another possibility is to employ the various zero net energy advancements in building efficiency. In the pacific northwest we actually have large scale developments being put in that employ a range of techniques to that result in zero utility bills. some of these techniques would be overkill for a coop but the basic concepts could be explored for consideration/modification, as reasonable, given one's climate and needs. the earthship model is a fairly popular one: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/david-dodge/how-we-built-our-own-eart_b_5941062.html, common on the Golf Islands of British Columbia and are said to work well through the long dark winters. basically, by employing mostly passive techniques such as using earth mounding, south facing windows, low pitched roofs that take in winter sun and deflect summer sun, water balasts to collect heat during the day and radiate it at night and various convenction current options to provide ventilation and some simple heat exchanging systems to transfer the outgoing air's heat to the incoming air, staw bails, tires, ground news paper, once can make great gains in stabilizing temperature indoors. for a coop, it could be made in a similar manner, designed to be enclosed during the winter and easily opened up for the summer.
if you have a south facing slope, you could dig into the slope, terrace out and build the coop into the hill with the larger summer run in front. As the winter comes on, the chicken's run could be gradually limited in space, most limited during the extreme cold. a low pitched south facing solarium would also benefit the chickens by maximizing direct sunlight, to keep their natural endorphins going and keeping them ovulating, using artificial light as needed to maintain that 12-14 hour happy place.
