What to do with enclosed coop run ground--little slope

[anniem]

Hey All...
We are finally getting the coop going, it's a secure 6'x10' run with an enclosed 3x6 coop with in that (it's "the garden coop"). It's on a little slope and I'm not sure what, if anything, to do with the ground. My thoughts are either:
1) leave it alone
2) deep litter (which would maybe need a board on the down hill side?)
3) fill with sand/gravel for optimal drainage (add bedding? but then it'd have to be changed regularly, right?)

Our ground is very clay-y, we do get some puddles but they don't stay for long. The coop is on a bit of a bump, the water tends to run more down the middle of the yard. I also want to do a sort of rock bed on the uphill side just for a bit of extra protection.
Geez, this first one makes it look like it slants to the left, but it doesn't! It is level (just tilt your head a bit

)!

what do you think?

 

[wildorchid053]

if you get standing water you have to remember there will not be any grass in there after a few days.. will it be muddy? messy.. if yes then i would put down some gravel then sand for drainage

 

[Backyard Hencam]

It's going to be nice! Our henhouse and run are about the same size. You can see it at the site below. We put in sand about 3 inches deep. It seems to disappear. I can see that we will have to replenish it each year. We also put hay on the top for them to scratch through and it makes it easier to clean up the poop! If you have digging predators, put hardware wire down into the soil 12" around the edges. Best of luck!

 

[anniem]

Our plan does include going deep with the hardware cloth!
It is seeming to make the most sense to just get a good base for drainage. Maybe that will be a summer project when the ground is dry...

cambriagardner--very nice website! I love the central coast, lived in San Luis Obispo for a bit years ago and still love to visit!

 

[Big George]

The hardware cloth will be a mess when you go to dig it out for a cleaning. How about digging a trench and leveling some bricks for a "foundation" for your run to sit on.

 

[Big George]

Oops you probably meant hardware cloth around the perimeter. Good idea. I was thinking you meant landscape cloth on the ground. Sorry, I'll shut up and go drink some coffee.

 

[Mtn Cur]

I would watch craigslist for some brick pavers or block that they will either sell cheap or give away- maybe it's extra. Dig down where you need it to make the run level, replace ditch with above mentioned and you have a solid bottom. Hope it helps, i'm fixing to have the same problem(new run) and that's how i'm going to start mine off.

 

[teach1rusl]

More coffee fixes everything!!! ETA: That's for George...lol

Also, I'm curious. Are you digging down to set the coop level? Or are your raising everything up on cinderblocks to make it level. Or is THAT your original question??? LOL...maybe I need more coffee too. In the run section, I would definitely put down a level of rock and then sand, because clay is NASTY about holding water (as you know). We've got a lot around here...yuck! I don't think you'd need any bedding over the sand. I think that would kind of defeat one of the purposes of putting sand down in the first place, it's very easy to clean out (like a cat box...lol).

 

[Mtn Cur]

Quote:
Technically both, I work the ground up so I can fill in low spots with the loose dirt before adding the block. It's the same concept as building a house on a hill. One side will show more block than the other. By using brick pavers it's not as much of an eye sore, easier to weed eat around, and you have a solid footing without any voids like shown in the pics.

 

[pokeytolman]

Mine is on a slight slope as well (about 6" in 8') we are going to be doing the deep litter method. we also have clay and probably the same rain problems as I am only 90 miles north. so I split the difference and dug in a little up slope and put in a skirt board down slope . I also trench at the edge of the coop sloped it downhill for drainage and filled with river rock for drainage. I did this 2 months ago at the start of my coop construction and the middle of the coop has been staying dry, just a little wet around the edges.


you can see the skirts and RR here

Good luck