Looking for experienced input on a cold-climate open-air coop

[3riverschick]

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 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.

 

[RR1011]

My open air coop is working well. I have all my original chicks from Meyers. They're all healthy, almost 2 yr old hens now. I did have silkies that had problems with the negative temps last winter and brought them in.

I made a divider in my coop for separate pens. I do tarp the divider in the winter, leaving the top open, for an extra wind block. It's worked well for me.

 

[3riverschick]

Question for open air coop fans

Hi,
Woods says the coop should face south. That's a problem for me. Here's a description of where the coop site.
To the south and hard up against where the coop will be is a row of closely spaced 80 ft. pine trees which run west to east..
The east, west, and north sides have no obstructions to open air.
The prevailing wind comes from the west and blows to the east.
Facing north, the open side would look upon the wide backyard.
Facing west, the open side would look into a 1.2 acre grassy field of native grasses and into the prevailing wind. Facing east. The open side would look upon the open back side of the yard the right side of which view would be parallel along the line of 80 ft. pine trees.
The backyard is a rectangle of 1/3 acre. The north and south sides are longer than the east and west sides.
The birds will be large fowl White Chanteclers so chill is not a problem for them.
There is a 108 yr. old Maple tree in the center of the 1/2 acre which shades more than 1/2 of the 1/2 acre all day long. The poultry yard, is shaded by the pines and the maple.
The Woods coop location is in the northwest corner of the 1/2 acre and, curiously, is not shaded.
I have not decided yet whether to connect the Woods coop to the poultry yard by a corridor.
How would you place this coop for best use of the Woods coop physics?
Thanks,
Karen in western PA.

 

[Beekissed]

Sounds like facing it east would be a good idea, letting the prevailing winds hit the backside of the coop in the winter months and that would also give them the morning sun to warm the coop in the winter months.

 

[Howard E]

The issue isn't as much "open air" as it is exposure to the winter sun. A south facing slope with exposure to the winter sun gives you a warm spot in winter and a dry spot year round. But that applies to all coops. You want the sun shining in for a lot of reasons. Dryer, warmer and for the light. The air and ventilation is one thing, but the abundance of light is maybe the hidden feature of a Woods coop that many overlook. It's important.

Aside from all else, in what direction does the yard slope?

Under or near the summer shade of the maple tree is not a problem. That will loose it's leaves in winter and the sun can shine it. The pines are a different story. North side of those is in winter shade.

 

[aart]

The basic premise of the Woods coop,
if built in proper proportions,
is that no wind can infiltrate deeply no matter the geographical orientation or wind direction.

Glazed windows could be put anywhere,
but tightly sealed in winter to realize that 'air cushion',
to gather solar gain.

 

[centrarchid]

I would face east. Even my most cold tolerant birds seek out sunny locations during the AM hours to combat thermal stress. At my latitude the coop would need to be a few feet away from the pine trees to ensure some of the morning sun comes in the front.

 

[cmom]

Question for open air coop fans

Hi,
Woods says the coop should face south. That's a problem for me. Here's a description of where the coop site.
To the south and hard up against where the coop will be is a row of closely spaced 80 ft. pine trees which run west to east..
The east, west, and north sides have no obstructions to open air.
The prevailing wind comes from the west and blows to the east.
Facing north, the open side would look upon the wide backyard.
Facing west, the open side would look into a 1.2 acre grassy field of native grasses and into the prevailing wind. Facing east. The open side would look upon the open back side of the yard the right side of which view would be parallel along the line of 80 ft. pine trees.
The backyard is a rectangle of 1/3 acre. The north and south sides are longer than the east and west sides.
The birds will be large fowl White Chanteclers so chill is not a problem for them.
There is a 108 yr. old Maple tree in the center of the 1/2 acre which shades more than 1/2 of the 1/2 acre all day long. The poultry yard, is shaded by the pines and the maple.
The Woods coop location is in the northwest corner of the 1/2 acre and, curiously, is not shaded.
I have not decided yet whether to connect the Woods coop to the poultry yard by a corridor.
How would you place this coop for best use of the Woods coop physics?
Thanks,
Karen in western PA.

I have a couple of coops that are open on one side and I have my open side facing east because the prevailing winds here are generally out of the west and I do have their feeders hanging inside the coops and this way it stays dry. All of my coops face east and the back sides to the west. I'm not really familiar with the Woods coops. I will have to research them. I have many coops and they are all different in ways. My pen is very large divided into smaller pens. the pens are all around 25' wide by 60' deep. My opinion is whatever works best for you. Do you have some pictures you can post?

 

[Howard E]

To give you an idea on how this winter sun thing plays out in the northern temperate zones.............

I was driving into town this morning. Paved blacktop road, running east and west. We have had a warm spell lately, temps in the 70's after some time spend in the 20's at night.

So the sun was shining bright and the paved road was dry...........then I come upon a row of evergreen trees that shaded a section of the road from the winter sun.........that section of road turned wet. Looked as though it had rained, but it hadn't, so why wet?

Wet because the pavement in the shaded location was still very cold, so was below the dew point and water in the form of high humidity in the air was condensing on it. The same thing was going on on the sidewalk on the north side of my house. The part that remains in eternal shade for 6 months out of the year. Not only does that sidewalk stay wet a lot of the time, but also is black from mold growing on it.

So if you put your birds in such a location.......shaded from the winter sun, they would be in a cold and wet location. Expect disease and them to do poorly. Expect bad health and poor egg production.

In the northern temperate zones (like zone 6a and colder), site location is pretty important. Try to find a south facing slope with exposure to the winter sun.

Just saying.

 

[WVduckchick]

To give you an idea on how this winter sun thing plays out in the northern temperate zones.............

I was driving into town this morning. Paved blacktop road, running east and west. We have had a warm spell lately, temps in the 70's after some time spend in the 20's at night.

So the paved road is dry...........then I come upon a row of evergreen trees that shaded section of the road from the winter sun.........the road turned wet. Looked as though it had rained, but it hadn't, so why wet?

Wet because the pavement in the shaded location was still very cold, so was below the dew point and water was condensing on it. The same thing was going on on the sidewalk on the north side of my house.  The part that remains in eternal shade for 6 months out of the year.

So if you put your birds in such a location.......shaded from the winter sun, they would be in a cold and wet location. Expect disease and them to do poorly. Bad health and poor egg production.

In the northern temperate zones (like zone 6a and colder), site location is pretty important. Try to find a south facing slope with exposure to the winter sun.

Just saying.

If you could only get winter sun in the morning or evening, which would be better?