8 x 12 Woods coop design - plan

[aart]

It complicates the build (roof framing),

Not that complicated,
I added overhangs/eaves to my shed when it needed to be reshingled.
Other views here.

 

[cholland]

That does look nice aart. Roofs never seem make for efficient use of material. But a good roof is a great thing.

I'm loving this build and already thinking how nice a 10x16 would be. Lol.

These are the windows I've salvaged to use on the sides. From an old single wide trailer. They are 34" wide x 30" tall. Hand crank on the inside opens them right up. Just replace the screens, on the inside, with hardware cloth.

 

[aart]

Jalousie's.....used to call them JaLousy...haha!!
Not so good for houses but should be great for a coop, lots of rain shedding airflow!

 

[jthornton]

I've not seen a jalousie window since I was a kid... but yea with some hardware cloth on the inside a perfect vent for a coop.

JT

 

[cholland]

More progress.

 

[Trogdor]

Looking good! Thanks for the plans. Should be building ours soon! (going 8x12).

 

[cholland]

I need to take another picture. Although I haven't quite finished it yet. I finished the door, hardware cloth on the windows/openings, and put corrugated tin on the roof.

Then eggs hatched and I have 15, three week old chicks in there already. I put up some cardboard and blocked them into the back. They can just about jump over so I'll take that out tomorrow.

It is separate from my existing coop and yard. Thinking I might just build another run/yard, cause more chickens!

I haven't build the monitor windows yet. Only had a couple of nights where it got a little below 40F. The chicks seem to be fine. Using MHP, not a lamp. So I have a few months before I need windows up top. The air is amazingly still in there when the door is closed, even with the top windows wide open.

 

[cjoffutt]

Does the Wood's style HAVE to face South? Been contemplating building a second coop in this fashion, but if I place the windows facing South, it would essentially be 'backwards'.

While the chickens would get a nice view of the woods/field line, it would not allow me to view them from the house/yard/run etc. While I normally wouldn't care, our coyote population seems to be on the rise (already killed 5 this year) and they would have a clear shot at the lower windows without being seen.

If I place the coop as I want it, facing North, then we could keep an eye on it and it would look more aesthetically pleasing. I'm not to concerned with sunlight entering during the winter as the coop will have power and lights on a timer just as our current coop does. Facing it North would also keep the winter winds from blowing directly into it as most of our winter winds comes from the South-SouthWest.

 

[Howard E]

Mine faces south and I look at the backside. I would NOT do it any other way (other than have it facing south). None of the reasons you mention would justify facing it anywhere but south. Winds, lights, all of it. Face it south.

 

[aart]

The facing south is strictly for solar gain,
if you don't care about that it shouldn't matter which way it faces.
The air cushion affect(main design aspect of a Woods) will still work if built and operated properly.