuanced circumstances about any location. And I agree with Aart about analysis paralysis, at some point you have to do something.

When I was in Arkansas I was on three acres. The coop was about 250 feet from the house and the dirt road. My veggie garden was maybe 200 feet from the coop, I fenced it to keep deer and chickens out. For the first three years the chickens free ranged, then I put up electric netting when I had two serious dog attacks from people abandoning dogs in the country. My flock dynamics changed every year as the members changes because of my goals for chickens. I have no idea what your predator pressure will wind up being. Mine was fine in the country until those abandoned dogs showed up. I hated shooting them so much I got that electric netting.

They had a pasture next to the coop and some more open area I sort of mowed. I'd keep certain areas mowed but let other areas get up close to knee high before I knocked it back down. a solid wall of grass and weeds kept some of them contained but others relished feeding and playing in there.

Some years the chickens stayed pretty close to the coop though they would come up to the house some. One year I had three hens that would go up to the road to play every day until I ate the ringleader. One year the flock really liked to roam, they liked to perch on a neighbor's tornado shelter across that pasture about a quarter mile away. Luckily he liked the chickens. The other two years they didn't roam that far.

The point of all this is that there is no telling how far your specific free ranging flock will roam but it is highly unlikely they will stay on your one acre, even with that creek on one side, unless you have fences. You are right, your neighbors may be OK with that until they find out they are not. The closer they are to your house the more likely they will be pooping on your patio or destroying your landscaping, they may do that anyway. Lots of nuances.

You are in Pennsylvania so you will see snow. You will be feeding and watering them and gathering eggs in that snow. The further away they are the more inconvenient that might be. How steep is that hill?

I don't know what the right answer for you is, you probably won't know for a couple of years after you do it. But you can probably make either work. At this stage I'd think your comfort and convenience is a very important factor. Good luck!