Woods Colony House - Portable

[Howard E]

As for the overhangs......I guess today is the shortest day of the year? Sunshine from the front opening making it all the way back to under the nest boxes. In summer, sun is directly overhead. At no time has the sun shining in created an excessive heat problem. To the contrary.......we had about 8 inches of snow last weekend, so birds stayed in this week. Their choice. They were walking around on the mostly dry litter and basking in the sunshine......out of the snow, and cold winds. When it's nasty out, they like it in there.

Initially, I was opening and closing the side windows all the time. Last year......I initially opened the east window about half as the weather started to warm.....then fully open. First day I thought it was hot....probably round the 1st of May, I opened both windows wide open. They stayed that way until October. Closed them both and that's how they will stay until April.

With both side windows open, the "cushion" affect breaks down. If it is stuffy in there with windows closed, and open window clears it out PDQ.

Also, while the roof material on the scratch shed is plastic, it is not clear. Rather it is opaque. It remains bright....like from a skylight..... but without the excessive heat buildup you would get with a clear roof.

I'd do it that way again.

 

[Howard E]

Also, on the heat factor. Remember this is wood siding painted barn red. If there is a heat factor, it's from sunshine on the dark paint and heat radiating in from the side. And BTW, this house sits in full sun. No shade for it ever.

On the little Victory house, I did that in the same barn red color, but in metal. That would make it hot in the summer and cold in winter, so I sandwiched a layer of 1/2" foil faced polyiso insulation, under a 3/8" sheet of plywood on the interior (or else birds will destroy it). That house actually stays cooler inside in the heat of summer than it is outside. Metal is expensive and tougher to work with, but has some advantages. Low maintenance, durable and predator and rodent proof. But it my mind, it really needs the insulation. Both under the siding and roof.

 

[Howard E]

One more thing about at least this Woods house. When folks ask what type of housing is secure from predators.....this is it. When time permits, I still monitor the predator forum and see all the issues folks have with predators breaking in. To date, I've never lost a bird to a predator. When the door closes at night, they are safe from all comers.

 

[aart]

At no time has the sun shining in created an excessive heat problem.

Even in the summer?

 

[Howard E]

Not even in the summer. We were out of town for about 5 days last August.....daytime temps up to 95F. Birds were left in......albeit with plenty of water.....and no harm done. Most days, it is about the same inside as out. And my top windows do not open.

With side windows open, air inside gets flushed out with every little breeze. Not a problem when it's hot. But close the side windows and everything aft of the monitor peak goes calm. I always marvel at how well it works.

 

[Mossy Dell]

Thanks so much, Howard. I wonder if there are overhangs on the south side of most solar buildings simply to protect the sides, then. I love overhangs for that. One just doesn't want them so wide they block the low winter sun.

 

[Ted Brown]

... And my top windows do not open. ... I always marvel at how well it works.

I had not realized you built your monitor not to open. It looks like the "window" panel you used is open along it's sides in your original picture above? Was it the wind or some other factor that drove this decision?

 

[Howard E]

Nope.......necessity. I didn't have windows ready to go and 2 week old birds moving in.......and needed to cover the opening quick. I screwed on the dropped scraps from the front shed panels. They have worked so well, I've never replaced them.......although I do have the framed in windows ready to go. I do not think I will ever open them. The wind around here is so wicked somedays (we recently had a day with 60 mph straight winds), I fear an open window would become a wing and fly off into the distance.

Those panels have worked so well I would not hesitate to use clear panels just like them......permanent. I'd do a better job installing than I did on my rush job, but I think it would work fine. Woods didn't have access to those.

 

[genxjanette]

First, many thanks to Jack E for posting pictures of his Woods Colony House, which is partially what convinced me this style of house was the way to go. In my opinion, one of the more interesting threads on this whole forum.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/445004/woods-style-house-in-the-winter

Also, many thanks to Robert P for taking it upon himself to publish and make available Wood's book on fresh air poultry houses.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/097217706X/?tag=backy-20

Anyway, once I was convinced this was the way to go, a decision had to be made on how big. Woods 10' x 16' was too big for my use and his 6' x 10' was about right, but for what seemed like the same materials, I could up that to 8' x 12', which is what I did. I also decided early on this building would be portable........more like can be moved......vs. portable in the "tractor" sense. I do plan to move it around......perhaps once a year or so, if not more often. Initially, this will be used to grow about 15 pullets, some of which are my daughters and will be heading off to her place once they feather out and don't need the heat lamps to survive. That will leave me with about 8 or 9 birds, which are the most I intend to keep. More like 6 or so most of the time, with some allowance for losses.

Anyway, this is not complete.......lots of trim work and other finish work left to do..........a screen door and monitor windows and window screens to build, but is ready for occupancy, which is a good thing, as I have those 15 - 2 week old birds that are rapidly outgrowing their brooder box and need a proper house to occupy. Weather permitting, move in day is tomorrow.

First.....a few pictures........









Again, I still have to build the monitor windows, so for now, I simply screwed the dropped scraps off the poly roofing over the monitor window openings that is over the scratch shed. Since it is getting warmer all the time, my initial thought was to simply tack some hardware cloth over the opening to keep varmints out, but that was before I rode out a cloud burst in it and saw how much rain was coming in through the open monitor windows. That was not going to work.

I would also say red is not my favorite color, but it does match the horse barn out back (came with the property).

The last photo shows some of the details that make this portable (built on 4" x 6" treated timbers for skids), and also how I went about installing the wire apron around the perimeter to keep digging predators out. That I had a really tough time finding a way to run an extension cord into the building to use for a heat lamp makes me think a predator will also have a tough time making it in. If he does, I won't be happy about it, but I would be impressed by his skill in defeating me.

For those who may be inspired by these houses.....or related somehow to someone who is and who will be tasked with trying to build one, I also plan to elaborate on the design criteria that went into building the thing. And a disclaimer.......while I own a variety of hammers, saws and tape measures, I"m not a framing or finish carpenter. Some will come up with better (and far less expensive) ways of building one of these than I did. I already have suggestions for planned changes. But that will come later, once I have some experience with growing and housing birds in the thing. I am also curious by nature, so a lot of things that went in to this were not necessary, but put in to test some things.

But so far, so good. Lets see how well it works!

Do you leave the windows on the side open all year? Or are those closed up in the winter? We were planning to build a 6x10 version, but now I'm wondering if we should build an 8x12 version? We live in the city and we are permitted to use 144sqft in the yard for the coop and run. I had planned on building the coop with a run with a roof attached and just block the wind on the west side of the run, so we keep some of the snow out and keep the run a bit usable in the winter.

 

[Ted Brown]

Both the side windows and the upper monitor windows in a Woods Coop are intended to be closed in the winter and left open 24/7 during the summer.

I would strongly encourage the 8' by 12' size. The 6' by 10" size was intended to function as a brooder in Woods book.