how much is too much ?

[MamaChic21]

Quote:
It sure is, started as a hobby, my now it became an obsession

It's pretty impressive the way you've built your coop (s) and run(s). I would love to see the pictures though

It will probably give me more sense of direction

Thank you for sharing with us, greatly appriciated.

 

[G4HorsesFarm]

If I ever figure out how to post a pic....

I will happily do so.

 

[MamaChic21]

I just copy the web address and paste it here.

 

[WingingIt]

I didn't read all of the responses, so someone probably said this already, but how about putting in a french drain type system and leaving it where it is? If you can divert the water before it reaches the bottom of the hill, then most of your mud slide type problem is gone. You'll still have wet ground from the rain itself in the uncovered parts, but at least you won't have the running stream issue. You could also put in some cinder blocks around the edge and then bring in dirt to raise the inside ground level, that way anything that gets past the drain will run off the side of the blocks and around the coop/run, instead of in the middle of it.

ETA: This is what we did with ours, the drain thing. Our property had an old chicken coop on it so we fixed it up and added a covered run beside it and then we found out about the water issue that winter. So we dug a ditch thru the corner where the water came in and ran it out to a slope where it could drain freely, throw in some of the pipe with holes and some gravel/small rocks, and it's working great.

 

[Talihofarms]

Is there a particular reason you want a covered sytem. I am also contractor and if you want to have something like you explained, you will have a weight issue. We have had a good amount of luck raising chicken ,ducks,turkeys etc..
What works for us is we have small portable coops. 8x10 and 12x12'. We move them with a Quad and sometimes a skid steere.
We use portable electric poultry fence to suround the coop. All we do is make shure the birds are in at night. Sometimes we have a hawk take a bird. Usually a small or white X. But rarely. We practice rotational grazing. We move the set up every 3-4 weeks. This system is very cost effective.



just my .02


Good Luck

 

[MamaChic21]

I would love to see your coop/run pictures, if you can. I did think about french draining, that's probably the only thing I didn't do to prevent the running stream. One of the reasons I wanted to go portable is that I could bring them closer to the house during winter and they'll have fresh grass everytime when moved but how could I accommodate 25 birds ?
I saw this just now but I've been searching and googling and nothing similiar came up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOh2BGvQFeE.

I was also considering on building this http://www.horizonstructures.com/8x8_coop.asp for $ 3,000 and the wheels are $500-$700. I could built that coop myself and it won't even cost half that amount but where can I get those wheels ???

I went to my local agway store where I buy their food and saw a lancaster fin gray color like this http://www.myamishgoods.com/products/246_Coop[1].jpg for $899.00 without wheels. I thought that was a huge bargain. But how would I do a run for it that is atleast 6'high that is suitable for 25 birds ? The trouble part is to have a run that some area that has a roof and the other part of the roof is just covered with chicken wire so they could get direct sun.

The design I want as you said has a weight issue, understandable. I've also considered permanet space for them but I can't find them the location

. I'm getting old think about it

. If I had maybe 5-10 chickens/ducks, I would have no problem with building something portable, but having 25, it creates major brain drain on my part ! I have to resolve this as quickly as I can before it kills me

Thank you all for responding, I really appriciate all the help I could get, thank you

For the covered system, because we have all the predators I don't need