Alternate design for open air Coop

here's the front clean out door with the 2x2 interior "lip" which makes
it way difficult for varmint to try and pry the door open.


The white in the cupola are the slides for the Plexiglas window.


Hi,
I have been rereading Prince Woods book on fresh air coops. I had 3 coops, since sold to make room for the new Woods Coop.
Only one never had ventilation problems in the winter. In Woods book, I found out it was an alternate design for a fresh air coop,
tho we didn't know that when Hubby designed it. See pic above, the coop on the left. . Tho the coop does not have the open front,
the physics of the air flow in it function like an open air coop according to what I read in Prince Woods book. From what I read in the book this seems to be because the cupola runs the entire length of the roof and has adjustable windows in the cupola.
The coop is 3x4x about 4 high without the top cupola.
We designed it like an old livery barn. With the cupola running the full length of the coop. The windows in the cupola are covered
with hardware cloth. Then slides were made and Plexiglas sliding sideways "window" panels inserted. Now the wind blows from
right to left across the top of the cupola. So I could slide the Plexiglas as needed, fair or foul weather to get correct ventilation
in the coop. I didn't know at the time these sliding windows made the coop act like a Woods Coop. If I had to do it again, I would
put both sides of the roof on hinges so they could open for cleaning. Plus make one side of the cupola on hinges for opening
and cleaning. Other than that this is a great little coop for 3 adult large fowl chickens. There is one exterior nest box affixed to
the outside of the coop.
This coop is easy to make and costs about 100. to build with bought materials. The front and back , including the silhouette for
the end of the cupola are cut each one from separate pieces of 4x8 plywood. Then the rest of each sheet is used for walls
and roof. I don't think we used more than 2 sheets of plywood for the whole coop. On the front facing the run, there is a
guillotine pop hole door for the birds. The shingles we got at an auction real cheap.
Best,
Karen

Love your coops!!