Extending a Run without Cattle Panels

[BanoOmg]

My hens seem to be getting pretty fed up with the new mama hen and her chicks taking up half of the coop. Time for an extension!

A Hoop Coop with cattle panels seems to be quick and easy, compared to the overbuilt run I have now.

There's a big propane tank in my way, so I only have about 9'x6' to work with. Maybe a little wider than 6' if I cut into a slope made of pure, sun-fired clay and granite rocks/boulders.

Because it is an extension, I may not need to build a door. A door would probably make cleaning easier, but I don't think that's a priority right now.

Rough plan:

Build a base frame, attach two cattle panels, bend and shape to desired arch, support front and back somehow.

I want to cut a section of the current run and frame out a square so there are no hardware cloth or chicken wire stabby bits to hook me or a chicken. I plan on using this framed-out square as part of the structure.

Everything will be covered in 1/2" hardware cloth, because it freaking rules. I also need to figure out if I can lay a vertical dig skirt, but that soil is crazy hard to dig, and it's all done with shovel or iron bar.

I've read a lot about other people's hoop coops. My needs are a little different. I'll update how it goes, or if something changes. This post is my commitment to do SOMETHING!!!

 

[3KillerBs]

 

[Krugerrand]

Post some pictures. If your ground is not crazy sandy or something like that, you can secure it with T-posts and skip the frame. That's what I did.

I got the idea from @Blooie.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/motel-chix.67240/

I believe @affacat used just bent rebar on a current project (no tarp).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/2-hoop-coop-cattle-panel-questions.1449809/post-25655167

 

[BanoOmg]

T posts would be a heck of a lot easier! It's not sandy, just haaaaaard clay.

I'll look into it, and post pics of the spot tomorrow.

 

[affacat]

Post some pictures. If your ground is not crazy sandy or something like that, you can secure it with T-posts and skip the frame. That's what I did.
View attachment 3092846

I got the idea from @Blooie.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/motel-chix.67240/

I believe @affacat used just bent rebar on a current project (no tarp).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/2-hoop-coop-cattle-panel-questions.1449809/post-25655167

Yep. I used j hook rebar.

https://vodaland-usa.com/products/j-hook-rebar-anchors-10-pack?variant=32048582754393

3 hooks per panel per side, but both ends were overlapped so 4 of the hooks per panel were shared.

I have used the same technique to quickly build a feed station and a firewood tent. As long as you either don't tarp it, or keep the tarp small (our feed station has a 6x8 tarp over two panels.) Wind isn't an issue. My firewood area is fully tarped but protected by buildings from wind.

The j hooks are also really handy if you need to do any temporary ground staking.

We don't get that nice squared look the tposts gives tho, it's more hooped as per the pics in my thread.

If I was going to do it again I'd be perfectly happy with the j hooks, but would probably do an overall price comparison with tposts (currently have around 50 tposts I'm building a fence with so am comfortable either way). J hooks are definitely easier, you can smack them into the ground easy and don't need to worry about keeping the tposts level, etc, but the tposts obviously offer more integrity. Some sort of combo, where covered areas are tposts and uncovered areas are hooks might be possible

 

[BanoOmg]

I have two spots where I can add space.

This is where I thought I'd be building first. Let's call it Spot #1:


We just put that passion fruit in the ground, so I'm leaning towards abandoning this initial spot.


Here's Spot #2:



Spot #2 gets more shade from the existing structure, and the roof high point faces this side.

Spot #2 is a couple feet higher than the floor of the run. I'm not digging down to make it level, and even if I wanted to, it would compromise the current structure. If I use Spot #2, the chickens will have a sweet, multi-story run. Wow, so fancy!

I'm thinking I'll buy a couple 8' cattle panels, attach them in a half-arch shape to the side of the run, reuse the hardware cloth I have on that side and hopefully get by with the leftover hardware cloth we haven't used.

I might get a 16' panel because it'll save me $, but I'm not yet sure if the $10 savings is worth dealing with transporting and cutting the huge panel.

 

[BanoOmg]

We have a pipe bender, and I might be able to take some rebar we used to move the tinyhouse and bend it into hooks.

 

[3KillerBs]

I like spot #2. It looks like a thoroughly chicken-friendly area with shade and shrubbery.

 

[perkolator]

I would do Spot #2 with the "lean-to" style panels in the half-arch like you mentioned. Seems like an easy way to go. My gut says that if you get some chipdrops and mulch that whole area, the ground will soften up a tad for future digging. It's helped in our decomposed granite soil here, which is literally rock-hard.

 

[BanoOmg]

Speaking of "lean-to,"

We have enough scrap wood to abandon the cattle panels all together. We have three 12" 2x4's we used as part of a concrete mold that till do quite nicely there, if I cut them down a bit. We also have a store of scrap plywood that can be used as a roof, which means I don't have to buy more hardware cloth.

Save money AND clear out space in the shed? Win-win!

I guess I need to change the title of this post though haha!