How level does the gound need to be?

[aart]

Chickens are little feathered excavators.

Boy oh Boy, they sure are!!
I wish I had put aprons on the inside of the run walls too!
Ended up putting logs and lumber around to they would dig out under the outer aprons.

 

[jeria]

4x6 raised coop approx. 2 feet off the ground enclosed in an 8x10 run covered with a plywood and metal roof. Double apron of 1/2 inch hardware cloth and welded wire rabbit fencing. Concrete blocks on the low side to stop the soil form washing, all around 12x12 patio block that the wood from the frame will rest on. Predators: lots of coon, fox, possum, hawks, eagles, owls etc...

 

[aart]

4x6 raised coop approx. 2 feet off the ground enclosed in an 8x10 run covered with a plywood and metal roof. Double apron of 1/2 inch hardware cloth and welded wire rabbit fencing. Concrete blocks on the low side to stop the soil form washing, all around 12x12 patio block that the wood from the frame will rest on. Predators: lots of coon, fox, possum, hawks, eagles, owls etc...

Set the concrete blocks and pavers so they are level on top, will make building the wooden run framing easier.

 

[jeria]

That's my plan to use the patio blocks as a "foundation". The cement blocks I'm using as a mini retaining wall on the lower side to stabilize the site and prevent the soil from eroding down the hill.

The photo is from my first day working on the site trying to figure out what I needed to get this to work and to determine how much of a slope is really there, since eyes can be deceiving.

 

[jeria]

This is the basic "overhead" layout of the coop and run. The doors, windows etc are not to scale, just rough drawn in. West is the low end for the previous photo and north the side my pup is on.

 

[aart]

Nice plan view sketch!
Lucky you can use a board with a bubble level.
I made a 10 foot long water level to set my run framing posts,
works great but cumbersome to use.
Looks like you've got a good handle on it, just keep at it,
getting the foundation right will make everything on up easier.

 

[brisbanebatman]

Whoa, stop!
You call that a slope?
That's level enough. No need to level it, don't waste your strength.

Since you are raising the coop, just make sure the horizontal beams of the floor are level

 

[brisbanebatman]

plan on burying the hardware cloth 12 inches below ground, with a L shape pointing outward, to stop predators from digging under the fence.

consider using play sand for the run, as it helps the bird droppings clump together like kitty litter, easier to scoop up, and easy for dust baths to be built and remodeled, and not muddy like dirt.

 

[jeria]

Since from the feedback I don't need the entire interior level, I'm thinking my main concern is getting the entire perimeter level for the frame for the run, attach the hardware cloth and the skirting with a rather solid base around the entire run for predator deterrent.

 

[brisbanebatman]

sure, either by building up dirt, which then needs to be packed down with a heavy tamper, or digging down into the high area to bury the hardware cloth. depends which method seems easier for you vs the humidity. consider soaking a bandanna in cold water & wearing it around your neck to stay cool if you don't already use this trick.