My Version of the Witchata Coop build.

[aart]

I ask about prevailing winds, because that's where your worst drafts will be...so you want your vents to be on the leeward side of the coop rather than the windward side for wintertime.

Had a thought for those holes.....you could cut a rectangle out around those holes preserving the rectangle to hinge back in place.
Opening the rectangle for more ventilation and closing it leaving the holes for less ventilation.

Does that make sense?

 

[stormrider1]

How do you find out where your prevailing winds are? Can I google it or do I have to stand outside and figure it out?

I get the cutting the squares around the holes, that is a good idea.

 

[aart]

I would think that if you've lived where you are now for awhile you'd know which way most the weather and the strongest winds usually come from. Most often weather moves from west to east, where I live most and strongest winds come from the west. Microclimate can change how the wind acts at your site..... buildings, tree lines and other things change what happens when the wind and weather hit the yard, house, chicken coop.

Sounds like your coop is pretty sheltered and open to the south to take advantage of the sun. Depends on if most the trees in the woods are deciduous or evergreen....you might have to just see what's what over the winter in the coop and adjust your ventilation accordingly...why it would be good to make some modifications now so you have that adjustability the minute you need it.

 

[sn0wwhite]

I know what you mean about prevailing wind... in Minnesota we can get swirly winds and cyclonic systems (which bring the worst weather) are often counter to normal winds. But, in the winter the coldest winds are most often from the North and West.
I like this picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MN_weatherpatterns.svg

 

[aart]

I know what you mean about prevailing wind... in Minnesota we can get swirly winds and cyclonic systems (which bring the worst weather) are often counter to normal winds. But, in the winter the coldest winds are most often from the North and West.
I like this picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MN_weatherpatterns.svg

Yeah, pretty much same here too.......nothing is really truly consistent....we get stuff off the lake too, which can really get weird.

 

[sn0wwhite]

Yep, lakes can change weather and patterns too. That's why MN is so much fun!

 

[sn0wwhite]

Hi there... can I ask more dimension questions? How big is your nest box and window? It looks like the frame for them is spaced 2 feet 6 inches from inside edge to inside edge. So, 30 inches between. (Does that make 34" center? I don't speak carpenter...)

I'm wondering how to plan the glass cut although I'm going to frame first. Hopefully tonight.
And then do you sandwich in the hardware cloth screen right above it and then just trim and fit the window on the outside?

 

[stormrider1]

We got our first egg today! Seems like we have been waiting for forever, everyone told me they would be small to start but this one looks pretty normal sized. Pretty sure it has been below zero more than above the last month so I wasn't expecting any eggs soon. My 9 year old was very excited, and me to.

 

[sn0wwhite]

Congrats! That is fantastic and they taste so good! Enjoy!