Coop details help, please!

[21hens-incharge]

The coop front will face north, and I'm thinking I'll put the roost along the back wall, so it will face south. There is an 18' tall cedar hedge that runs along behind where the coop will be, so that side is very protected from win and weather.
The winds generally come from the east. I think I will actually put the run on the east side of the coop, instead of on the west as it would be in the picture I drew - that way I can have some big windows on the other (west) side of the coop without worrying so much about weather.

If the run is on the west and you put windows on the west they will be even more predator proof because they open to the run. Just a thought.

Is the hedge row going to block winter sun?

 

[Jonessa]

If the run is on the west and you put windows on the west they will be even more predator proof because they open to the run. Just a thought.

Is the hedge row going to block winter sun?

I will also put windows on the run side, but they'll be more for ventilation than for light, since the run will be covered. Windows on the west side would allow a lot more light in.
The hedge stops right around where the west wall will be, so while it will block the morning sun, the coop will get lots of afternoon and evening light.

 

[Jonessa]

Thoughts on whether to raise the coop or not, and how much?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thoughts on whether to raise the coop or not, and how much?

I would keep it as a walk in style for many reasons.

Your original design link was a walk in. Is there a change in plans?

 

[Jonessa]

I would keep it as a walk in style for many reasons.

Your original design link was a walk in. Is there a change in plans?

You're right, the linked design was a walk -in at ground level, and that's certainly an option. I mentioned in my original post that my last coop had issues with lots of dust coming in through the pop door, which was less than a foot off the ground, so I was considering raising the coop a bit more than that - still keeping it the same walk-in style, just raising the whole thing up, requiring a stair or two for me and a ramp for the girls. And no access to the area beneath - too much of a pain to clean, from past experience.
So I guess I was just looking for some feedback on advantages/disadvantages with either of those two scenarios.

 

[21hens-incharge]

You're right, the linked design was a walk -in at ground level, and that's certainly an option. I mentioned in my original post that my last coop had issues with lots of dust coming in through the pop door, which was less than a foot off the ground, so I was considering raising the coop a bit more than that - still keeping it the same walk-in style, just raising the whole thing up, requiring a stair or two for me and a ramp for the girls. And no access to the area beneath - too much of a pain to clean, from past experience.
So I guess I was just looking for some feedback on advantages/disadvantages with either of those two scenarios.

Chickens are very dusty themselves. They dust bathe and shed dander which all ends up in the coop whether raised or not.
I had a raised coop that was 2' off the ground. Yup still super dusty.

 

[CluckerFamily]

My coop is about 1' off the ground and a walk in and I love it!

 

[Jonessa]

Chickens are very dusty themselves. They dust bathe and shed dander which all ends up in the coop whether raised or not.
I had a raised coop that was 2' off the ground. Yup still super dusty.

For sure, they're dusty all right! I just compare my last coop to my very first one (pic attached) - it was raised 2' off the ground and was much less dusty.

 

[Jonessa]

Compare that to my last coop (a temporary one made from an old free plastic shed, knowing we were planning to move again), which was lower to the ground:

 

[Jonessa]

My coop is about 1' off the ground and a walk in and I love it!

That's great to hear! Would you be able to share a picture?