From the Library of Congress image archive “Spanish-American removing form shaped adobe brick. The adobe brick is next dried by the sun. Chamisal, New Mexico. July 1940.”
This is exactly what I’ve been doing in my spare time for a few weeks now in preparation for an upcoming earth oven workshop. I’m on adobe #50–45 more to go!
And, from the same archive, an adobe chicken coop:
“Scene in the adobe brick chicken house of Mr. Bosley, Bosley reorganization unit, Baca County, Colorado.”
Would an adobe coop be cool inside? Cold weather doesn’t kill, but I’ve heard from too many people in the south that have had chickens die of heatstroke. Would there be windows? Interesting!
Some info here on adobes and heat/cold retention: http://www.nmbuilder.com/FrequentlyAskedQuestions.html. Adobe is not a good insulator but, since the walls are thick, does retain heat/cold since there’s so much thermal mass.
Is silicosis an issue, with the adobe dust? I work in ceramics, so it’s a bit concerning since these bricks are mostly made out of clay and only sundried.
Birdzilla–silicosis should not be an issue. The clay is bound with aggregates (sand).