New SE Texas coop build... advice and suggestions needed

[GalvestonWader]

Well I got about 3 years out of my modified Tractor Supply coop before Hurricane Beryl destroyed it 2 weeks ago so now I'm going to build a real coop. I really liked the coop below that was posted here and I saved the link for future reference.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/nana-papa’s-chicken-barn.75841/

I don't think that I will follow it exactly but will use it as a guide. I am in SE Texas between Houston and Galveston. It get's hot here so plenty of ventilation is key. To get started I am needing advice on the following:

1) My house sits on a hill and is not level. I will have to bring in some material to create a level base, or a pad so to speak. What should I use for this? Some small rock topped with sand? Select fill dirt topped with sand? I honestly have no idea. I just want to do this once and do it right with something that is cost effective.

2) Is there any advantage to having the coop raised off the ground like the link above? I think it would look better and be easier to build if the coop were on the ground with one continuous roof line connecting the coop and run.

Those are just my first questions to get me started. I'm sure I will have more along the way but obviously need to address these before I do anything. Please let me know what yall think! Thanks in advance.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

So sorry you had hurricane damage, hope it didn't hurt your home! My first coop was raised and my forever coop not raised. The benefit of the raised coop seemed to be that I didn't have to wonder what was going on under the foundation with predators, rodents. But the idea that using the space under the coop was beneficial was sort of meh, because it's hard to get under there if you're not a chicken. My coop that is ground level is on railroad ties foundation with hardware cloth between railroad ties and foam core insulation board, then plywood floor (not that you should insulate, most people don't.) I've had zero rodent issues in coop likely due to hardware cloth layer (and I have feral cats.) If I need to level the area I would likely use railroad ties or big logs with large size crushed gravel, not pea gravel. Good Luck with the build, hope you post the progress!!

 

[TexasBlues]

In my situation, I couldn’t figure out a good reason to have an elevated coop with a floor, so I just use the soil below with roosts above.

 

[Ridgerunner]

1) My house sits on a hill and is not level.

If you are going to elevate the building, there is no reason to level the ground under it for the sake of the coop. Put in your post supports and build your coop level off of those.

How "not level" is it as far as the run? My concern with it being on a slope is erosion. That can come from water flowing on the ground or from the chickens scratching. As they scratch gravity will pull that loose dirt downhill. I suggest you do some landscaping.

At the top build a berm of dirt to divert any ground water runoff around the run instead of letting it flow into the run. Inside the run use terracing. Put a horizontal across the slope at different levels as you go down the run. Sort of like steps. How wide apart those need to be will depend on how steep the slope is. Don't worry about moving any dirt yourself other than what you need to build it, the chickens will eventually level it out for you.

I will have to bring in some material to create a level base, or a pad so to speak. What should I use for this? Some small rock topped with sand? Select fill dirt topped with sand? I honestly have no idea. I just want to do this once and do it right with something that is cost effective.

How permeable is your native soil? Is it a clay that hold water or is it sandy enough that water drains pretty well? You want your run to drain instead of hold water and become a pond. If it drains fairly well I probably would not do anything. If it holds water I'd probably add some sand.

2) Is there any advantage to having the coop raised off the ground like the link above? I think it would look better and be easier to build if the coop were on the ground with one continuous roof line connecting the coop and run.

I think this comes more into personal preference than whether one is "better" than the other. My personal preference is ground level as long as it stays dry but my coop will be bigger than yours. I would not want to elevate an 8' x 12' enough that I could comfortably retrieve a dead chicken or collect eggs in a nest without crawling in chicken poop. If you build a floor close enough to the ground that chickens can't get in then it can be a great home for Mommy Mouse and her family. Or maybe a snake will set up residence. So I prefer my coop floor to be dirt. If you haul in a few inches of dirt to build it up you can keep water out. I let hens hatch eggs and raise chicks in the coop. A ground level makes it easier for the really young chicks to get in and out if they don't have to use a ramp.

My grow-out coop is elevated. I put 1/2" hardware cloth on the floor, partly for ventilation but mainly for chick poop to fall through so it stays dry. 1/2" hardware cloth would not work for you with mature chickens, you'd need openings 1" wide. Somewhere around 12 to 14 weeks the chicks' poop gets big enough it will not fall through the 1/2" mesh.

Lots of people have elevated coops and love them. An elevated main coop does not suit the number of chickens I have or suit the way I manage them.

 

[KyCoop]

My elevated coop is for my benefit in not having to bend to clean. The air flow also helps in the summer.
We added a continuous roof over the coop and run after the run roof blew off in a storm.

 

[Penpal]

I agree with Ridgerunner that it would be easier to let the foundation posts make the coop level rather than messing with the ground. You can use hardware cloth around the perimeter to keep the chickens from going under the coop if you want. You can also put a ventilation hole in the floor so that the cooler air under the coop can go into the coop.

You can also put in a drainage tile (they are not tile anymore, they are plastic) that goes from the coop to the downhill. Or a French drain. It can be put along one side of the coop and run.

 

[GalvestonWader]

Thank yall for the replies.

To clarify, the spot is on more of a slope rather than a hill. I'd say there is a 8" - 10" elevation change from front to back where the coop/run will be. I want to level the ground where the structure will sit so that the whole thing sits level, not leaning one way or the other. I guess I can bring in a load or two of select fill, like what they use for house pads. I'll compact it then build the coop and run and add sand, pine shavings, mulch ect ect once finished.

Also after thinking a bit more I'd like to do an open air coop. An 8' wide x 6' deep coop w/only 3 sides, on the ground, not elevated. The front will have no wall, just be open to the 8' x 16' covered run. I think this will be more accommodating for the birds in this South Texas heat. I'll post updates when I get this project started

 

[NagemTX]

South of Houston build. I went hoopcoop for this area. All my open air stuff survived Beryl. Only changes I'm making is to add rooftop over the last two thirds of the hoopcoop instead of just using tarps.

My other Amazon cheap ones where also fine just not the tarps. Will be changing that soon.