Woods-style house in the winter

[Arielle]

I am about to start building my third Woods style coop in northern Idaho and can attest to being much MORE winter-hardy than my mother's closed in and heated coop. She's a city girl and names and babies her hens. I eat my culls and expect my flock to produce at top-notch or get the hatchet. I have never had a single case of frostbite while I know of dozens in closed in coops. Chickens breathe more humidity per pound than any other livestock animal.... Heated air holds more humidity than colder air.... Dry and cold doesn't hurt chickens. Honestly the most miserable times for the chickens are when its 35 and wet.... Ducks love it though.

I think you have hit the nail on the head!! IMO this style allows the birds to be...birds and not hot house flowers. I MO the air flow is MUCH better. THe only down side is lack of direct sunshine.

 

[Howard E]

I'm wondering if the light issue can be resolved by using opaque poly roofing on the front side above the scratch area? Not clear.......that would let in too much light (and heat) in the summer. But opaque, with walls and ceilings painted a bright, glossy white.

 

[bruceha2000]

My girls stay out of the midday sun. I don't know if that is because they get hot or because they naturally fear daytime predators.

Why not windows on the side? If the open wall of the coop faces south, windows on the east and west walls would only get early morning and late afternoon sun.

 

[3riverschick]

Because if they are higher:

• it is easier to rake under them every morning.
• you can then make the nest boxes higher so the chickens can use the space underneath and it is easier for taller people to collect eggs.

and it is easier for the birds ( adult large fowl) to sprain or damage their feet hopping down from those high perches.
Which leads me to a story. Several years ago I was getting started in Sussex. A lady in our State needed to rehome her Speckled Sussex. I took them. The one hen was so crippled and arthritic at 4 years, she could hardly walk. I queried the lady about her coop set up. She had also had Guinea hens and had roosts 5 ft. off the ground for them. They liked to perch up high and the Sussex had also used them, the only roosts available. This poor hen was the result. The books say 12 to 14 inches high for adult large fowl to prevent this kind of injury from hopping down. Put a dropping try under the roost that you can just pull out and empty.
Best,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

Mine, too.
So, it begs the question: what happens to the Pecking Order when all the roosts are the same height? Sure, they'll all still roost, but what is the psychological effect of eliminating the hierarchy?
What are the social ramifications of this forced "equality"? By making them all "equal" will we stifle the incentive to be more productive? Will the hens who can no longer assert their authority via the roost become more aggressive in the yard? Will the younger birds fail to develop normally, and cease striving for productivity because they sense that there are no longer any "perks" for excellence? And what of the rooster, if there is one? Normally, the dominant rooster will take the highest of the high roosts. Will he now become just "another bird on a perch", and loose his authority to control behavior and social order within the flock?

Hummmm.....

I never had roosts in the coops for my Sussex. They just snuggled down in the hardwood chips like a nest. Never any squabbling. There was a 3 1/2 ft.. high roost in the poultry yard But they never used it even tho there was plenty of fly room for them to coast down from it instead of hopping.
Best, Karen

 

[3riverschick]

What are your winters like? Up here in Northwestern Ontario (directly across the border from International Falls, MN) we gets winters with regular temps in the negative teens/twenties/thirties, and lost blogs/coop designs/etc. don't tend to get weather that harsh. Just wondering if this design would be sufficient for our types of winters. Any feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Our winters have changed here in western PA, USA. As you know we regularly get the "Alberta Clippers" when cold air comes swooshing down from Alberta to lower southwest PA before sharply curving and heading north thru Buffalo, NY. The last several years, we have seen a trend of the Clippers bring polar vortexes thru our region in Jan. Down to minus 8 below plus wind chill. In other words, in winter we went from a planting zone 5-8 to a planting zone 3-7. Because it frostbites the single combs on my Sussex, this is a major reason I moved from Sussex ( or any single combed breed) to the White Chanteclers. It does no good for me to try and raise SQ single combed birds when I lose their comb points to the bitter cold we have for a couple of weeks in Jan. each year. From what I have read this is a trend which will continue for the next 10 to 30 years ( supported by scientific studies).
The Chanties are made for this bitter weather and I think a Woods house will be perfect for them. Glad to see this thread. From what I have read so far,Brother Wilfrid did not use roosts for his Chanties when creating the breed so I am relieved to see I don't need to mess with them either. Am looking forward to getting my birds this summer. The only downside ( if one can call it that, I don't) is providing them with a shallow pool with blocks of ice during the summer for them to cool off their feet. The yard is all shaded anyway. I would much rather do that them pay to heat coops and worry over single combs.
Best,
Karen

 

[Molpet]

and it is easier for the birds ( adult large fowl) to sprain or damage their feet hopping down from those high perches.
Which leads me to a story. Several years ago I was getting started in Sussex. A lady in our State needed to rehome her Speckled Sussex. I took them. The one hen was so crippled and arthritic at 4 years, she could hardly walk. I queried the lady about her coop set up. She had also had Guinea hens and had roosts 5 ft. off the ground for them. They liked to perch up high and the Sussex had also used them, the only roosts available. This poor hen was the result. The books say 12 to 14 inches high for adult large fowl to prevent this kind of injury from hopping down. Put a dropping try under the roost that you can just pull out and empty.
Best,
Karen

I wish my jersey giant would listen to me... I keep telling her that going over the 6' fence is bad for her LOL

 

[JackE]

I think you have hit the nail on the head!! IMO this style allows the birds to be...birds and not hot house flowers. I MO the air flow is MUCH better. THe only down side is lack of direct sunshine.

I don't have any problems at all, with a lack of sunshine, or light in the coop. More than enough sunlight comes in through the upper monitor windows, and FILLS the coop with natural light. With the upper windows, there is NO need to be adding any other side windows. If a Wood's coop is facing the right way (South. southeast), and it's not under a canopy of trees, the coop will not be dark inside.

 

[Arielle]

I'm wondering if the light issue can be resolved by using opaque poly roofing on the front side above the scratch area? Not clear.......that would let in too much light (and heat) in the summer. But opaque, with walls and ceilings painted a bright, glossy white.

I like the opaque roofing so well I plan to use it in the other two houses as well. ANd more windows than the original design calls for.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
lol I'm in the woods so there is a canopy of trees, and due to the slope of the land, the orientation is more easterly. Hence the need for modifications on my set up.