Raised coop dimensions for 40+ birds?

[Lanfear]

Excellent choice! You won't regret the advantages of a walk-in structure!
What is your location?

We live in Manitoba, Canada. So typically our temperatures (with windchill and humidex) range from 40°C in summer to -40°C in winter! And thank you for the tip about insulation - if we put it, we'll be sure to cover it up!

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Thanks for the tip! Done

That ridge vent is great but how much snow do you get? Will it be blocked by snow?

We get several feet of snow each year... but we can use a tool to scrape off the snow off the roof no problem That Alaskan link is great! Now we just need to plan our run...

 

[Folly's place]

Build with your work load in mind! 'We can scrape snow off the roof' sounds like another miserable chore that you will want to avoid.
Lots of ventilation, upper walls below the roof line. Big openings on the south side, which can be partially covered in winter. I use two layers of rolled plastic, stapled to the framing, and then with 1"x4" boards screwed in on top, just like securing the hardware cloth.
Chickens do have snow. A roofed run would be wonderful (plan for that snow load!) or at least plenty of indoor space per bird, when they don't want to be out. Shoveling snow for them isn't so fun either.
Plan for cold hardy breeds too. Big single combs freeze, and little combs do fine. How about Chanteclers, for example?
Mary

 

[Lanfear]

We already have eggs in the incubator, all from a Manitoban breeder who has the same harsh extremes we get here. We got a mixture of lemon pyle bramhas (my main choice due to our climate), amaraucanas, exchequer leghorns, golden crele legbar, olive eggers, and silverudd's blue isbar - moreso chosen for their egg color/looks. I guess we're used to scraping snow off the house it wouldn't be terrible to scrape it off the chicken coop too But I'm all for less work outside in winter... Will be challenging making a roofed run IF we go big and give them a huge area (about 20-40 sq ft per bird) using mesh for ceiling as initially planned, so good to keep in mind better ventilation needed, even in winter.

 

[aart]

Will be challenging making a roofed run IF we go big and give them a huge area (about 20-40 sq ft per bird)

Would be good to have some roofed run space, with walls that can be wind/snow proofed, as while your coop is ok for 40 birds, it can get crowded during those days long storms with feet of snow. Chicken Cabin Fever is Real...and it can get Ugly.

 

[Folly's place]

Think in terms of a coop/ run combination, roofed, and with additional outdoor space during better weather. Small spaces for weeks are very bad for them, as aart mentioned. Really big runs during snow would be nice, but 'big enough' is fie too.
Mary