Woods-style house in the winter

[Arielle]

I'm reading the book online. IT is a good read, but when I'm looking just for the building details, hard to sort thru all the extra info. I too found the estimate--30 birds in the 10 x 16-- but not listed as the max. THe 4.5 feet is very help ful as we are jumping into this tomorrow. BIrds arriving next week . . . . so I truely appreciate your input.

We are planning on a bare floor. Would like a wooden but not to be. Planning to put it on a litle hill to avoid the runoff of water.


THanks for the input.

 

[JackE]

I'm reading the book online. IT is a good read, but when I'm looking just for the building details, hard to sort thru all the extra info. I too found the estimate--30 birds in the 10 x 16-- but not listed as the max. THe 4.5 feet is very help ful as we are jumping into this tomorrow. BIrds arriving next week . . . . so I truely appreciate your input.

We are planning on a bare floor. Would like a wooden but not to be. Planning to put it on a litle hill to avoid the runoff of water.


THanks for the input.

I don't know what the online book shows, but the book I mentioned has ALL the measurements, and drawings of the coop. So you are looking to build a Woods? But without a wood floor? I would think it would be a real pain to build something that sits directly on the ground, on a slope, and keep everything level and straight. My coop is built on a slope. Leveling it was really nothing. Dug in and leveled some concrete blocks, and built the coop's floor right on them.
How many birds you looking to get. You don't have to build the Woods, 10X16. Double the width to whatever and get all kinds of chickens in there. That's how they did it back in the day, just built it wider and deeper in some cases. It's a very adaptable design.

 

[Arielle]

I wasn't sure about the width. THe only measurement I could find, so far, were 8 x 14 or 10 x 16. DH has it in his head to go with 8 bc it matches plywood better. He doesn'thear me about all the scrap that is odd shaped and most are 3 foot material not 4, ARHHHHH . . . .. .

So you are suggesting the width could be 12 x 16?? ANd still be functional??

 

[JackE]

I wasn't sure about the width. THe only measurement I could find, so far, were 8 x 14 or 10 x 16. DH has it in his head to go with 8 bc it matches plywood better. He doesn'thear me about all the scrap that is odd shaped and most are 3 foot material not 4, ARHHHHH . . . .. .

So you are suggesting the width could be 12 x 16?? ANd still be functional??

That's why I built mine 8X16', it was just easier using the dimensional lumber (4X8' sheets of plywood, ect.) we have today. I am not just suggesting that wider widths could be functional, it's already been proven as fact. This design is 100yrs old. Back in the day, they would build these coops 100' wide or more, using that basic plan, and just putting them side by side as the chicken numbers would demand. The production egg farms would have Wood's type coops 50X50' for up to 500 laying hens. Then they would put them side by side for BIG egg production.
Again, I would really recommend that book, if you are going to build one. Because there is definitely a WRONG way to build it. The book goes into all that. You do not want to go through a lot of effort to build one wrong. If it's built right, IMO, you can't have a better coop.

 

[Arielle]

Open-air Poultry Houses for All Climates: A Practical Book on Modern Common ...

By Prince Tannat Woods


THis is the book I"m reading on line. It is an old book and therefore not copyrighted.

on pg42-43 ish I"m reading that a 20x20 housed 1000 hens with 3-5 acre yards. This doesn't seem right. What am I missing?

 

[JackE]

Open-air Poultry Houses for All Climates: A Practical Book on Modern Common ...

By Prince Tannat Woods


THis is the book I"m reading on line. It is an old book and therefore not copyrighted.

on pg42-43 ish I"m reading that a 20x20 housed 1000 hens with 3-5 acre yards. This doesn't seem right. What am I missing?

I have that online book you are talking about. It is not the same book I bought from Amazon. The book I have is probably a reprint. It has a whole lot more info in it. It shows other open air coop designs. On pg's 42-43 of the book I have, it's talking about the construction of the 10X16' Wood's coop. That's where I got the info to build my coop, starting with those pages. I just looked at the pages you were looking at in the online book. I think they are talking about using multiple 20X20' coops in that area, not just one.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

The Book is "Fresh-Air Poultry Houses by Prince T. Woods from Norton Creek Press.

Pg 86-87 gives the diagrams for the 20x20.

Pg90 gives the 10 x16 diagram of floor and end walls. A photo is on Pg. 89.

But read the WHOLE BOOK as he gives tips throughout on what used to be used, how the 'improved is better", inherent problems with the older, WHY he thinks the newer is better, and construction tips and what NOT to do and why not.

I am building the 10x16 unit. So I will let you know how it works for me. I know I keep my bedroom window cracked open all winter for my health and comfort. It faces south. Only once have I had rain blow in that way. My coop will face east as it is the only way I could place it. Other wise the open front would get the wind prevailing from up hill and across the street.... and would be facing the neighbors property line 4' from it.

 

[Arielle]

The Book is "Fresh-Air Poultry Houses by Prince T. Woods from Norton Creek Press.

Pg 86-87 gives the diagrams for the 20x20.

Pg90 gives the 10 x16 diagram of floor and end walls. A photo is on Pg. 89.

But read the WHOLE BOOK as he gives tips throughout on what used to be used, how the 'improved is better", inherent problems with the older, WHY he thinks the newer is better, and construction tips and what NOT to do and why not.

I am building the 10x16 unit. So I will let you know how it works for me. I know I keep my bedroom window cracked open all winter for my health and comfort. It faces south. Only once have I had rain blow in that way. My coop will face east as it is the only way I could place it. Other wise the open front would get the wind prevailing from up hill and across the street.... and would be facing the neighbors property line 4' from it.

Good luck with construction!!! IT will be an adventure!!

I'm still reading the online book-- I only have this week to build my unit.

Disappointing to hear that the old construction was not as good as the book made it out to be. THough if the general premise is right, we should be ok.

 

[JackE]

Good luck with construction!!! IT will be an adventure!!

I'm still reading the online book-- I only have this week to build my unit.

Disappointing to hear that the old construction was not as good as the book made it out to be. THough if the general premise is right, we should be ok.

There isn't anything wrong with the old design. It's what I built, and I don't have any complaints.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

I'm still reading the online book-- I only have this week to build my unit.

Disappointing to hear that the old construction was not as good as the book made it out to be. THough if the general premise is right, we should be ok.

There isn't anything wrong with the old design. It's what I built, and I don't have any complaints.

Good to know-- thank you!!

We are going with 11 x 16 as it maximizes the material that we have. A mix of items that I have been collecting for a while. WIll build to fit the supplies.