The cordwood coop at the City Art Farm
Cordwood construction is an old building technique that may have originated in Sweden. Slices of log or split wood are used in place of brick or stone and set in mortar. The coop is about 9 feet across and built in a circle. A circular trench was dug and cinder blocks were placed in the trench and then filled with concrete. Once the foundation had set, the door frames (human and chicken) were braced in position and the wall began. With a circular structure you are only building one wall so once the door frame is in place you just start laying mortar (lots and lots of mortar) and wood around the circle from one side of the door frame around to the other side of the door frame and proceed row by row to thefull height of the building. I would be glad to answer questions and provide tips not found in the books about cordwood construction. It took about two weeks of labor, morning till night, to complete the coop.