Need Help Planning New Coop and Run

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

My husband and I are unexpectedly having to move, and with a short timeframe, he won't be able to build a coop/run like he did for our flock the first time. This makes me anxious, because what he built was a fortress that has kept my girls safe for going on 6 years.

The only pre-made coop/run we've been able to find that isn't exorbitantly expensive and includes delivery/set-up is the one pictured below (8x12)

There are a few challenges for setup that I need some feedback on:

1. Our yard is on a slight slope. I plan for the coop side of this design to be at the higher end of the slope and the run situated downhill.
2. The coop portion of this design does not have a floor. He will add it for $350 which sounds super expensive, so I'm considering alternatives. I do like the added security of a floor, though.
3. Predator proofing: we want to try to combine our predator apron with the leveling process. Specifically, we plan to use 1x1 pavers lined up around the perimeter that the coop/run will be set atop of. We'll dig as needed so that the foundation is level. We're also thinking of having the pavers set atop the hardware cloth predator apron (which will extend ~3ft out in all directions) as a way to pin it down under the foundation. We then will secure the outer edges with garden pins and allow dirt/grass to grow up around it. Will this be effective?

Any advice is much appreciated. We're short on time, money, and under a lot of stress--so we are looking at economical approaches that aren't super labor intensive, yet don't compromise security. We will also be fully fencing in the yard, though I know that won't really keep predators out (it's more to keep our dog in).

 

[Ridgerunner]

Our yard is on a slight slope. I plan for the coop side of this design to be at the higher end of the slope and the run situated downhill.

Of course it depends on how much slope you actually have but as long as the doors work and don't bind I don't see a lot of benefit to leveling it.

The coop portion of this design does not have a floor. He will add it for $350 which sounds super expensive, so I'm considering alternatives. I do like the added security of a floor, though.

If it is worth it to you then pay the money, your peace of mind is quite important. I would consider the predator apron to be sufficient to stop digging predators.

Predator proofing: we want to try to combine our predator apron with the leveling process. Specifically, we plan to use 1x1 pavers lined up around the perimeter that the coop/run will be set atop of. We'll dig as needed so that the foundation is level. We're also thinking of having the pavers set atop the hardware cloth predator apron (which will extend ~3ft out in all directions) as a way to pin it down under the foundation. We then will secure the outer edges with garden pins and allow dirt/grass to grow up around it. Will this be effective?

The way I'd do that would be to remove the top two inches of sod, put the apron down, then replace that sod. The sod will keep the wire down out of the way of lawnmowers and weed eaters and stop any digging predator.

Instead of trying to hold the apron with the pavers I'd firmly attach the wire to the bottom of those boards so nothing can force its way through. I'd probably use furring strips from treated lumber and screws appropriate for treated lumber.

I think you are overthinking it and making it more complicated and harder than it needs to be. But I would want that apron firmly attached to the bottom of the coop/run.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Of course it depends on how much slope you actually have but as long as the doors work and don't bind I don't see a lot of benefit to leveling it.


If it is worth it to you then pay the money, your peace of mind is quite important. I would consider the predator apron to be sufficient to stop digging predators.


The way I'd do that would be to remove the top two inches of sod, put the apron down, then replace that sod. The sod will keep the wire down out of the way of lawnmowers and weed eaters and stop any digging predator.

Instead of trying to hold the apron with the pavers I'd firmly attach the wire to the bottom of those boards so nothing can force its way through. I'd probably use furring strips from treated lumber and screws appropriate for treated lumber.

I think you are overthinking it and making it more complicated and harder than it needs to be. But I would want that apron firmly attached to the bottom of the coop/run.

I really appreciate your detailed response--it was very grounding. What I'm thinking we should do is lay down thin 1' x 1' pavers where the coop would be placed, just to keep the wood floor from direct contact with soil (which I hear can speed up rot). The wood is pressure treated, so hopefully the rest will hold up okay along the ground.

It's hard to tell how severe the slope is. In person it's very gentle, but it looks more extreme in some pictures. We plan to put it a few feet from the back of the house, with the run sloping down from the coop. Do you think this slope is too extreme?

Of course it depends on how much slope you actually have but as long as the doors work and don't bind I don't see a lot of benefit to leveling it.


If it is worth it to you then pay the money, your peace of mind is quite important. I would consider the predator apron to be sufficient to stop digging predators.


The way I'd do that would be to remove the top two inches of sod, put the apron down, then replace that sod. The sod will keep the wire down out of the way of lawnmowers and weed eaters and stop any digging predator.

Instead of trying to hold the apron with the pavers I'd firmly attach the wire to the bottom of those boards so nothing can force its way through. I'd probably use furring strips from treated lumber and screws appropriate for treated lumber.

I think you are overthinking it and making it more complicated and harder than it needs to be. But I would want that apron firmly attached to the bottom of the coop/run.

Thank you so much for your detailed response--it's very grounding. I am an overthinker for sure.

I think we'll go ahead and have the floor added and forego leveling. Would it be good to put down thin paver tiles (1'x1') where the floor of the coop will be situated, to prevent the wood from rotting? I believe it's all pressure-treated, so hopefully the remainder of wood on the ground will be fine.

Here are some pictures of the slope. In person, it seems pretty gentle, but in some pictures it looks steeper. We plan to place the coop/run perpendicular to the back of the house, with the run going downhill away from the coop.

We will be attaching the hardware cloth to the base of the run. Thanks again.