Recommended Coops

[TSturgis]

I live in the middle of the woods on a river with a 50ft ridge that is pretty windy during fall/winter season. Is there any coop designs y’all can recommend I build? I current have the small cheapy coop I found online. Looking to upgrade soon

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Your approximate location would help here for best advice.
Woods coops are wonderful! Or a shed type design, with extra ventilation up high. Walk-in structures are best, by far!
Mary

 

[TSturgis]

Sorry abt that lol West Michigan

 

[Folly's place]

Another Michigander! Excellent!
So my best ideas stand! Using a ready- made garden shed, with modifications, is easier than building from scratch.
Predator proofing is most important, and then having good ventilation. More than the minimum space for the number of birds you have (always plan on 'chicken math' too!) and having electricity and water close by.
Mary

 

[Sally PB]

I live in the middle of the woods on a river with a 50ft ridge that is pretty windy during fall/winter season.

Sounds like my location which is also West Michigan! Today has been very windy: gusts up to 45+ mph. My husband built a coop on an old 4x8 trailer. The frame is 2x4s, the walls are exterior grade plywood. Plywood and metal on the roof. The orientation is north-south, so that wind was hitting the west side. The run is a repurposed greenhouse frame. Fence, chicken wire, and hardware cloth are the sides, roof, and apron. The roof has heavy duty tarps over the chicken wire. I put shower curtains around the southwest corner, west side, and northwest corner. Everything held up just fine today!

I would have been happy purchasing a shed, but hubby wanted to build something. It's really solid, and, I have to say, cute.