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Our Hoop House/chicken tractor - Page 29

post #281 of 307
5/18/12 at 9:20am
it is two cattle panels wide, so it ended up 8x7.
the solid back made a nice place to hang the nesting boxes and then we only needed to tarp the top. we had part of the hoop not covered by the tarp, but changed it after a couple of rain storms. we have 18 growing chicks in it right now but it's built for about 15 birds total. we have some roosters that need to get re-homed or freezer camp.
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post #282 of 307
6/3/12 at 3:21pm

Some progress on our hoop coop, but not done yet.  DH managed to drag it into place with the tractor, but would like a pipe or wheels to help move it along next time.  Our ground is uneven, and it kept digging in.

hoopcoopclearside.JPG

 

The clear panels have hardware cloth underneath, since they are flimsy, and there will be hardware cloth on the ground at the base:

hoopcoopdetail.JPG

 

Inside view: peak is high, - 10 feet.

hoopcoop2.JPG

 

hoopcoopwindowdetail.JPG

If you look carefully, you can see cracks of light where the panels overlap horizontally.  Those places need to be caulked and screwed down, as water leaks in there.  We need roosts and nest boxes, more hardware cloth in a few places, but it is getting there.  The ends, except for the top semi-circle, will eventually be covered in clear plastic sheeting, but I imagine we will leave it open for the summer.  Can't wait to get the chickens in there!

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post #283 of 307
6/3/12 at 7:28pm
Looks really nice and secure. So you do plan on moving it around. Let us know how it goes. It would be nice to have all coops movable.
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post #284 of 307
6/4/12 at 3:13am
This will be moved only 2 or 3 times a year. Probably in September, and then onto our garden for the winter (November?), and then off again come spring. It is heavy, but a nice big coop!
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post #285 of 307
6/8/12 at 4:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by naturespace View Post

bucka that is going to be a nice coop. i can't wait to see it finished.
here are some photos of our hoop house.
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Some great builds in this thread; thanks for posting your projects, y'all! In my mind I'm planning an epic cattle panel hoop house build with the beautifully finished cottage look of naturespace's work on the back and front panels, the corrugated panel roof of buckabucka with the heavy-duty construction skilz of ChevygirlBeth.

Naturespace, I wondered how you got the rear plywood panel to fit so well. I see these hoops are not a perfect circle, so how did you cut the plywood to match so well?

 

Inspiring work, everyone!

 

Thanks,

 

Guy

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post #286 of 307
7/25/12 at 3:56pm

We moved our hoop coop for the first time today, and while it was a lot of work, it went relatively smoothly! smile.png

 

First we pulled up all the earth staples and rocks that anchor the hardware cloth.  All the chickens went into either our small chicken tractor, or large cages.  We moved all the food and water bowls (ours are not hanging, although that will be a nice addition), sand box, bucket nesting boxes (they rest on the ground), etc.  The hardware cloth was tied up to the sides of the tractor, to keep it from catching on everything.

 

 DH used his tractor to lift the hoop coop while I put large PVC pipe rollers under the skids.  This was the key to our success.  The coop is really heavy, and last time it really dug in and plowed our uneven ground.

You can see the desolation they left behind (as well as the small chicken tractor they spent some time in).

 

 

 

 

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Enjoying the greenery:

 

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we probably won't be moving this again until we put it in the garden for the winter.

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post #287 of 307
7/25/12 at 4:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheerwino View Post

Some great builds in this thread; thanks for posting your projects, y'all! In my mind I'm planning an epic cattle panel hoop house build with the beautifully finished cottage look of naturespace's work on the back and front panels, the corrugated panel roof of buckabucka with the heavy-duty construction skilz of ChevygirlBeth.


Naturespace, I wondered how you got the rear plywood panel to fit so well. I see these hoops are not a perfect circle, so how did you cut the plywood to match so well?

Inspiring work, everyone!

Thanks,

Guy

My DH did it in a CAD program. We knew how tall we wanted it and how long the cattle panel is and the CAD program figured out the width of the base. He then drew a grid on the drawing every 4 inches to draw out the curve on the plywood.

There are calculations That you can find to do it on paper, but I don't know what they are.
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post #288 of 307
7/25/12 at 4:57pm
Bucka, looks good. I think those Euskal Oiloas must be loving it.
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post #289 of 307
9/24/12 at 2:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by naturespace View Post

maybe we need a thread to discuss this subject.

 

They exist. Based on one, I intentionally put in a 3" round fence pole roost and a 2x4 on the flat, both at 4' figuring I was doing a SOMEWHAT scientific test. However, position is not changeable so I won' t know if they prefer one over the other because it is in the front and therefore gets more light or because it is easier to get to, or more comfortable or what.

 

There is a 2x4 on edge that projects from the wall to support the "free end" of the roosts. When they first went in the coop (at ~ 4 weeks), they all bunched up on it. Now at 14 weeks, some are there, some are at the other end against the hardware cloth "wall" on the front flat 2x4 and others on the fence rail behind, again against the wall hardware cloth wall.

 

I really like the cattle panel hoop house idea. "Easy" to make a roof that will deal with rain and snow without a lot of roof framing.

2 each: Ancona, Astralorp, Cubalaya, Easter Egger, Partridge Chantecler, Salmon Faverolles

From Ideal Poultry, hatched June 12, 2012

 

Bruce

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2 each: Ancona, Astralorp, Cubalaya, Easter Egger, Partridge Chantecler, Salmon Faverolles

From Ideal Poultry, hatched June 12, 2012

 

Bruce

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post #290 of 307
11/18/12 at 5:19pm

Thought I'd post an update on the hoop coop.  It is now on our garden for the winter, facing south.   It gets colder in there at night than it does my regular coop, but the temperatures rebound quickly on a sunny day.  

 

This morning it was 14 degrees.  I didn't head out to the coop until 10:30, and it was still below freezing.  In the older coop and run, there is limited direct sunlight this time of year.  The hens tend to find a sunny spot for warming up:

 

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The run has even less sun.  The camera makes it look bright, but you can see the one spot of direct sun on the ground on the right hand side.

 

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The hoop coop, on the other hand, is so bright and pleasant, the Ameraucanas on the far side are actually clustered in the shade.  I leave a folding lawn chair in there, for sitting on a sunny weekend morning.

 

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The outside:

 

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In the other non-coop hoop house, it feels like spring, which is especially nice when the ground becomes snow-covered.

 

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