Questions for Woods-type Coop-ers

[LeslieS]

I have the book, love the concept, and have settled on 10 x 16 size. But I have a few questions.

First, why is it suggested to have a screen on the monitor windows that opens inward?

Second, anyone using the dirt floor with deep litter method? How's it working? I'm thinking it would provide a bit of heat for winter. I don't want to heat it (remember the Spring fire in Colorado? We're about 20 miles from where it was) and I don't want my future birds to suffer.

Any comments on flooring welcome!

Third, what have you used for siding, and did you paint or use whitewash, or anything to control mites, inside or out, etc?

Thanks, one and all!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I personally prefer a concrete floor to discourage rats. If you do go dirt put down some hardware cloth.

We deep litter in the goat area of my shed. Chickens like digging in it all winter. Come spring it starts to give off an ammonia smell. Since we aren't interested in continuing deep litter through the warm months we clean it all out. It does compost down to a wet smelly mess underneath.

If your wall sides are wood I would use treated lumber as the deep litter could rot the wood. I personally prefer deep litter in my run.

I am in zone 4, so we get colder here.

 

[LeslieS]

I personally prefer a concrete floor to discourage rats. If you do go dirt put down some hardware cloth.

We deep litter in the goat area of my shed. Chickens like digging in it all winter. Come spring it starts to give off an ammonia smell. Since we aren't interested in continuing deep litter through the warm months we clean it all out. It does compost down to a wet smelly mess underneath.

If your wall sides are wood I would use treated lumber as the deep litter could rot the wood. I personally prefer deep litter in my run.

I am in zone 4, so we get colder here.

Thank you! Yes, hardware cloth. And treated lumber, thanks - hadn't thought of that. We may use railroad ties for perimeter foundation too.

We don't have a lot of vegetation here so am also thinking of deep litter in the run.

Brrr, where you are! We're supposed to be Z6, but not last night! It was 8. Been colder but not in a few years so I guess we were due.

Thanks again!!!

 

[aart]

First, why is it suggested to have a screen on the monitor windows that opens inward?

So they can be operated from inside the coop.

Second, anyone using the dirt floor with deep litter method? How's it working? I'm thinking it would provide a bit of heat for winter.

It's pretty hard to maintain deep litter so it actually creates heat...
....plus it would need more moisture than you might want in even a Woods coop.
I do not recall anyone here who does a true composting deep litter in a Woods.

Disclaimer, I don't have a Woods coop but have read about it extensively and understand the concept well.

 

[LeslieS]

Thanks! I appreciate the info!

 

[cholland]

I just put hardware cloth over the inside of my windows. It doesn't open or anything. I haven't found a need to yet? I operate the windows with a rod.

I just used 1/2 plywood OSB siding on mine. Inside painted white and several coats of porch paint on the wood floor. Pine shavings about 6-8 inches deep and clean it out 2-3 times a year.

 

[Ribh]

I deep litter in a subtropical climate with high humidity. Very little smell even in our very hot summer. When it got a little whiffy I added some leaf litter & extra straw. I also add the hemp bedding from the coop when I clean the nesting boxes out. That really seems to help with unwanted odours.

 

[Ted Brown]

I just put hardware cloth over the inside of my windows. It doesn't open or anything. I haven't found a need to yet? I operate the windows with a rod.

In the original design the monitor screen windows open in to allow access to the outer windows that swing out from the bottom and are intended to be open spring/summer/fall.

@cholland solution may be better (simplifies monitor screen construction/installation)? Opening the monitor windows with a rod sounds great!!

 

[aart]

I operate the windows with a rod.

From outside?
Do you have a coop page(hinthint)?

 

[JackE]

The inner screen windows help keep wild birds out of the coop. Over the yrs, I had a couple of sparrows come through the pop door anyway. But they were quickly evicted. I used Smartside for the sheathing for my coop. It has a 50yr guarantee. Going on 10 yrs, it looks as good as the day I installed it. Holds paint great. Can't say the same for the pine trim.