Interesting idea (truely green roof)

[Beekissed]

Cob....you know, clay, sand, straw mixture? Houses in Europe constructed of cob that last for 500 years? Usually with a living roof?

 

[digitS']

Oh, adobe! . . . Where's Europe?

I thought you meant like that Corn Cob Palace in South Dakota. . . .

Funny, we've got rammed earth houses in this neck of the woods. And, straw bale houses . . . hayfoot, strawfoot, hayfoot, strawfoot.

We may not get there fast but it's important that we all get there together.

Steve

 

[Beekissed]

I guess the mixture is a little different from adobe....not sure how, but read somewhere that there is a distinction.

 

[dixygirl]

"Cob is a very old method of building with earth and straw or other fibers. It is quite similar to adobe in that the basic mix of clay and sand is the same, but it usually has a higher percentage of long straw fibers mixed in. Instead of creating uniform blocks to build with, cob is normally applied by hand in large gobs (or cobs) "
http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/cob.htm

 

[Kor]

How about something like this?

Warm in the winter, cool in the summer. Concrete on the floor and for the walls, to prevent creatures from getting in and to provide a stable base. It could have just a sloping roof or earth on three sides.

Either way, at least one wall could have a good sized opening for cleaning...

 

[mipsy6]

Quote:
That's me! We put a green roof on our coop last month and it's working out nicely so far.

You have to be careful how you build the layers, though. There has to be plenty of drainage so the roof doesn't rot underneath. We used instructions from a book called Green Roof Plants, modified to a smaller roof. The only downside is that the roof is quite heavy, so hard to lift--at least for me. We used sedums like the other person mentioned in this thread, since we're in dry Southern California.

 

[Anny]

Quote:
That's me! We put a green roof on our coop last month and it's working out nicely so far.

You have to be careful how you build the layers, though. There has to be plenty of drainage so the roof doesn't rot underneath. We used instructions from a book called Green Roof Plants, modified to a smaller roof. The only downside is that the roof is quite heavy, so hard to lift--at least for me. We used sedums like the other person mentioned in this thread, since we're in dry Southern California.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3054/2598953054_81f605c1af.jpg

Do you have a coop page for your coop??? because you really should! This is such a wonderful ideas and by the looks of your pictures you coop looks so cool too!

 

[digitS']

Quote:
I think a structure like that could have real merit, Kor

. It brings to mind something I recall someone saying from another thread. I believe it was her grandmother who lived in the city, without a great deal of room. Her coop was below ground and her pen was above it.

It seems a little odd to think of chickens "going to ground" when night falls but I'm sure they adapt well enuf. In Southeast Asia, free ranging chickens often are under the houses overnight. It is as tho' they think it is safer there than in the trees

.

I use a plastic tunnel (hoop house) for early vegetable plantings in the Spring. So as to maintain a low profile while still being able to walk in there, I've excavated a central path. I don't know what to call it but the door to the tunnel is down 3 steps in a little, bricklined vestibule. (Is that the right word?

)

Something like that could provide easy access to a coop below grade or partly below grade. It may not be best to have the pen directly on the coop's roof. A bird ladder could lead them off to one side, to their pen. It would add an interesting new concept to the term "pop hole."

Steve

 

[MiniDriver]

Quote:
Mine can get on top -- they'd never hop down!

 

[KAKBucks]

When I first read about the cob coop I thought someone was talking about building using corn cobs with clay or natural mortar in between. I wonder how they'd hold up?

I absolutely love the green roof idea for a chicken coop.

All of the green roof programs I've seen suggest one or two inch drainage holes on the lowest "wall" of the roof so excess water can drain out. I'm sure they had some sort of mesh behind the wood to keep soil from washing out.

I love it!

Kendra