Need suggestions from all you brilliant byc'ers!!!!!!

[Hoosiermomma]

Okay. Below are some pictures of where a 'potential' coop and run could go. The first pic is a look at our side yard (where it's cut that's ours, the woods isn't). There is a group of trees where I was considering putting a run attached to the trees. The second pic is the same group of trees only a view from the front. A few of my chickens wanted to get into the picture. Anyway some of the woods in the background are ours (about 50 ft back). As you can see there is a decent amount of shade within that grouping of trees. One drawback though. Last year our septic system was relocated to that acre. Most of the piping/system/drainage is just to the left of the tree grouping, maybe about 10-15 ft. Will that affect where I want to put the run in anyway? Where the trees are, it never stays wet or soggy after the rains which is why I would like to put it there. Where the septic is, it takes days/weeks to dry depending on how much we get.
The third picture is our current dog kennel coop, LOL. As you can see it's pretty wrapped up because we don't want to worry about the chickens/peacocks getting attacked by anything. It also is pretty insulated come winter. The last pic is of another possibility for coop location. Another water problem there too. When it rains there is a semi-creek that runs through the middle of that area. I contemplated putting a coop up on stilts just beyond the plants,so that any wetness, streaming water etc won't affect the coop itself.
What do you think would be the better area? We only have two acres, the one has the house and backyard where the dogs are, and the other is the yard that is in the pictures. There is another option but it's back closer to the woods and I certainly wouldn't want to put our animals in harms way if I can help it. Will having the septic around hurt them? Let me know what you think. I would really appreciate any suggestions I could get. Thanks....Debby

 

[teach1rusl]

Okay...I'm no expert, but I'll put my two cents in just the same. My husband is a builder, and says NO to building on/too close to a septic area. He says that once the chickens eat the grass off...it will stay muddy/nasty. I like that sunny area along the tree line. Depending on what kind of winters you get in your area, it's nice to have some sun available, and some shade. That area would offer both. And you have the windbreak of the trees. Good luck!

 

[wombat]

I would not build where it is wet and won't dry out.

We get hot summers where I live, so we built our coop under a maple tree for the shade. The leaves fall off the tree in the winter, so the coop gets winter sun.

We built a long, thin run so that the end nearest the coop is shaded, and the other end is in the sun. That way, the birds have their choice of sun or shade, and the sunny end dries out quickly.

The above poster raised a good point; they are going to strip the run bare, so consider whether you want a dirt run, or a muddy run.

 

[Hoosiermomma]

In the first two pictures where I was considering building a run using the trees, that stays pretty dry since it's the higher sitting area of our side yard. It is close to the septic but not too close so if we would ever need to have it worked on then the run/coop really wouldn't be in the way.

I wish we could move and we could have alot more acreage! Hopefully in the next few years we'll be able to.

 

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

I like them both a lot!! u have a beautiful yard!!! but i think haveing it close to the septic system might be a problem, so i think i would go with the 4th picture spot, just what i think. Good Luck!! ~Trista~