Please help me decide.

[Cattle dog Mom]

I know each has it's benefits and drawbacks. Just wanting to know which you think might be better in my situation and why

I live in the high desert. Snow and cold (Rarely below 0F, and it if is colder than that, it is only a few degrees.) in the winter and a fair amount of fog too. It can be hot with VERY low humidity in the summer. (Generally not much over 100 and it cools down well overnight the vast majority of the time. Wind ALL seasons. NO TREES here.

I know that raised would offer shade in the summer. But I also know that walk in could be used for other things if I decided that chickens just aren't for ME. (Where as a raised hen house is just that. It wouldn't be good for anything else. Not even for my turkeys since it would be too small I have heritage turkeys also, but they will NOT be housed nor penned with the chickens.

 

[black_cat]

how many birds?

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

5 to start. (I don't have ANY chickens yet.) I want something bigger than "5 chickens worth" especially since if the weather is too bad, they might choose to spend more than just over night inside. And I am of the "more space than the minimum is MUCH better than too little" camp for ALL of my animals.

how many birds?

 

[bcorps]

And I am of the "more space than the minimum is MUCH better than too little" camp for ALL of my animals.

EXCEPT when it's cold. Then, a little "snugness" can help.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

EXCEPT when it's cold. Then, a little "snugness" can help.

Well, yeah, there is that. But when it is hot... LOL

 

[deidreg]

I recommend walk-in, even though it will be a bit more work and expense up front. I've had both and taking care of my small flock is much easier and much more enjoyable with the WIR. You can put on a roof and experiment with tarps for shade, wind protection, etc.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

I recommend walk-in, even though it will be a bit more work and expense up front. I've had both and taking care of my small flock is much easier and much more enjoyable with the WIR. You can put on a roof and experiment with tarps for shade, wind protection, etc.

Tarps don't work well here. Too much wind and nothing else to block it. And we get 20 to 30 mph winds with gusts to 40 or more from every direction other than straight from the east. (We get wind from the NW and SE but not straight from the east.) Of course the wind from the north is the worst (coldest) in the winter. I have all kinds of other stuff I can use for outside shade in the summer.

 

[Flockincrazy]

I know each has it's benefits and drawbacks. Just wanting to know which you think might be better in my situation and why

I live in the high desert. Snow and cold (Rarely below 0F, and it if is colder than that, it is only a few degrees.) in the winter and a fair amount of fog too. It can be hot with VERY low humidity in the summer. (Generally not much over 100 and it cools down well overnight the vast majority of the time. Wind ALL seasons. NO TREES here.

I know that raised would offer shade in the summer. But I also know that walk in could be used for other things if I decided that chickens just aren't for ME. (Where as a raised hen house is just that. It wouldn't be good for anything else. Not even for my turkeys since it would be too small I have heritage turkeys also, but they will NOT be housed nor penned with the chickens.

I was just asked this here is my open air coop and I have inserts for winter im in Northern Ohio so it gets cold

 

[black_cat]

5 to start. (I don't have ANY chickens yet.) I want something bigger than "5 chickens worth" especially since if the weather is too bad, they might choose to spend more than just over night inside. And I am of the "more space than the minimum is MUCH better than too little" camp for ALL of my animals.

Well, most people have chicken math, so I'd say a walk in one, unless you don't have the space to make the run larger.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

Well, most people have chicken math, so I'd say a walk in one, unless you don't have the space to make the run larger.

20 acres.