Woods-style house in the winter

[JackE]

I love that coop, but not for here it snows also and I would never leave my girls open to the cold and wind like this, but would make them enclosed windows. Also worry about snow and rain coming in. But it's a lovely coop ! I think my mind set is it gets 20 and 30 below, cold enough to freeze Ntthing out there. I hate to think of my girls out in that. My coop is well ventilated but not open, and it'd dry and has solar windows and insulated. Just my preference, but whAt ever works for you is awesome

They used coops like this up into Canada. There is a link attached(The open air coop book) to this thread showing pictures of coops like this in deep snow drifts. Winter is no concern with this coop. There is NO cold wind blowing on the chickens in this coop, but they get all the fresh air they want and need. In the warmer months when all the windows are open, sometimes rain can blow in, but the coop drys out quickly.
Jack

 

[Felony]

Someone on page 19 asked a pretty interesting question...that it's recommended to put ventilation a the top of the coop, and in this case, at the top it is closed windows. Is there ventilation at the top on the back wall of the coop and we can't see it?? or in the roof? Or is it opened enough at the front that the humidity doesn't stay in?

 

[JackE]

so far this is my favorite coop on BYC. I'm not even entirely done building my first chicken coop from this summer that I already make plans to build one like this in the future. I live where it gets very cold(minus 20-30 celcius without the wind factor) and unfortunatly it's hard with my little tiny 4X4 coop to create a well ventilated coop with no draft. I have managed (3 barred rock doing really well but my 2 mutt chickens with large combs have a bit of frostbite) but I think this design is awesome as it gives kind of an inside winter run for the girls and alot of sunlight for them. I think I would make a couple of changes...like putting even more windows on the sides and also making it so that the middle of the coop, where the 2 ''sections'' of the coop meet, would have two little walls on each sides so that in the back part of the coop, I could put the roosts behind these little walls to create an even more draft free place in case of high winds for them to roost, yet still leaving it quite open in the middle. does that make sense??

Anyways, thanks for the pictures, it's a really great coop!

Thanks for the compliments. You don't want to add more windows along the sides. By design, the back part of the coop is built tight and draft free. Added windows in the back part could lead to drafts in the winter months. Also, there is no need for any partial walls added inside, this is NOT a drafty coop. Look at the interior pictures on pg4, and you can see how the coop is laid out. When Woods designed this coop, He really did his homework.
Jack

 

[JackE]

Someone on page 19 asked a pretty interesting question...that it's recommended to put ventilation a the top of the coop, and in this case, at the top it is closed windows. Is there ventilation at the top on the back wall of the coop and we can't see it?? or in the roof? Or is it opened enough at the front that the humidity doesn't stay in?

The top windows are opened up, along with the side windows, in the warmer months. With the wide open front, there is PLENTY of fresh air exchange. There is no trapped humidity in this coop. The bedding/litter is always dry, especially in the winter when the windows are shut. The back wall is solid, no added ventilation added. It's not needed.
Jack

 

[Felony]

Thanks for the compliments. You don't want to add more windows along the sides. By design, the back part of the coop is built tight and draft free. Added windows in the back part could lead to drafts in the winter months. Also, there is no need for any partial walls added inside, this is NOT a drafty coop. Look at the interior pictures on pg4, and you can see how the coop is laid out. When Woods designed this coop, He really did his homework.
Jack

Thanks, you're right, if it's draft free already, why add partition walls...I guess I was unconsciously still worried ! For the windows, I was thinking of real closed windows, either glass or plexiglass, for addes sunlight in the winter. I wouldn't put opened windows as this would probably now make it drafty. Where's the link for the woods coop's other pictures??

 

[Felony]

The top windows are opened up, along with the side windows, in the warmer months. With the wide open front, there is PLENTY of fresh air exchange. There is no trapped humidity in this coop. The bedding/litter is always dry, especially in the winter when the windows are shut. The back wall is solid, no added ventilation added. It's not needed.
Jack

Ok thanks! I guess there is so much fresh air in there that the humidity just doesn't stay anywhere!! no need for added roof ventilation...haaaa I love this coop.

 

[Felony]

oh yeah another question....how tall is the inside of the back part and how tall the inside of the front part....can you stand everywhere in there??

 

[JackE]

Thanks, you're right, if it's draft free already, why add partition walls...I guess I was unconsciously still worried ! For the windows, I was thinking of real closed windows, either glass or plexiglass, for addes sunlight in the winter. I wouldn't put opened windows as this would probably now make it drafty. Where's the link for the woods coop's other pictures??

There is a link to the book at the top of pg17. You can look at coops like this BURIED in snow. Look at the inside pics(pg4). With the top monitor windows, this coop is FLOODED with natural sunlight. No more windows needed.
Jack

 

[JackE]

oh yeah another question....how tall is the inside of the back part and how tall the inside of the front part....can you stand everywhere in there??

You can easily stand in the middle part with a 9ft ceiling. You have to crouch down if you want to go to the front. The height at the front wall is 4ft. The height at the back wall is 41/2ft.
Jack

 

[Felony]

I went to the link on page 17 but I couldn't figure out how to see any pictures or to read any of the book content

Maybe I'll just have to order it through chapters...