Newbie: Coop Location OK?

[winniegirl]

Hello all !! I'm so HAPPY I found this board and am just thankful for all of the wonderful advice and nice folks around. I posted earlier today under Everything Else topic and someone much brighter than me pointed out a problem I hadn't thought of before: Our coop/run will be too close to the A/C unit, thereby sucking in feathers and other gunk, eek!!

There's also a tree right in the middle. My DH wants it to go, since it's so close to the house and he's worried about the roots (it's a curly willow) and he has to prune it every 4 months. It's about 25 feet tall. The coop would still get shade from the porch and house all day. I'd like to keep tree but don't know exactly how to do it.

Any advice about the A/C? Could I block it somehow?
Thank you all from a grateful almost-chicken owner!

Here's the location and the coop we're getting in a couple of weeks:

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

It doesn't look all that close to the A/C unit...but I would worry about having it so close to your windows...chickens do smell if it's really warm especially, and there is also FLIES to worry about, the cleanest coops will still have flies around because chickens poop a lot! ...I see that coop isn't very large so it would prob have to be cleaned often to keep the smell down. How many chickens are you getting? I wouldn't worry about the tree either...not like that coop couldn't be moved years down the line if need be. IMO if you don't mind some smells or flies once in a while I think it's an ok spot

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i think that's a good location. True, coops can stink, but that will inspire you to keep them nice and clean. When we first moved to our new house four+ months ago, my husband wanted the chicken pens waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out in back. But i stuck to my guns and got them right off our back porch. i feel much better having them close and safe, and i do work hard to keep them clean.

And i would keep the tree, if at all possible. It will provide some nice shade. The ac compressor looks far enough away that it should not be a problem. If you are concerned, you can put up a trellis to the right side of it. Or perhaps plant a bush next to it.

PS - Beautiful house! . . . and nice coop.

 

[chookchick]

I am a landscaper and that tree needs to go regardless! Willows are notorious for putting roots down into drains and clogging them (e.g. curtain drains), and could go under foundation. Also, the wood is very week and branches are likely to fall off, like onto your gutter. I am not a tree hater, it is just a bad placement. I don't think the AC is too close, that coop is small enough that it could be easily moved, and it will be nice to keep an eye on the chickens.

 

[Jessika]

True about the willow. They just cut one down by my work because of the damage. I took starts home off of it....but I know to put it way...way away from hoses, plumbing, etc. They are water hogs.

I put my coops away from my house...about 15 feet, not really far. But I had a lil issue with flies for a few weeks in summer......as long as you shovel/clean it is fine.

 

[SSO202]

I would have to agree. It is too close to the house for me and the tree could cause big problems in the future. The smell, dust and flies would be too much that close to the house. Are you going to let them free range in your backyard or are you going to build them a run off of the coop?

 

[winniegirl]

Well, how did I forget about the smell and the flies?? I spent many summers on my Grandpa's farm and the flies bothered me more than anything. And DH says the trees going ASAP! Thanks for telling me about the willow--course, DH has been saying that for 5 yrs now...:|

We're getting two grown hens along with the coop and hope to get two chicks in the spring, which would mean a larger coop for sure. DH will build a run now for these two. They can't free range since we have woods in the back of
our property, lots of deer and skunks, and probably racoons also, but never saw one. The shade trees are at the woodline-- not a good spot for plump chickens

I was trying to keep the coop in some natural shade and wind protection.

**Would a tarp over the run be adequate shade in the summer? How important is shade over the coop? If they got too hot in the coop would they just go underneath or in the shaded part of the run?? I promise not to ask any more questions today...

Thanks again for your wisdom. Apparently, we need to do some more planning.
Dawn

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Ooooops, willow, i change my faulty opinion about keeping it. i was just thinking "shade" not "massive water pipe damage".

Is there another spot on your property you think might work, another area with trees? A tarp over the run will help a bit. When i lived in Southern California that's what i used. But the pens were also up against our detached garage, so got shade from that in the afternoon. When it got real hot i kept their dirt watered down, so they could take cooling dirt baths. i also had a small swamp cooler set up on one end and that helped a lot, too.

 

[vfem]

Oh yes... the tree will need to go. Oh the foundation nightmares it could cause. We have them out by our pond, but VERY far from the house and septic system.

However, one of our neighbors is having septic issues right now because their willow is planted where their drain pipes are and its grown into the pipes and clogged it!!!

Otherwise, if you have 'few chickens' that area is just perfect!