Help with Coop Design

[Wynterchick]

Hi there everyone. It's almost time for my chicks, ducklings and goslings to be here and the hubby is about to start the work on the coop. I'm going to attach photos and give a description to start but I was hoping others could chime in and give advice for anything that you would change. This will be my dream coop and he is building it the exact way I want, and there will be an attached large run to the side as well.

The entire coop is going to be 8x12 with six foot walls. There will be two tiered 9 foot roosts that cover one wall, separated by 8 inches and going up 8 inches as well. They will be 8 inches from the wall. Is that enough space? There will be a poop board under that approximately 2 feet off the floor of the coop. There will be eight 13' nesting boxes on the other side wall at approximately 12 inches off the floor of the coop as well.

Since we are trying to let in as much natural light as possible there will be windows on each long side that will have hardware cloth over them as well as ending up with plastic during the winter. It gets cold here in SE MI. They will be directly over the nesting boxes and roosting bars. There will be gable venting on both the front and back short ends to promote ventilation. The main door will be open during the warmer months for the chickens to free range at will in about 3/4 of an acre behind our house.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!.... and thanks for adding your location!
Nice scaled(1.5 scale?) orthographic sketches!!
Thrills for this old drafter


What will the roof line look like?
Do I see a hint of a standard gable roof there?
I suggest large(12") roof overhangs with open soffits,
covered with 1/2" Hardware Cloth,
for all year and especially winter ventilation.
(pic below)

Top hinged windows are good for leaving open all summer, even during rain.

Your roost specs are bit tight. 12" from walls is what usually suggested, then 18" down and out.

How many birds do you plan on having?
Chickens and waterfowl have very different housing needs that often do not mix well.

Here's some tips on heights:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/

 

[Wynterchick]

Husband:
Thank you sir. Appreciate the feedback. I used to study drafting when I was a kid(wanted to be an architect, ended up a network architect instead). 1.5 scale(3/8"- foot) on my fancy ruler. I still enjoy any excuse to bring out the graph paper.
I can see where you would guess gable, the triangle on the front face was actually for the wife to see venting. I'm actually planning on a gambrel roof using 22.5 degree angles on the cuts. Wife wants that classis red with white trim barn with double barn doors on front, 6" overhand on the gambrel ends, and was thinking about an 8" kickout on the roof using 2x6 to leave a fair amount of venting at the soffits with 1/2" hardware cloth. In addition, large gable vents on both sides.
Was debating making some top hinged windows frames and glazing windows, but then it would only be single pane. Wife was thinking double pane insulated for better insulation, but short of taking a window and reversing it with the lock/handle on the outside, couldn't really find any decent windows for cheap. Thoughts on the need for double vs single pane? (we're in hardiness zone 6a.
Somebody else also mentioned 12" for the roosts. We're already switching to a single roost along the long side, and a shorter one along the back wall. by 18" down and out, do you mean from roost to roost spacing?
She has an order in for 15 chickens(including dark brahmas, well summer, easter eggers, blue/red laced wyandottes, and polish), 3 ducks, and 2 talouse geese.
They'll have a large run, as well as free range over fenced backyard(.63 acres).

Wife: msg to follow after baby is fed.

 

[Wynterchick]

I was planning on letting everyone go together into the coop when it is finished. I did a bit of research and came up with the game plan to keep everyone together. There will not be food or water in the main coop unless they are to be kept inside for extended periods of time. Hopefully with the large extended run and free range abilities this won't become an issue. The entire coop is going to be insulated as well.
The ducks and geese will be able to visit the large pond we have in the front of our property as well as play in the small kiddy pool that I will put out for them. I plan on keeping watering stations where the ducks/geese can dunk their heads but not splash the water everywhere trying to swim. Water will also be hanging from the upper levels so that they can't scratch it everywhere. They will have a good chunk of the bottom area of the coop to nest/sleep as well.

 

[aart]

Thoughts on the need for double vs single pane?

Single is fine, this is not a house where heat loss is an issue.
Insulation is not needed, good ventilation makes it moot.
Couple of good reads on space and ventilation linked in my signature.

I'm actually planning on a gambrel roof using 22.5 degree angles on the cuts.

Consider adding eave vents.
This was for a modification, but could be easily built from scratch.