Woods Colony House - Portable

[Howard E]

No bedding for the photo shoot, but that was added about 2 minutes later. Each box gets a golf ball. Some white...some colored. Today's big winner was the orange ball.

BTW, this also shows how I do the nest boxes, with 1/2" x 1" welded wire bottoms. Allows any droppings, dirt, broken egges, etc, to drop through to the ground. Lower bank has a flat plywood top to protect from objects falling from above. Top bank has a 30 degree sloped roof to keep birds from roosting up there.

 

[swar40]

@Howard E, what do you do with your broody hens? I need an area in my Woods coop ASAP because I have 2 broodys, so looking for ideas.

 

[Howard E]

I have only had two birds go broody. The first was a SLW in the first flock, and with only 8 birds at the time, I let her sit......except I kicked her out now and then for a leg stretch. She kept at it for at least 3 weeks. The second was a few weeks ago. With the commotion of me rearranging the nest boxes, she bailed out and lost interest in the broody business the same day.

If I did want to do something, I'd put a medium sized pet crate on the roost bars (wire or tie it down so it can't fall off), and put her in it.....with food and water (probably the same food and water dispensers used for starter chicks......or a have gallon sized jug with a drink nipple).

100 years ago, it was common to have a broody box in most chicken houses and on the same level as the roost bars was where they put it.

 

[aart]

@Howard E, what do you do with your broody hens? I need an area in my Woods coop ASAP because I have 2 broodys, so looking for ideas.

Do you want them to set or break them?

 

[DoozyWombat]

Much thanks to all who participated in this, and especially to HowardE to put so much of his thinking into the design.

Just getting set to start building an 8x12 Woods Coop in Virginia (Northern Shenandoah Valley). Plan is to take lots of pictures, although I may not have anything to add to the mountains of useful information already here. DLM in the coop, with 6 next boxes.

Overall plan is to eFence about 3/4 acre, enclosing beehive, fruit trees, rabbitry, vegetable garden and compost pile. Pollinator meadow is next to it, and I want to grow as much "chicken salad" in the fenced-in area as possible. Vegetable garden is surrounded by poultry netting until time to let them glean.

I'm still on the fence about how much overhang to build in. I've seen arguments for little to none, but I think I do want about six inches of overhang all around, just to keep the rain off when it's coming straight down.

I'm keeping track of materials and supplies, so I'll try to report on costs and results.

BYC is truly an amazing resource!

 

[aart]

Plan is to take lots of pictures, although I may not have anything to add to the mountains of useful information already here.

Yeah, but we are always up for a new build thread!!
Will you start one?

 

[DoozyWombat]

Yeah, but we are always up for a new build thread!!
Will you start one?

Sure. I think a lot of things through, but I'm probably going to still make a lot of mistakes. Take it FWIW.

 

[aart]

Sure. I think a lot of things through, but I'm probably going to still make a lot of mistakes. Take it FWIW.

Mistakes only stay mistakes if you don't fix them
...and some can be inconsequential enough not to fix<shrugs>

 

[Howard E]

Much thanks to all who participated in this, and especially to HowardE to put so much of his thinking into the design.

Just getting set to start building an 8x12 Woods Coop in Virginia (Northern Shenandoah Valley). Plan is to take lots of pictures, although I may not have anything to add to the mountains of useful information already here. DLM in the coop, with 6 next boxes.

Overall plan is to eFence about 3/4 acre, enclosing beehive, fruit trees, rabbitry, vegetable garden and compost pile. Pollinator meadow is next to it, and I want to grow as much "chicken salad" in the fenced-in area as possible. Vegetable garden is surrounded by poultry netting until time to let them glean.

I'm still on the fence about how much overhang to build in. I've seen arguments for little to none, but I think I do want about six inches of overhang all around, just to keep the rain off when it's coming straight down.

I'm keeping track of materials and supplies, so I'll try to report on costs and results.

BYC is truly an amazing resource!

While side overhangs are desirable, using modern materials complicates things, which is why I didn't include them.

Roof was decked with 8' plywood sheets.....so you have to abandon plywood or decide on a different orientation if you want an 8' wide building plus overhangs.

If you have your heart set on side overhangs, an alternative to plywood would be to buy 10' long decking lumber.....typically a 1 x 8, 1 x 10 or 1 x 12.....then cut it down to the size overhangs you want. If you have access to a place selling salvaged lumber, you might get lucky.......or go to a local sawmill and buy rough cut lumber......or even price dimensional lumber at a box store or lumber yard. Price may not be that much different than plywood.

 

[aart]

While side overhangs are desirable, using modern materials complicates things,

It's not that complicated.