Woods-style house in the winter

[WesleyBeal]

For some reason I cannot zoom in, or rotate or anything, when I click your link @WesleyBeal
?
Wish I could see more of your design....maybe start a new thread for your design and build?

I love 3D modeling....spent 20+ years doing 2D and 3D CADD....and still use it to 'think' out design concepts.
Barely played with Sketchup because I have full version Inventor and am too weary to learn yet another software.
Can't say enough about making design 'errors' in a drawing rather than in wood.....haha!
When I first started doing home based cadd, had to buy a machine with massively increased graphic card capability, 
now with all the gaming around a 'standard' machine should handle it.

I will start a new thread (later, when I'm not typing on my phone).

You should be able to rotate the model at the link, but really looking at it would involve downloading the software.

 

[WesleyBeal]

@aart I've started a new thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1146094/3d-modeling-for-coops-appliances

 

[Arielle]

For some reason I cannot zoom in, or rotate or anything, when I click your link @WesleyBeal ?
Wish I could see more of your design....maybe start a new thread for your design and build?

I love 3D modeling....spent 20+ years doing 2D and 3D CADD....and still use it to 'think' out design concepts.
Barely played with Sketchup because I have full version Inventor and am too weary to learn yet another software.
Can't say enough about making design 'errors' in a drawing rather than in wood.....haha!
When I first started doing home based cadd, had to buy a machine with massively increased graphic card capability,
now with all the gaming around a 'standard' machine should handle it.

aart, my son just started a trade HS. Would love for him to learn at home as he didnt get the electronics trade.....can you pm me the particulars...he said he used Inventor 2015 at school for just a week.

I only have hand sketching and an imagination to picture layouts and fit.....reality sometimes didnt' fit.lol I did learn to be more flexible: tried different options until one was satisfactory. All just work for myself of course.

 

[3riverschick]

Modern fresh-air poultry houses; a new book on common sense housing of poultry--plans,
dimensions and instructions for building open-front poultry houses and fresh-air equipment
--fresh-air methods and open-air living--most practical and desirable for successful
poultry keeping in all climates; fully illustrated with reproductions from original drawings
and photographs, by Prince T. Woods, M. D.
by Woods, Prince Tannat, 1870-
Published 1924
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003138272;view=1up;seq=7
----------------------------
Pages 177 and 178.
Why Open-Front Is Better
Summarizing the evidence already presented herewith are a dozen
reasons why the open-front poultry house is better than the closed
type. The semi-monitor type of open-front poultry house possesses
these advantages:
1. It supplies an abundance of fresh-air at all times, day and
night, particularly at night when much needed.
2. Plenty of sunshine and light penetrate practically all parts of
. the house.
3. High windows in monitor admit sunlight to rear of house.
4. It is a dry house, having free circulation of air at all times.
5. There is more room for the fowls.
6. The floor space is less obstructed.
7. It is more comfortable than a closed house.
8. An open-front is more humane than the closed building.
9. Fowls prefer the open-front house.
10. Easy to care for and keep clean. Practically "fool proof."
11. Not expensive to build.
12. Simple in construction, a novice can build one.
Beneficial Results of Fresh-Air
The benefits which the poultry and their owner derive from open-
front housing and fresh-air methods of caring for poultry of all ages
are many. These beneficial results of fresh-air living may be summed
up as follows:
1. Both chicks and fowls enjoy better health.
2. They are more vigorous and hardy.
3. They possess greater vitality.
4. They have greater power to resist disease.
5. The pullets and hens produce more eggs.
6. Eggs show a higher percentage fertility.
/. The eggs hatch better.
8. Better, strong, hardy, livable chicks.
9. Birds of all ages are less affected by weather changes.
10. There is less danger of frosted combs and wattles.
11. The birds have better and more lustrous plumage with finer
texture and better color.
12. Fresh-air flocks do not consume any more food than closed-
house flocks and they make better use of their food.

 

[vtguania]

I didn't get to build mine last summer due. I have a coworker owns a saw mill and offered to cut all the lumber I need, but due to the birth of a child was unable to do it. We are scheduled to cut it this year so hopefully by fall I should have a good portion or most of it done. I will update when I have further information.

 

[bruceha2000]

Portable or fixed sawmill? And about where in VT are you located?

