Have you looked into Open Air Coops? You can search for them on this site. Essentially they are three sided coops with the front consisting of wire. In pictures the chickens are standing near blown-in snow and, reportedly, thrived. Of course this suggestion came about as a realization that ventilation was essential for chicken health so as long as you build with that in mind you wouldn't have to go to such extremes.
Here is what I would do. First, partition off a feed room/storage area right inside the main entrance. Block off this area from the chickens so you don't have to step in poop when you enter. Second, build the coop so that you can access the nesting boxes from this feed room. Then, from one poop-free place you can add feed and water and collect eggs. It's a nice feature when you're doing a quick chicken chore before heading out and don't want to think about changing your shoes.
Leave the gravel (my coop is built on 6 inches of gravel). Since your birds can't dig down much due to the chicken wire underneath I would add a section of sand for them to dust bathe in. Pour it right on top of the gravel and add more as necessary. They'll scratch it all over the place and over time this will fill in and cushion the gravel.
You could do the raised coop with a ramp as others suggested but if you're planning on letting them out to range then you don't need the extra floor space and it'd be a big hassle to set legs through that gravel and chicken wire base you already have in place. So, make your coop a simple wooden box--plan to build it in standard increments such as 8' since that is the size building materials come in (e.g. 4'x8' plywood panels) so you'll have less waste and less time making cuts. Since you already have footings in the form of that gravel bed just lay treated 6x6s flat and build your walls up from there. This is exactly how I built my coop and it's doing very well--no heaving.
Plan for 4-5 sq ft per bird (5 sq ft per bird is the minimum if you want a successful deep litter method without manure saturation). Add lawn clippings and fallen leaves periodically for bedding and clean out once a year. All you need inside are roosts (use fallen limbs from your woods, leave the bark on, choose straight poles about 2-3 inches in diameter) and nesting boxes (construct them so the back side has a hinged lid that faces into your feed room for collecting the eggs).
Finally, get a savvy breed of bird. I highly recommend the Sumatran. I have one and she's a wonder--very smart, nearly impossible for me to catch and she's survived several dog attacks by flying away whereas my others panicked and froze. She can easily fly up into my pine tree or on top of the coop. She's a remarkable layer--an egg a day without fail, even though winter. The only downside is that her eggs are smaller, but if you have several this shouldn't matter. And, I think she's beautiful--deep black with irridecent green and purple highlights. Another potential downside, depending on your temperament, is that she isn't a friendly breed. Oh, and they make excellent mothers if you're into increasing your flock this way.
For a ridiculously friendly and phenomenal layer of huge eggs I recommend the ISA brown. But, smart they are not!
Good luck and congrats on a great piece of land! Feel free to PM me for more questions about coop construction if you wish.
Here is what I would do. First, partition off a feed room/storage area right inside the main entrance. Block off this area from the chickens so you don't have to step in poop when you enter. Second, build the coop so that you can access the nesting boxes from this feed room. Then, from one poop-free place you can add feed and water and collect eggs. It's a nice feature when you're doing a quick chicken chore before heading out and don't want to think about changing your shoes.
Leave the gravel (my coop is built on 6 inches of gravel). Since your birds can't dig down much due to the chicken wire underneath I would add a section of sand for them to dust bathe in. Pour it right on top of the gravel and add more as necessary. They'll scratch it all over the place and over time this will fill in and cushion the gravel.
You could do the raised coop with a ramp as others suggested but if you're planning on letting them out to range then you don't need the extra floor space and it'd be a big hassle to set legs through that gravel and chicken wire base you already have in place. So, make your coop a simple wooden box--plan to build it in standard increments such as 8' since that is the size building materials come in (e.g. 4'x8' plywood panels) so you'll have less waste and less time making cuts. Since you already have footings in the form of that gravel bed just lay treated 6x6s flat and build your walls up from there. This is exactly how I built my coop and it's doing very well--no heaving.
Plan for 4-5 sq ft per bird (5 sq ft per bird is the minimum if you want a successful deep litter method without manure saturation). Add lawn clippings and fallen leaves periodically for bedding and clean out once a year. All you need inside are roosts (use fallen limbs from your woods, leave the bark on, choose straight poles about 2-3 inches in diameter) and nesting boxes (construct them so the back side has a hinged lid that faces into your feed room for collecting the eggs).
Finally, get a savvy breed of bird. I highly recommend the Sumatran. I have one and she's a wonder--very smart, nearly impossible for me to catch and she's survived several dog attacks by flying away whereas my others panicked and froze. She can easily fly up into my pine tree or on top of the coop. She's a remarkable layer--an egg a day without fail, even though winter. The only downside is that her eggs are smaller, but if you have several this shouldn't matter. And, I think she's beautiful--deep black with irridecent green and purple highlights. Another potential downside, depending on your temperament, is that she isn't a friendly breed. Oh, and they make excellent mothers if you're into increasing your flock this way.
For a ridiculously friendly and phenomenal layer of huge eggs I recommend the ISA brown. But, smart they are not!
Good luck and congrats on a great piece of land! Feel free to PM me for more questions about coop construction if you wish.
