Tweak My Coop

[itstrist]

I've read that, but I've also read the sand smells horrible when wet..which it will be a lot of the times in the winter and spring..

 

[vehve]

If building a run from scratch, here's my suggestion.Find an elevated spot to plant the coop and run on. Dig out some dirt from this spot, and put in french drains (Those perforated pipes), and install them so that they drain away from the coop. Then put about 6-12 inches of gravel on top. Then sand,then whatever you're using in the run.

 

[itstrist]

I honestly have no clue how to do that and I'm pretty much on my own here. what I think I'm going to do is wait until summer is almost over when they have taken the grass down, then put a layer of topsoil down. then gravel. then sand. will that make the run raised up a little bit more so it'll drain better?

 

[itstrist]

P.S. where the coop is at in the picture right now is not where it'll be when we get the chickens. right now it's up against the house. when we get chickens it'll be at the back of the property.

 

[vehve]

Don't put the topsoil on the bottom, use it on the top. The perforated pipe isn't a must, but improves drainage, it's cheap and easy to install. The gravel also drains pretty well, sand a bit less, and topsoil the least. Exactly the way you want it. Look up french drains on wikipedia, that explains the principle pretty well.

 

[LindaB220]

If building a run from scratch, here's my suggestion.Find an elevated spot to plant the coop and run on. Dig out some dirt from this spot, and put in french drains (Those perforated pipes), and install them so that they drain away from the coop. Then put about 6-12 inches of gravel on top. Then sand,then whatever you're using in the run.

That's what I'm planning. I had to put my coop on a slight slope.

 

[vehve]

That's what I'm planning. I had to put my coop on a slight slope.

Slope is good, no standing water. And no worrying about flooding. Of course there's always mudslides...

 

[itstrist]

I think I will skip top soil and I will just do pea gravel with sand on top of it. if that doesn't work then I'll attempt the French draining.

 

[vehve]

I think I will skip top soil and I will just do pea gravel with sand on top of it. if that doesn't work then I'll attempt the French draining.

Decide beforehand, it's a lot easier to do it right from the beginning. I paid 15€ for 12 meters of the stuff, but our taxes are a lot higher than yours. I just have a small run though, so you might need some more depeding on run size. And putting the drains in is seriously very easy. Only tool you need is a shovel.

 

[itstrist]

so pretty much all you have to do is dig a trench at a slope and put the drains in?