Mapping out a run space

[Iluveggers]

Hi! So DH and I were staring out the window into our snowy freezing yard and figuring out where we think we want to place our coop & run this spring. I have a 4x5 coop that he bought for me for Christmas. It is about 5 feet high, and actually can be moved around on a big wagon we have so we can drag it to that spot.

Outside my back door I have a very large vegetable garden. The garden stops 10 feet from a 6ft high wood fence we were going to remove. DH would like to keep part of the fence in place, and build the run in the space between the fence & the garden. It would be about 20x10 for 5 chickens.

I would hardware cloth inside the existing fence up to the 20 foot part (there is already a door between the 2 8 foot panels), and then DH & his friend would build the other 3 sides up to the garden. That will be enclosed in hardware cloth. He thinks he will use the same posts to enclose the garden, and surround the garden with chicken wire.

The chickens will stay out in the run when we are not outside, but if I am out working in the garden, I could let them out to range in that space. It is approximately 20x30. I want to do a composting run which could be raked out into the garden as needed, and utilize the chickens for pest control, especially in the spring before planting and fall after most is harvested.

Does this sound reasonable? The coop would be about 20 feet from the house, which I like so I can look out the window and see them. The run would end about 5 feet away from my chimney and corner of a back room.

I would take a pic but it is almost zero here . I could try drawing if I’m not making sense.

I am raising chicks for the family farm and will be keeping only 5 for my backyard.

 

[CanadaEh]

The chickens will stay out in the run when we are not outside, but if I am out working in the garden, I could let them out to range in that space. It is approximately 20x30. I want to do a composting run which could be raked out into the garden as needed, and utilize the chickens for pest control, especially in the spring before planting and fall after most is harvested.

I am skeptical about the chicken use in the garden. It is not that they eat plants, but they through the mulch all around looking for bugs whenever they escape out of their run.

Does this sound reasonable? The coop would be about 20 feet from the house, which I like so I can look out the window and see them.

yes, this is the feature we like as well

The run would end about 5 feet away from my chimney and corner of a back room.

our composting run is also adjacent to the deck and we like the ability to be able to toss kitchen scraps from the (elevated) deck into the run

 

[Iluveggers]

I am skeptical about the chicken use in the garden. It is not that they eat plants, but they through the mulch all around looking for bugs whenever they escape out of their run.


yes, this is the feature we like as well

our composting run is also adjacent to the deck and we like the ability to be able to toss kitchen scraps from the (elevated) deck into the run

I’m ok w them moving things around in the garden. We have no mulch, one side is all raised beds & the other is long rows. Thought they would enjoy the extra space to dig & explore whatever they want all months except June-Sept where I would have to watch them to make sure they don’t eat MY food lol.

Glad to hear it isn’t too close for you. The door of the run will be about 10 feet from my mud room on the other side of my garage, so I will have only that far to go to collect eggs and throw my veggie scraps too!

 

[Huntmaster]

Thought they would enjoy the extra space to dig & explore whatever they want all months except June-Sept where I would have to watch them to make sure they don’t eat MY food lol.

Plus the advantage of them fertilizing your garden space and keeping unwanted weeds out. Sounds like a good plan especially the easy access to remove old bedding from run and coop to garden. Sounds like a thought out plan also utilizing what you have with old fence and not having to tear it out putting it to good use.

 

[Iluveggers]

Plus the advantage of them fertilizing your garden space and keeping unwanted weeds out. Sounds like a good plan especially the easy access to remove old bedding from run and coop to garden. Sounds like a thought out plan also utilizing what you have with old fence and not having to tear it out putting it to good use.

Thank you! Wasn’t sure anyone had used fence as part of a run. It will block the run from a street view but will be open on the backyard sides so I can view them all day. Lol

 

[Huntmaster]

Wasn’t sure anyone had used fence as part of a run.

Hopefully it is on right side of run to help as a wing break also.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Other considerations:
- what's the drainage like in the proposed run area?
- how shady/sunny is the proposed run area in hot weather (assuming you get any hotter stretches)?

 

[Iluveggers]

Other considerations:
- what's the drainage like in the proposed run area?
- how shady/sunny is the proposed run area in hot weather (assuming you get any hotter stretches)?

Thank you! Great questions!

It’s one of the higher areas of my yard, although this year everything was wet as it rained almost every day this entire summer. I am going to throw some wood chips in though as part of the run.

The fence will provide a good amount of shade and the coop will be on the south side so it will also cast shade into the run!

We very rarely get super hot here (a few days straight in the 90s is a hot stretch, and usually drops to 75 at night if it is that hot).

I was so excited to realize we had 200 sq feet that wouldn’t have to be in the far back corner of the yard bordering woods…lower tilted area and more tempting for predators.

 

[3KillerBs]

That sounds lovely. I'll look forward to pictures when your weather permits.

 

[NewbieChickenFlocker]

I've asked about planning my chicken coop in another forum and some folks raised concern with the veggies being contaminated with e. coli and salmonella from the garden being so close to the coop. I have no experience with this, but wanted to pass along this info.