New climate/area, need advice!

[Stitragus]

Hello friends!

Me and my wife recently moved from the U.P of Michigan to Mid-Missouri. I am in the process of contemplating a new coop/run for this climate. I built a 6x10 woods style coop at a previous home and it worked pretty great for what it was. This time, I'd like to go bigger for an ever expanding flock (chicken math lol).

Would a Woods style coop work well in Mid-Missouri? I know it gets quite a bit hotter here than where we lived previously. It also doesn't get quite as cold for as long as the U.P did. I believe the woods style were better suited to more northern climates? Could I get away with a more open design or would the Woods style still function as well down here? More fresh air, more better!

Pics for attention !

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum! Glad you joined!

A Woods style coop would still work great. Hot air rises so the coop will cool itself by letting the hot air out near the top. If you can I'd try to position it so the pop door is on the north or east side so the air coming in is cooler as it will be shadier.

In mid-Missouri I'd expect you to see temperatures in the negative single digits every few years. Woods style can still come in handy for that.

 

[Stitragus]

Well that's confidence inspiring! I did enjoy the design and the birds seemed to too!

Are you aware of anyone that has built an enclosed section on the backside for food storage? Looks like I need to re-read his book for a refresher and dimensions for the larger coop!

 

[Bawkbok]

Congratulations on your move to MO - it's a gorgeous state!

I believe @Ted Brown has a Woods coop and can assist with your questions.

 

[Ted Brown]

He does and loves to promote fresh air coops. I have a 10x16 built to original design (not modern stud & plates). Brilliant!!

Woods is for northern climates but works until all HC is possible.

The half for storage is simply the back section of the complete footprint with entry on southern exposure. It is described in the book towards the back.

You will never regret a Woods.

 

[Stitragus]

Fantastic! I'll build the 10x16 this time to accommodate enough birds for my family.

In the book, he seems to be a big proponent of the elevated platform. I found it obnoxious to try and wrangle birds underneath the coop I built. What would be the downside for an earth floor with deep litter method. I would use an apron around the bottom for predators.

It seems he also suggests concrete floor, but that would just add to the cost quite substantially for me and I'm trying to keep it economical.

 

[Ted Brown]

I am a huge proponent of elevated platforms, mine is 3+ feet off the ground ("money for nothing and chicks for free").

Concrete not required. Elevation has the double advantage of being a critter deterrent.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What would be the downside for an earth floor with deep litter method.

Location, location, location. What is the drainage like where you build it? If you build it in an area where the water drains to and especially stands you are going to have issues. If you build it so the floor stays dry life is really good. That's the case for any coop on the ground and obviously for any run.

I do not have a Woods coop. When I built mine I positioned it and the run on a fairly flat area slightly raised on a downslope. I put a berm above it to deflect any rainwater ground flow. I added a few inches of dirt inside the coop to get the dirt floor up a bit. It stays extremely dry. No issues with it being wet. The run can get wet but dries quickly.

Technically, using the deep litter method means turning your coop floor into a compost pile. You need the right amount of moisture so the organisms that digest the poop and bedding can live and reproduce without if becoming so wet that they become anaerobic. If it goes anaerobic it can become slimy and stink. It becomes unhealthy. If it is too dry the microbes can't live to digest and reproduce so they do not turn it into compost. You also have to consider your greens (nitrogen) to browns (carbon) mix. Mine stays so dry those microbes can't live. I use droppings boards to remove the poop from roosting so it doesn't build up enough to stay wet. I can (and sometimes do) go years before I clean mine out. The only reason I clean it then is to get that stuff on my garden in the fall so it can compost over the winter. I don't really need to.

A concrete floor can be poured to be above the soil level so it stays dry. You can hose it out when you clean it (depending a little on how you build the coop). In some circumstances a concrete floor works great but I prefer dirt.