I am still a newbie at this too, but I LOVE to design, so here are a few of my thoughts...
First, I'd take the 8' plywood board off and add at least 3' more to the depth (or course you'd put the 8' back on, after you expand the depth!
). It looks like it wouldn't be too difficult to extend the roof, plus you'll have more options for the plywood boards on each end. If there isn't a "human" door to get in the coop, you can add one to an end.
Doubling the size of your coop won't give your chickens less roaming room outside, but it will give them more shelter from the elements by having more room UNDER the coop.
Definitely add windows!
Plywood floor - yes.
For heating water Check out this thread. Close to the bottom on the second page is a really cool homemade water heater. I am planning to make a couple of these for my chickens for the winter. The cookie tin can sit on top of whatever you have planned to use for the waterer to sit on. Then your waterer can sit on top of the cookie tin. That will give you even more elevation for your water fount/jug. (Did you understand that? LOL! Sometimes I talk in circles!)
You may want to move the roosts to one end (if you add the 3' to the depth). That way you can have the "human" door at the other end and have the food and water where they will be accessible to you. Plus it will be much easier to clean out your coop if you don't have to hassle with roosts in your way. You might want to consider putting a "drop bucket" under your roosts, for easier cleaning. This page has a really cute homemade roost, and underneath it are large buckets for the droppings. These are the same buckets I use under the roosts in my coop.
The tarps will most likely collapse from the snow. We have a few over our kids' play area and most don't make it through the winter. Are you still worried about hawks now that your chickens are bigger? If not, then you don't need the tarp and snow fencing anymore.
Good luck and have fun!
~Anne
First, I'd take the 8' plywood board off and add at least 3' more to the depth (or course you'd put the 8' back on, after you expand the depth!
Doubling the size of your coop won't give your chickens less roaming room outside, but it will give them more shelter from the elements by having more room UNDER the coop.
Definitely add windows!
Plywood floor - yes.
For heating water Check out this thread. Close to the bottom on the second page is a really cool homemade water heater. I am planning to make a couple of these for my chickens for the winter. The cookie tin can sit on top of whatever you have planned to use for the waterer to sit on. Then your waterer can sit on top of the cookie tin. That will give you even more elevation for your water fount/jug. (Did you understand that? LOL! Sometimes I talk in circles!)
You may want to move the roosts to one end (if you add the 3' to the depth). That way you can have the "human" door at the other end and have the food and water where they will be accessible to you. Plus it will be much easier to clean out your coop if you don't have to hassle with roosts in your way. You might want to consider putting a "drop bucket" under your roosts, for easier cleaning. This page has a really cute homemade roost, and underneath it are large buckets for the droppings. These are the same buckets I use under the roosts in my coop.
The tarps will most likely collapse from the snow. We have a few over our kids' play area and most don't make it through the winter. Are you still worried about hawks now that your chickens are bigger? If not, then you don't need the tarp and snow fencing anymore.
Good luck and have fun!
~Anne
