Permanent Hoop Coop In Progress_Update!!! See Post #34!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ChicwannaB]

Quote:
hey i looked at your coop, you did great. fun huh??

 

[karlamaria]

Quote:
We have a cattle panel hoop coop very similar to this. When we first build it, we didn't add any center support as we thought the panels would be stiff/sturdy enough too.

We were wrong (click on pic to make it larger):

Coop was fine with a light snow:

[URL]https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/1560_1-5-10_004.jpg[/URL]


Not so much when we had close to a 1/2" of ice with several inches of snow on top of it.

I didn't realize when I took this pic that the top was starting it's collapse, I was just out taking pretty pix (big sigh):

[URL]https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/1560_1-30-10_018.jpg[/URL]


Where was the shelter from the cold ? No where to get out of the cold ? Hen house? This looks like a covered run and that's it.


The collapsed center:

[URL]https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/1560_1-30-10_046.jpg[/URL]

[URL]https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/1560_1-30-10_066.jpg[/URL]

So, we got to spend a while outside in the snow and make the center support that we should have done in the first place.

[URL]https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/1560_1-30-10_070.jpg[/URL]


The piled up snow in the second and third pix are from us trying to keep the worst of the snow brushed off the top of the coop. This was a really wet snow and between the weight of the ice and the snow that fell after we went to bed did us in.

 

[terri1nd]

I am going to convert my 2 hoop coops my SIL built into one large one similar to yours. I just need to figure out more about the huddle box & nesting box areas & how to combine the 2 coops. We've used them for the summer, since we live in North Dakota. I've been keeping the chickens in my husbands garage (taking up half of it) & he wants them out & I can't blame him. We have Chantecler chickens (a Canadian breed so they can handle the cold). DH made me a very large huddle box perch area that was insulated, so I have to probably cut it down in size a bit for it to fit. I love the snow photo, it helped me talk DH into using the hoop coops, so he can have his garage back. There is so much for us to figure out to make work for our area, but I am very inspired after seeing your permanent hoop coop.
You did a fantastic job & it is very inspiring.

 

[ChicwannaB]

I have one a little bit like this, we just had a terrible wind/rain storm last sunday and it lifted it up and moved it 3 foot with ME INSIDE TRYING TO HOLD IT DOWN. I have to find a way to anchor it down, I live just south of Saginaw Bay and a good north wind can be deadly, so I've found out.

Those blue tarps got ruined last year and I put on brown ones that come all the way to the ground on both sides, it acted just like a sail boat in the wind!!!

 

[LittleSticks]

Follow the Yellow Brick Road! lol

 

[scooter147]

Do they roost in the box or on top of it?

 

[Baymule]

Chook-A-Holic, I want to say thank you for posting the pictures and plans to your hoop coop. I have saved this link to my favorites and have shared it with many people to help them on their way to building a better coop and run. This thread should be a sticky!

I was inspired by your post to build my own hoop run last year. I had 8 hens that were very happy in the coop, but I wanted more chickens and knew I needed more room. I am very proud of myself for building on more room BEFORE I got more chickens!

I had lots of scrap lumber, so I didn't have to buy any. I used untreated 6"x8"x12 beams I had salvaged and put them up on cinder blocks to keep them off the ground. The hens like to sit on top of the beams in the winter sunshine and in the summer heat, they like to sit under the shade the beams provide. I love the hoop run, it is strong, varmit proof and it looks good too! Everyone that sees it admires it, even the UN-chickened!

 

[yogifink]

Chooks-a-holic, I just came across this page. I found your plans on another site, maybe your personal website perhaps, a few months ago and used them as a guideline to build a coop for our local elementary school. Thank you so much for taking the time and using so much detail in explaining how to build this.

Thanks to your inspiration we've got some happy kids and even happier chooks!

 

[outlawfarmer]

I'm trying similar but will have section for pigs and for chickens. Then a side igloo door for access to courtyard.

 

[Mahlzeit]

I'm trying similar but will have section for pigs and for chickens. Then a side igloo door for access to courtyard.

I am looking for a similar material as the clear plastic you have over your hoop building. What is that called and where did you get it if you dont mind me asking.