Woods Open Air Coop in Record Breaking Cold

[pippi_smiles]

Thks! I’m originally from Cincinnati Ohio. Nice to see another buckeye.

I was just looking up where in KY you were. Super cool we are close! I'm originally from north of Dayton. Then Eaton, Ohio. We moved out to the country here south of Gratis two years ago and learning how to Homestead on our own. Hope your chickens fared well over this nasty weather we've been having this week. I'm learning more and more every time I get on here. I just love this site. Nice to meet ya neighbor!

 

[aart]

Thks! I’m originally from Cincinnati Ohio. Nice to see another buckeye.

I was just looking up where in KY you were. Super cool we are close! I'm originally from north of Dayton. Then Eaton, Ohio. We moved out to the country here south of Gratis two years ago and learning how to Homestead on our own. Hope your chickens fared well over this nasty weather we've been having this week. I'm learning more and more every time I get on here. I just love this site. Nice to meet ya neighbor!

There's a chat thread for that
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-let-me-know-your-out-there.12049/page-1249

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Beautiful coop! What is a Woods Coop I'm not familiar

It’s a specific design of coop, here’s an example build:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-house-aka-woods-coop-in-minneapolis.1144881/


Also see the PDF file link in jthornton’s post above, for complete details on the concepts involved

 

[brendave]

It’s a specific design of coop, here’s an example build:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-house-aka-woods-coop-in-minneapolis.1144881/


Also see the PDF file link in jthornton’s post above, for complete details on the concepts involved

I wanted a coop that was offgrid. I figured people kept chickens long before we had electricity for heat, so I originally searched in the forums here for that type of coop. After seeing the larger Woods coops and reading the book referenced in the threads, I decided to build a 6 x 10 Woods.

The short and sweet version of all of this is it's always open at the front, closed side and monitor(upper) windows in the winter, and all open windows in the summer.

 

[mindan]

My birds are in their newly built woods coop. They are much better off than my previous coop but with -31 temperatures here last week, I also noticed a lot of frost bite. My silkies in another coop do not have noticeable frostbite. I have spoken with farmers in the area who have birds in their barns or old milk houses and they have the same problem in the extreme cold. I have mostly Australorp and Speckled which are supposed to be cold hardy. Right now I have 18 birds in the coop. I was hoping the larger number would also help to stay warmer.

 

[Alaskan]

Both of those breeds, Speckled Sussex and Australorp have single combs.

Single combs are impossible to keep frostbite free if the temps get too low, or the humidity is too high.

Silkies have usually have hidden tiny combs.

You are talking just about frostbite on combs?

 

[aart]

Single combs are impossible to keep frostbite free if the temps get too low, or the humidity is too high.

Yep...all my Marans and Legbars, and most the BCMxCCL's have pretty bad frostbite.
EE's and pea combed crosses are nice and 'clean'.

 

[cholland]

Wow. I thought it was cold here. 26 this morning, about as cold as it gets. I still leave the monitor windows open about an inch.

 

[Ted Brown]

Wow. I thought it was cold here. 26 this morning, about as cold as it gets. I still leave the monitor windows open about an inch.

Please clarify. From my readings the monitor window is to remain closed through a winter. The open south face provide all the ventilation needed, monitor open risks drafts?

 

[JackE]

Please clarify. From my readings the monitor window is to remain closed through a winter. The open south face provide all the ventilation needed, monitor open risks drafts?

I have a Woods. I was the first on this forum to build one, and post it here. Like ten yrs ago. I have found, during the winter, especially if there is snow on the ground, my birds will spend a lot more time in the coop. If you have 20 or so birds in there, it can start to get a bit smelly. I too, crack my upper monitor windows open an inch or so. There is still no noticeable draft, but the air quality is big time improved. We've had temps down to 9 F, with no problems with the birds.