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Pat's dead-on about not wanting a solid barrier. You want a permeable barrier over as long a length and width as possible to slow and *lift* the wind above your chickens.
I live at the top of a hill in Nebraska and we get buffeted by winds from every direction. I've done extensive research into windbreaks.
How much planting space do you have to work with? Generally you'll want two staggered rows of evergreens spaced at about the mature size of the trees, though it will take time for them to become effective. The protected downwind area will be most effective within 8x the height of the windbreak.
I'm going windbreak-crazy this spring--so tired of everything (including me) getting blown about and knocked over. It's HORRIBLE.
You can look up windroses for your area to determine where your predominant seasonal winds come from, but invariably during a stormy season you'll also get a wind out of a completely unexpected direction!!!