 

[Arielle]

Modern fresh-air poultry houses; a new book on common sense housing of poultry--plans,
dimensions and instructions for building open-front poultry houses and fresh-air equipment
--fresh-air methods and open-air living--most practical and desirable for successful
poultry keeping in all climates; fully illustrated with reproductions from original drawings
and photographs, by Prince T. Woods, M. D.
by Woods, Prince Tannat, 1870-
Published 1924
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003138272;view=1up;seq=7
----------------------------
Pages 177 and 178.
Why Open-Front Is Better
Summarizing the evidence already presented herewith are a dozen
reasons why the open-front poultry house is better than the closed
type. The semi-monitor type of open-front poultry house possesses
these advantages:
1. It supplies an abundance of fresh-air at all times, day and
night, particularly at night when much needed.
2. Plenty of sunshine and light penetrate practically all parts of
. the house.
3. High windows in monitor admit sunlight to rear of house.
4. It is a dry house, having free circulation of air at all times.
5. There is more room for the fowls.
6. The floor space is less obstructed.
7. It is more comfortable than a closed house.
8. An open-front is more humane than the closed building.
9. Fowls prefer the open-front house.
10. Easy to care for and keep clean. Practically "fool proof."
11. Not expensive to build.
12. Simple in construction, a novice can build one.
Beneficial Results of Fresh-Air
The benefits which the poultry and their owner derive from open-
front housing and fresh-air methods of caring for poultry of all ages
are many. These beneficial results of fresh-air living may be summed
up as follows:
1. Both chicks and fowls enjoy better health.
2. They are more vigorous and hardy.
3. They possess greater vitality.
4. They have greater power to resist disease.
5. The pullets and hens produce more eggs.
6. Eggs show a higher percentage fertility.
/. The eggs hatch better.
8. Better, strong, hardy, livable chicks.
9. Birds of all ages are less affected by weather changes.
10. There is less danger of frosted combs and wattles.
11. The birds have better and more lustrous plumage with finer
texture and better color.
12. Fresh-air flocks do not consume any more food than closed-
house flocks and they make better use of their food.

Thanks Karen for the summary. I really like my coop. I did add clear roofing material to increase the lighting. Never enough lighting, right? Sunlight is very good as an antibacterial, to get eggs going and free light source.

I didn't get to build mine last summer due. I have a coworker owns a saw mill and offered to cut all the lumber I need, but due to the birth of a child was unable to do it. We are scheduled to cut it this year so hopefully by fall I should have a good portion or most of it done. I will update when I have further information.

Dont let the kids stop your plans. I put my kids in strollers and worked as I could. Definitely slower but still progress, and someday tat child will be working along side you!!!!

 

[Leela NH]

Hi All!

I'm looking to build several of the Woods type houses for my breeding flock. Trying to figure out the best size. Thinking 8 x 8 with a front open annex that I can move separately, maybe 6 X 8. Wondering if that would allow the proper air flow? I figured an 8 foot square is easier to build with lumber sizing etc. I want to put them on skids.

Can anyone point me to where I could get help in the basic design and putting together a materials list?

Any insight is appreciated. I know from reading that the 10 X 16 is the optimal size for my location (New Hampshire US)

Thanks very much!

Leela

 

[Howard E]

Leela:

The width to depth ratio of the Woods coop, making it a rectangle........NOT a square.....is critical to the performance of these as far as the lack of drafts or moving air in the back where the roosts are. In this size range, the sizes are 6' x 10'; 8' x 12 (what I built), then 8' x 16' ( I think what JackE built for this thread) and then the base Woods coop of 10' x 16'. Note how most of those maintain a depth to width ratio of about 1.6. (16 / 10 = 1.6) or greater. I think JackE's works out to 2.0.

Bird capacities are about 12 to the smaller ones, about 20 to 24 or so for mine, up to about 40 or so for the larger 10' x 16' base coop. I put mine on skids to make it portable. The thread to what I did is found below. Anything much larger than what I built is probably not intended to be portable.

Working with basic lumber dimensions is a good idea, but that does not override the need to build it right. I went with 8' x 12' to give me the best use of basic plywood and lumber sizes.

 

[Leela NH]

Leela:

The width to depth ratio of the Woods coop, making it a rectangle........NOT a square.....is critical to the performance of these as far as the lack of drafts or moving air in the back where the roosts are. In this size range, the sizes are 6' x 10'; 8' x 12 (what I built), then 8' x 16' ( I think what JackE built for this thread) and then the base Woods coop of 10' x 16'. Note how most of those maintain a depth to width ratio of about 1.6. (16 / 10 = 1.6) or greater. I think JackE's works out to 2.0.

Bird capacities are about 12 to the smaller ones, about 20 to 24 or so for mine, up to about 40 or so for the larger 10' x 16' base coop. I put mine on skids to make it portable. The thread to what I did is found below. Anything much larger than what I built is probably not intended to be portable.

Working with basic lumber dimensions is a good idea, but that does not override the need to build it right. I went with 8' x 12' to give me the best use of basic plywood and lumber sizes.

Thanks Howard!

Maybe I didn't make myself clear in the dimensions etc. I want to build the house in two parts, and connect together for the winter, making it two coops in the nicer weather. So the back section is the larger. 8 X 8 perhaps for the larger section and the open front section would be a dimension of 6 X 8 or so. I will work on the premise of 1.6 or so when designing. 14 X 8 is 1.75 I think?

8 x 12 could work too, if that is better for dimensions and lumber savings, makes much more sense. So is your back section 8 X 8 and the front 4 x 8?
I want to be able to move them, and 10 x 16 is pretty big.

Thanks!

Leela