Woods-style house in the winter

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Good luck finding a prefab coop that would even remotely be suitable for this style. For one thing it needs to be *at least* as deep as it is wide (preferably deeper), and the monitor style roof ( the two levels sloping opposite directions with a short vertical wall joining them with monitor windows in it -- which you won't find on prefabs) really is a pretty significant part of the design.

Build one. Then show us the purty pictures

Pat

It'd be one or the other. We'll see.

I certainly don't want to get in the middle of the "old time coop design" confab. But this is all about "airflow" so some terms come to mind. Venturi, Chimney, Breezeway, and Compression. Then there is "common sense". There are "volumes" available on air flow and technology has come a long ways, but these oldtimers built things a certain way to take advantage of accumulated wisdom. Proper orientation of a building has, at best, some variables. Not only are temps and winds changing day to day, we all know we don't experience the same weather even every year! Example: The addition to my home has gone through 16 winters, and only this last one did I have an ice dam below a skylite. (caused by a record 141" of snow that season accompanied by sub zero temps). I could prevent that in the future by adding heat tape, but one cannot leave heat tape exposed to ultra-violet for eternity because the sun decays the rubber. And, that condition may not happen again for however long. Ultimately I feel that you do your best and contend with the rest.

This "flow-thru" design obviosly works well under "some" circumstances, it wont work for me in the "Pacific Northwest" because that much unprotected "open" area would be full of rain and snow that comes from ALL DIRECTIONS only to be followed by endless "cloudy and damp". The thing I think is hilarious is that this is=== **** a huge mass of people(BYC), all going in the same direction, with a boundless variety of ideas (and experiences) all being led by.....A CHICKEN NOW THAT'S FUNNY (((por me anothyur one will ya!!!

Hi...Your chicken coop is AWESOME!! I was wondering if you can stand up in the lower part...what is the height of that end? Also what is the height of the part with the door? If you could send me any demensions it would help me!! I like it so much that I am trying to duplicate it!! Thanks!!
OR....if anyone else can help me with this, please do so!!!

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Hello, Thanks for the compliments. The height at the open front is just over 4.5'. So unless you're a midget, no you can't stand up in that end. The height to the top of the monitor windows is just under 9'. The rear wall height is just under 5'. Coop overall diamentions are 8'X16'.
Jack

Lynne, Woods' book itself (available full-text online, or in a different edition in hard-copy at www.plamondon.com and also I *think* thru Amazon) has some pretty good measured plans for various versions of this type thing, you hsould check it out -- also if you are not going to follow EXACTLY (and I mean exactly) any of Woods' plans or measurements off an existing coop, you should also read the book from cover to cover to get some understanding of what attributes can be fiddled with and what need to be Just So.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

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Lynne4444 Believe me when I say you WILL need to buy the book and read it from start to finish. Partly so you understand the whole concept and more so, so you have ALL the plan recommendations as he slightly modifies the design later in the book. I got mine from Amazon and its proven to be both a blessing and a headache LOL.

I cannot stress enough though you will need the book and you will need to read it entirely perhaps even several times. I am currently trying to draw "blue prints" on graph paper with my own notes so that when it comes time to ordering materials and start the building process etc I don't miss anything.

I hope this helps

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I live in North Dakota, and we had -25 below this winter. I left the vents open most nights just a crack -- even at 25 below. If there was no wind, the windows are wide open. I love this coop, but not sure how it would work for me -- it would fill with snow out here.

Becky

Guess I meant the front that's open would have snow sift in. Pat said not, but I'd have to see it to believe it --- seems every building gets snow sifting in -- from a few inches to a few feet depending on the building and the location of the door.

I did read some of Pat's comments about ventilation and that's why my windows were wide open all winter -- except when it was way below zero and lots of wind.

Becky again....

Jack

Can I ask you a couple of questions?

Did you build this K-D type and did you use the modifications specified later in the book or did you just follow the original K-D plans adding a little extra height to the front and back measurements?

My head feels like its going to explode reading and re reading all these measurements

Thanks Nae

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Yes, some snow will come in the very front of it, but not all that far in (except on days with whipping swirling winds and *blowing* rather than falling snow yo may get a dusting pretty well back in the house). And the thing is, it DOESN'T MATTER. Because it is not enclosed, there is no particular *reason* not to have snow on the frontmost part of the floor sometimes, it will not cause humidity problems.

Pat