Help with designing a walk in coop/shed

[BigBlueHen53]

What is your weather like? Do you get cold, snow, rain?

 

[1Anjl]

What is your weather like? Do you get cold, snow, rain?

all of the above! LOL It gets cold here, sometimes in the negatives but warms back up within a few days. We get snow that melts after a few days and we get ice storms. Very hot and humid in the summer

 

[BigBlueHen53]

all of the above! LOL It gets cold here, sometimes in the negatives but warms back up within a few days. We get snow that melts after a few days and we get ice storms. Very hot and humid in the summer

In that case, you may want to rethink the gaps between the slats in the walls.

 

[1Anjl]

In that case, you may want to rethink the gaps between the slats in the walls.

I will probably just put a tarp on the north wall when it gets windy

 

[ChookaPete]

I like your coop! I am thinking to build a new coop out of pallets too, or maybe use the pallets as extra insulation/keep the sun off the shed that I currently use as a coop.

The difference with my coop though is that my chooks only sleep there (two currently lay there as well), and they free-range all day outside in the yards.

 

[ChookaPete]

In that case, you may want to rethink the gaps between the slats in the walls.

A tarpaulin might not be enough - plus rain could come in around the tarp during strong winds.

Can you plant some burly trees on the north side as a windbreak?

 

[1Anjl]

A tarpaulin might not be enough - plus rain could come in around the tarp during strong winds.

Can you plant some burly trees on the north side as a windbreak?

Thanks, I live in a forest so I have windbreak on all sides of me. I basically only cleared about 1/4 acre for house and garden. It doesnt look like it now because its winter, but the hen house is in the uncleared portion and has trees all around it. On the north side of the coop about 300 ft away is a grove of cedar trees that block the wind in winter

 

[1Anjl]

A tarpaulin might not be enough - plus rain could come in around the tarp during strong winds.

Can you plant some burly trees on the north side as a windbreak?

This is the top of my road in the summer. I live about 1/2 mile down just to give ya an idea of the area

 

[1Anjl]

I like your coop! I am thinking to build a new coop out of pallets too, or maybe use the pallets as extra insulation/keep the sun off the shed that I currently use as a coop.

The difference with my coop though is that my chooks only sleep there (two currently lay there as well), and they free-range all day outside in the yards.

If you do use pallets Id suggest building with the runners going vertical instead of horizontal like this dummy did (me) LOL. Dont know what I was thinking but the pallets make stronger walls when the runners are vertical.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You just want to be sure the chickens won't get wet and that wind won't ruffle their feathers, exposing their skin to frigid temps.