steeply sloping site

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chickenfan

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Does anyone know how happy birds would be on a steeply sloping hillside (SE facing) at 700 ft? I could plant shelter, but it doesn't seem too windy.
 
Our Orpingtons hate slopes Chickenfan. They struggle to walk at an angle, as we do. They also hate wind as it ruffles their feathers. The Wyandottes are less affected. None of ours like rain, for that you need ducks I suppose. They like sun, but overheat quickly. So I think you will need to chose your breed carefully and they will need some protection from the elements, particularly in Winter or Summer.
 
Sorry I didn't notice you said SE facing. Bear in mind that all chickens hate wind, and there will be an updraught on a slope as well as the force of wind and rain. They would be fine if you could provide shelter on the downward side. Perhaps an open- fronted shed? Maybe choose extra- hardy outdoor breeds, such as genuine Black Rocks, bred for the outdoors in the extremes of Scotland, or Speckledies, bred originally as a suitable free-range bird for organic farms.
 
Thank you Marigold. I went back yesterday. It is S facing, so I think will catch the wind. Its in S Wales. Interesting re up-winds on hills.

I currently live on the side of an extremely windy hill on Dartmoor. I've planted loads of shrubs and trees for the birds to shelter in and it has stopped the wind in certain bits. I think you are right they will need field shelters of some sort.
 
If you make open field shelters, make sure any wind can "spill" out of the shelter. I made that mistake and the wind lifted the shelter up, turned it over and dumped it on it's roof. It's made from three 6' long, 3' high fence panels - 2 along the back and one forming a side as the hen house formed the third side. It's built on a substantial wooden frame so it is free standing, not attached to the hen house, and has several sheets of corrugated zinc forming the roof. When it was rebuilt after the first upending we lowered the panels creating a wind gap below the roof - that reduced the gap at the bottom. The third time it happened I twigged what was going on; the open side faced north-north-west as our "weather" comes from the south and west, except for the snow which came from the south east. BUT what we did get from the north-west were sudden strong gusts wind which couldn't spill out of the gaps fast enough. The answer was to turn the whole edifice through 90 degrees so the shelter is now on the south-west side which protects the pophole and the open front faces south east. I have another smaller shelter with the open side facing the hen house so whichever way the wind/rain/snow blows their food is under cover and they can shelter out of doors.

In the heavy snow this year they spent nearly all their time in the hen house, but I used a besom (witches broom) to brush the snow off the grass so they could get to their food.

Welsummers are also very hardy birds and didn't seem to mind the wind and rain much, but they aren't the most prolific layers. There's a chap at Brilley (near Hay-on-Wye) who has breed a hen he calls "Welsh Black" - a cross between Black Australorp and Indian Game which is very hardy and tight feathered.. He's 1000 feet up on the Black Mountains and bred the birds to withstand the weather conditions. I think he maybe has health problems at the moment and is apparently not answering PM's or emails, although he has posted occasionally. His website is http://castlefarmeggs.co.uk/.

I was going to get some POL pullets but my life has gone pear shaped and poultry keeping may not be an option.
 
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