8' x 4' coop help.. Modified Woods style or Leanto?

[sarahfvosz]

Location added- I'm in western NY. Lots of lake effect stuff and lots of wind (we're at the top of a hill). We are on 24 acres and will be placing the coop in a high-and-dry location (not making the same mistake as last time ) and in a treed area to reduce wind.

Their "run" will simply be welded wire fencing-about 1000sf. We will likely later connect that to our fenced garden area so they can have the run of that from fall-spring as well, which would add another 2000sf or so. Our last coop had a run of about 10X4 for 3 hens. They hated being in there and it was disgusting all the time. I felt bad for them. We will probably cover part of the run in the future but for now we will leave it open. Our biggest predators are the ones that come at night, so we will just have to be sure we lock them in the coop before dark.

We have a habitat for humanity restore about an hour from here. I'll have to see what they have. A walk in coop would be nice..

 

[aart]

I hadn't counted the squares to check.

The old drafter in me always counts squares!!

 

[aart]

A walk in coop would be nice

For sure!!
....and make the coop twice as big, for those nasty lake effect storms that can last for days.
(Unless you're going to make some run space that is predator and weather proof)

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since you have the space, I'd definitely aim for a walk-in. A Woods coop would be fantastic but if you're aiming for something smaller a plain rectangular shed would be fine too, and probably simpler to lay out and figure. So for example in your lean to sketch, raise the walls high enough so you can stand inside, ditch the clean out hatch for a proper door, then aim for big roof overhangs and ventilation just under the roof.