Historic Chicken House Info

[catinthecoop]

Thanks for reviving this thread, so much valuable information to be had from our forbears, and in some sense, nothing new under the sun! Of course now we can share this info far and wide at the touch of a finger. Back to reading for me.

Now I wish I had thought to check out the old buildings on my grandparents old farm before they sold it. Some original buildings were gone or collapsed and those remaining were questionably safe, so we were pretty much prohibited from playing out there as kids, but I'm pretty sure we dared break that rule a few times. I think most of the remaining buildings, are now completely gone. That farm was over 100 years old when it got sold, one of the oldest in the county.

 

[Howard E]

Clerestory, Yes......but Woods, Nope.

So Cool to see all these old buildings!

Clerestory? OK, I had to look that one up. So what some call a "clerestory", others (like me) have been calling "half monitor"? Yes, a "clerestory" or half monitor, but NOT a Woods open air style. A lot of windows down low, not as many windows up high, and not the open air concept of the Woods house.

Interesting when you do a Google search on "clerestory" and images, the buildings that pop up do look a lot like a Woods coop in profile, PLUS, the images show the natural ventilation pattern of warm air rising, plus the seasonal angles of the sun, both of which are exactly what you want in a chicken house. Woods coops are noted for the open ventilation, but I think that high half monitor window that lets the light from the winter sun stream in is a big part of it too. It really is a brightly lit place in the winter months, with light all the way to the back wall. In winter light also means heat from the solar gain.

The second thing that gets noticed when you view these images in profile is the ratio of front part to back part. It seems consistent with this style of building.

 

[drumstick diva]

very interesting

 

[aart]

Quote: Yep, clerestory and half monitor are pretty much the same.....semantics/colloquialisms. <shrugs>

The shed my coop is built in is a clerestory, the windows up high and open eaves give good ventilation all year round.
But it only looks like a Woods....
....wrong width to depth proportions(16x16'), doesn't have the open front, and those open eaves all disqualify it as a Woods.

 

[Sophocles]

....wrong width to depth proportions(16x16'), doesn't have the open front, and those open eaves all disqualify it as a Woods.

Are the eaves really relevant to the Woods design? :/ Or do you mean thats not how the original plan was written up by Woods?
Just wondering

 

[aart]

Quote: Open eaves in winter would not allow for the 'air cushion' to occur....which is the whole point to the Woods concept.
All windows and other vents/openings must be shut tight in winter(except the big open front and pop door) to keep wind from blowing thru the coop.

 

[catinthecoop]

I was wondering about those eves, but on the other hand, if you have the full span of windows on the semi-monitor, it probably isn't worth it to have some way to open/close eves.

For future reference, if you think you might want to do a Woods House, buy the paper book. It's a nice book and so much easier to reference the diagrams on real paper. Also the book I have (the green one from Norton Creek Press) there are several other open-air designs. I haven't seen any other modern builds of open-air designs other than the Woods but it seems like the Woods provides the best of all worlds in terms of air and light etc.

 

[Howard E]

Bump......

Wonder if it might be time to bring this up again? I continue to see questions from builders asking about "how to do this" and "how to do that". Most admit to knowing practically nothing about raising birds or how to build a chicken house and are winging it blind. No worries.........this was all worked out for you well over 100 years ago!

Mistake most folks make these days is to start with standard residential type construction, and make a chicken house out of a people house. Experts back then stressed going economical with the houses.........some of us get that part right, but laying them out and fitting them out specifically as chicken houses made all the difference in the world to their success. Some of us fall down flat on our face in that regard.

Second mistake people make these days is to start out going for "cute", yet knowing next to nothing about what the birds need. No harm in "cute".....I marvel at what folks come up with......but add that on later after you get the important stuff right first.

Third mistake some make, and this is common.....is to get some chicks.......and only then do they begin to worry about permanent housing for them. That should have started MONTHS before any chicks even were a gleam in some rooster's eye.

So no need to reinvent the wheel........that was done 100 years ago. All we have to do is follow in their wake.

 

[Molpet]

links on the first couple of posts are great.. now to just find the time to read it all LOL

 

[Folly's place]

Thanks for bringing this out for easy viewing, love it! Should be referenced by everyone wanting a coop!!!
Mary