Woods House - Mini

As I stare at that sketch, another aspect of chicken math kicks in and yet another variation comes to mind. A person could bump that up to a 5' x 8 house and likely still get two sides from two sheets of plywood, with less scrap and drop left on the ground from those two sheets. That would make the back part under the monitor 5' square, the scratch shed 3' x 5' and with the extra SF, the capacity goes from a max of 6 birds to 10, or very comfortable for 4. But that also results in a whole bunch of scrap elsewhere as you try to use 4' x 8' sheets to cover 5' x 5' openings. Places like the floor and roof. This might only be an option if a person had large cache of 6' lengths of boards or scrap and drops from another project they wanted to use.

The other aspect of chicken math I refer to is how fast the capacity of a house will increase by the addition of a foot or so of width. The difference between a 4' x 6.5' house and a 6' x 10' house may not seem like much on paper, but it is nearly 3X larger when you consider interior volume, so you go from maybe 4 birds to 12 by bumping things up that little bit. Something to consider.
 
Yes, but the main focus of this thread was the feasibility of scaling down the Woods design to approx. 4x6' for smaller backyards and if it would function as intended.

Wonders if mocking up in thin laun would serve the purpose of testing the physics.
Might be too much work/cost not to have something to use/sell in the end.
 
Yes, but the main focus of this thread was the feasibility of scaling down the Woods design to approx. 4x6' for smaller backyards and if it would function as intended.

Wonders if mocking up in thin laun would serve the purpose of testing the physics.
Might be too much work/cost not to have something to use/sell in the end.
I just jumped in to the back end of this thread. I seem to follow you around a lot, aart! Not stalking, honestly! I've been toying with the idea of making a 4 x 8 modular coop that could be modified to turn into a "somewhat" woods style on site. It seems to me that by making a salt box 4 x 8, with clere story window across the front, and 4' high wall at the back would provide the maximum interior size with the least amount of cutting involved, and the maximum use of those plywood sheets. You would then have the side wall angle cuts, and use the straight wood cut from each end wall to frame out nest boxes, or poop boards, if you choose to install those.
 
Modern fresh-air poultry houses; a new book on common sense housing of poultry--plans,
dimensions and instructions for building open-front poultry houses and fresh-air equipment
--fresh-air methods and open-air living--most practical and desirable for successful
poultry keeping in all climates; fully illustrated with reproductions from original drawings
and photographs, by Prince T. Woods, M. D.
by Woods, Prince Tannat, 1870-
Published 1924
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003138272;view=1up;seq=7
See Page 130 for 6x10 small house for backlotters.
----------------------------
Pages 177 and 178.
Why Open-Front Is Better
Summarizing the evidence already presented herewith are a dozen
reasons why the open-front poultry house is better than the closed
type. The semi-monitor type of open-front poultry house possesses
these advantages:
1. It supplies an abundance of fresh-air at all times, day and
night, particularly at night when much needed.
2. Plenty of sunshine and light penetrate practically all parts of
. the house.
3. High windows in monitor admit sunlight to rear of house.
4. It is a dry house, having free circulation of air at all times.
5. There is more room for the fowls.
6. The floor space is less obstructed.
7. It is more comfortable than a closed house.
8. An open-front is more humane than the closed building.
9. Fowls prefer the open-front house.
10. Easy to care for and keep clean. Practically "fool proof."
11. Not expensive to build.
12. Simple in construction, a novice can build one.
Beneficial Results of Fresh-Air
The benefits which the poultry and their owner derive from open-
front housing and fresh-air methods of caring for poultry of all ages
are many. These beneficial results of fresh-air living may be summed
up as follows:
1. Both chicks and fowls enjoy better health.
2. They are more vigorous and hardy.
3. They possess greater vitality.
4. They have greater power to resist disease.
5. The pullets and hens produce more eggs.
6. Eggs show a higher percentage fertility.
/. The eggs hatch better.
8. Better, strong, hardy, livable chicks.
9. Birds of all ages are less affected by weather changes.
10. There is less danger of frosted combs and wattles.
11. The birds have better and more lustrous plumage with finer
texture and better color.
12. Fresh-air flocks do not consume any more food than closed-
house flocks and they make better use of their food.
 
Ok so while digging around on google I ended right back here.

