Anyone else in the high desert?

[Cattle dog Mom]

Or any where else where it's on the hotter side but DRRRRYYY in the summer, can get just below 0F in the winter with snow. And wind ALL SEASONS? (Typically gusts around 40mph. (Sustained up to about 30mph) Though we did get "lucky" this year and have a high gust of 61mph. And also lucky (lol) enough to not have trees to block any of it? I don't have chickens YET. But am trying to figure out a coop that will work for the winter with plenty of ventilation, while at the same time, not cook them in the summer. (I will add that it "generally" cools off well over night.) And I must also say I am LOST as to what to do and how. (I'm thinking of an 8x8 or 8x12 walk in coop. But haven't decided yet.) (Turkeys are SO much easier! )

 

[RojoMarz]

We are in Colorado at almost 9k feet. Very windy year round, we do have trees though. Winters are cold and snowy. Summers may not be as hot as yours, but are dry.

Our coop is a walk in and has windows that I can open. Its 8x10, plus nesting boxes. We used this plan as a starting point. We did do a slant roof, with high side in front and low side in back, to shed snow. The high part of the front is clear plastic, to allow sunlight in. The underside of the soffits are all open, on front and back. Picture is from/during construction.

 

[ScratchNbawk]

Hello, I’m in the California high desert. It doesn’t get as cold here (hasn’t gone below 20 this winter), but other things you mentioned are very similar. It’s very hot here in the summer, but cools drastically during the evenings. I would consider it a harsh environment because of the major difference between day and night temps, along with the wind and dryness.
I have a 10 by 5 open style coop with 4 chickens. I wish I had gone larger, but will expand in the spring.

 

[ScratchNbawk]

Looks like where you live is definitely harsher than here. Wind subsides a bit in the winter here, and Although it’s extremely windy otherwise , I don’t think we get gusts to 50mph

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

Hello, I’m in the California high desert. It doesn’t get as cold here (hasn’t gone below 20 this winter), but other things you mentioned are very similar. It’s very hot here in the summer, but cools drastically during the evenings. I would consider it a harsh environment because of the major difference between day and night temps, along with the wind and dryness.
I have a 10 by 5 open style coop with 4 chickens. I wish I had gone larger, but will expand in the spring.

Yeah, open sided wouldn't work here in the winter. (I wish it would! LOL) And we get wind from ALL directions! Or course the north wind in the winter is the worst, but the west isn't great either. When we had the 60mph gusts it was from the NE. (Thank GOD as that pushed the new wild fire away from us instead of TO us.) We have also had big wind and gusts from the south. (Just last week in fact.)

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

We are in Colorado at almost 9k feet. Very windy year round, we do have trees though. Winters are cold and snowy. Summers may not be as hot as yours, but are dry.

Our coop is a walk in and has windows that I can open. Its 8x10, plus nesting boxes. We used this plan as a starting point. We did do a slant roof, with high side in front and low side in back, to shed snow. The high part of the front is clear plastic, to allow sunlight in. The underside of the soffits are all open, on front and back. Picture is from/during construction.

Thank you! I would do the same kind of roof for the same reason. Though I will have to have the front facing south, so the roof won't get and sun. But the roof on my horse stall turned turkey stall is also facing the same direction and I've not had a second of trouble with it in the 10 years it's been there. (Course because of the wind, the snow doesn't get to "pile up", it gets blown off. LOL) Attached is a pic of my turkey jail. LOL (It is 12x12)

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

We are in Colorado at almost 9k feet. Very windy year round, we do have trees though. Winters are cold and snowy. Summers may not be as hot as yours, but are dry.

Our coop is a walk in and has windows that I can open. Its 8x10, plus nesting boxes. We used this plan as a starting point. We did do a slant roof, with high side in front and low side in back, to shed snow. The high part of the front is clear plastic, to allow sunlight in. The underside of the soffits are all open, on front and back. Picture is from/during construction.

Do you have a picture of the inside?

 

[ScratchNbawk]

Winter wind here is more often from the north east, but the direction rotates throughout the day. Morning is often from the south. Afternoon, when the wind is strongest is from the west moving north. By the evening to early morning it’s from the north moving east and wind speed subsides.
The open side faces north east because most of the year, wind here comes from the opposite direction. During this time of year the north east wind is in the evening and mostly mild. I have a plywood panel I place against the open side if needed during wind storms, etc.
This is my first time raising chickens so it’s a learning experience for me, so far it works here, it’s definitely milder than where you’re located. I’m always evaluating the situation and willing to make changes.
Good luck with your coop! I’m interested in raising turkeys, good to know it’s easier (hopefully).

 

[RojoMarz]

Do you have a picture of the inside?

Our front faces South and the run is fully covered, so the sunlight is limited thru the windows and front skylight. But, anything is better than nothing.

Here's a couple pics...

 

[CinnaBun]

The Woods Coop design is popular for really cold climates— could work for high wind too?

Here is a thread that had recent activity.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/8-x-12-woods-coop-design-plan.1221551/