Woods Coop Confusion...

[JackE]

I'm really confused... I look at these fabulous Woods coops ( @Howard E , @JackE , @Jeff8482 ) and I see the windows in the scratch area across from each other...with the door in the coop area.

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Yet....when I look at the drawing in the Woods book....there is only one window in the scratch area and a door and a window in coop area. See "red oval"? That's a wall...not a window. What the hecks is goin' on here???? The figure I'm using below is for the 6' x 10' version (located on page 130 of the book). Did Dr. Woods change up the design because the coop is smaller?

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You are looking at the brooder coop, for young chicks. That round thing in the back, is showing where you would place the kerosene heater. (Again, we are talking about a chick brooder) Go with the bigger one. What's a couple more feet? It'll make for a better coop.

And, DO NOT put in any vented soffits. That would screw the winter ventilation all up. You would have all kinds of winds and drafts blowing through. As it is, you have the upper monitor windows. With my coop, if the winter temp is over 35F for more than a few days, I'll crack open the upper windows a few inches. I've found, with moderate temps like that, with 20-25 birds in there, it may start to smell. Can't have that. With colder temps, everything is cool.(And non-stinky) If you have any other ???s, shoot me an PM, and I'll help if I can.

 

[JackE]

Definitely want to add some soffits for ventilation or frostbite and so on
if there isn't any go to another plan

Not with a Woods. Soffit vents are a BIG NoNo, Big.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Not with a Woods. Soffit vents are a BIG NoNo, Big.

So how do have ventilation ?

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

So how do have ventilation ?

The whole front of coop is open all year. (Bottom part)

 

[pennyJo1960]

Many temps are to low to have it open all year you still would end up with birds with frostbite

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

Many temps are to low to have it open all year you still would end up with birds with frostbite

No, that's what is great about the design. JackE can probably explain it better than I could.

 

[cholland]

The whole front is open, just screened. So there is constant air exchange even with all windows closed. As Jack says, the upper windows are open unless it get close to freezing. With the upper monitor windows open there is excellent airflow. In warmer temps, open all windows and maybe even have a screen door.

 

[Chullicken]

Not with a Woods. Soffit vents are a BIG NoNo, Big.

Can really tell going over the book when it was written vs. modern times. Soffits are in just about every structure requiring some form of ventilation. Though it does make sense as I thunk' it over today while being judged by my rooster outside. Think you are exactly right in it would just cause conflicting air currents and disrupt that luminous vortex pinnacle we all try to achieve. My other question is he designed these coops having a particular location and direction in mind to best use the ventilation setup. When that isn't applied for whatever reason, i.e. you can't do it, the ground is all level, one direction of wind do you still get the same effect as intended?

 

[pennyJo1960]

just leary enough of the open I will stay with my original plans

 

[JackE]

Many temps are to low to have it open all year you still would end up with birds with frostbite

We've had winter temps here down to -10, and that is not including any windchill. there are others on this forum, with a Woods, in locations that have seen -25-35F temps, and their birds have had no problems. These coops are documented to have been in use, up into Maine, and Canada, in -40 temps. None of my birds, in 9yrs, have ever suffered from frostbite. I have found the coop usually runs 10F warmer inside. Moisture is the biggest cause for frostbite in a coop. You have proper air exchange you don't have any moisture laden air to worry about. A lot of people, when they see the wide open front, they are kinda shocked. They think, all kinds of cold air is going to be swirling around in the coop, and the chickens are going to be huddled up in a frozen mass in the back of the coop. But that's not the case at all. With the other windows shut, no matter how hard the wind blows, and from whatever direction, it's as calm in that coop, as you sitting in your living room watching TV. I'm kinda surprised you haven't read more on this forum, about just how good these coops are.