I need to build something smaller for two rooster. I could move a rooster out from time to time and bring in some hens. If the roosters can't live together? I might look to go bigger and throw a wall of chicken wire down the middle. and put roosters on each side. Anyways I was thinking how small a woods could be built. I would be cutting most the structural lumber from eastern red cedar for this project. So If I need to adjust my cutting for dimensional lumber? I'd rater not . I got a lot t&g sitting around for flooring and siding.

Things I need to know if I can change. To face it south on my property can the coop door or nesting boxes be moved? Best for me is pop door north to run that butts up to hen house run. nesting boxes east preferably or west.

So what are any ones thought on that?

Scott
 
Ok so while digging around on google I ended right back here.

I need to build something smaller for two rooster. I could move a rooster out from time to time and bring in some hens. If the roosters can't live together? I might look to go bigger and throw a wall of chicken wire down the middle. and put roosters on each side. Anyways I was thinking how small a woods could be built. I would be cutting most the structural lumber from eastern red cedar for this project. So If I need to adjust my cutting for dimensional lumber? I'd rater not . I got a lot t&g sitting around for flooring and siding.

Things I need to know if I can change. To face it south on my property can the coop door or nesting boxes be moved? Best for me is pop door north to run that butts up to hen house run. nesting boxes east preferably or west.

So what are any ones thought on that?

Scott
Scott....this discussion was started by Howard to examine the feasibility of scaling down the Woods coop design to a 'smaller back yard' size.
Another discussion and modeling of the scaled down concept can be found buried in this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1146094/3d-modeling-for-coops-appliances
Design was worked out pretty fully I think, but no one has built a test model, yet, maybe you're the one to do that?
I know you have the skills and now you've got a need.

But, First, understand that the Woods concept was created for very cold climates to maximize ventilation while eliminating drafts during winter.
Tho the high clerestory roof line with operable windows could make for excellent ventilation in warmer climes as well.
The 2 main and key design components that make a Woods truly a Woods are:
-Proportion of depth and width of coop.
-All windows and vents (except the large front one) must be kept tightly closed during cold weather to create the 'air cushion' effect which eliminates drafts at the back of the coop where the roosts are.
Materials are pretty much up for grabs, IMO, as long as they conform those 2 key design points.

The south facing can facilitate solar gain but is not essential....nor is prevailing wind orientation.
The pop door should be close to the front part of a Woods to keep drafts from back of coop.
Doesn't really matter where the nests are.
 
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ok I could always run the pop door out to small fencing that connects to the run.

Ok so Howard is the 5x6 scale correct to try or does the 4x6 scale correct? or should I do a 6x9 and segregate roosters iin each side of the coop and have 2 pop door to 2 runs?

I willing to try a test but I like the idea of having a drawing like Howard made up..

scott
 
Quote:
ok I could always run the pop door out to small fencing that connects to the run.

Ok so Howard is the 5x6 scale correct to try or does the 4x6 scale correct? or should I do a 6x9 and segregate roosters iin each side of the coop and have 2 pop door to 2 runs?

I willing to try a test but I like the idea of having a drawing like Howard made up..

scott
Look here, and read some of that thread surrounding this linked post.....https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1146094/3d-modeling-for-coops-appliances/30#post_17925445
 
Actually, the 4' x 6.5' house, when scaled up to the next level becomes 5' x 8' (which appears to be a half scale model of Wood's 10' x 16' coop, but is only 1/4th the capacity........weird function of chicken house math).

All these concepts were built around the concept of building something like this using standard 4' x 8' sheets of plywood or siding. I'd have to play with the pieces of the puzzle to see how well you could use 4' x 8' sheets on the larger size. If you used sawn boards, it would be easy enough and waste would be minimal.

If I was contemplating doing this today, and if all I wanted was a functional coop for a small flock, I would probably build a simple shed style as shown on Post 45 of the thread aart referenced:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1146094/3d-modeling-for-coops-appliances/40

That would be a 4' wide x 8' deep open front shed. If a person wanted an attached secure run, they could make the overall thing 8' x 8', consisting of an elevated 4' x 8' coop and 4' x 8' attached run, with pop door connecting them. The run would be covered by the same roof as the coop, but open on all four sides and open under the coop. Food and water in the run. Leave the front wide open as shown in that sketch. The narrow / deep orientation.....essentially a tube........would likely work very well to kill any drafts at the back where the roosts would be, yet retain that wide open ventilation the Woods coops are known for. A coop like that with an attached run could easily house 8 to 10......maybe 12 birds. Or only a couple roosters.
 
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