Adventures With Cattle Panels
A while back, I was in need of a new coop and run to separate my prized Barred Rocks away from my "Eating Egg" flock. I read online about hoop houses made with cattle panels and thought I would give it a try. My 1st one used two cattle panels and has a wooden frame floor that measures 8''x8'. Since then, I have morphed into a style that uses absolutely no wood (except for the roost pole) and makes a sturdy structure. Here is what you will need to build a 8' x 12' coop/run:
2- 16' cattle panels
1 50' roll of 48" tall 2"x4" welded wire
1 48" tall roll of 1" poultry wire
1 pair of sturdy wire cutters
1 bag of plastic wire ties
1 8' x 16' tarp. Begin with the cattle panels. You will need a little help on this first step. Stand a panel up on the 48" side, and using rope or sraps pull it into a bow with the ends being 8' apart. Roll out 8' of 2x4 wire and cut so that you have "ends" sticking out. Use these ends to wrap around the cattle panel. Do both sides and now you have a nice tunnel with a wire floor. Build two of these and cover them with the Poultry wire (top only) using the wire ties. Now use the 2x4 wire and cut a 16' length, along with an 8' length and make a similar unit - only do not cover this one with poultry wire. Now stand all these together and join them with either scrap wire, or with wire ties. ( I use scrap wire) Cut an 8' section of 2x4 wire and begin to use the ends to secure it to the front of the coop. Cut another piece and stack it on that one to finish closing in the end up to the top. Do both ends like this. Now cut your doorway.
2- 16' cattle panels
1 50' roll of 48" tall 2"x4" welded wire
1 48" tall roll of 1" poultry wire
1 pair of sturdy wire cutters
1 bag of plastic wire ties
1 8' x 16' tarp. Begin with the cattle panels. You will need a little help on this first step. Stand a panel up on the 48" side, and using rope or sraps pull it into a bow with the ends being 8' apart. Roll out 8' of 2x4 wire and cut so that you have "ends" sticking out. Use these ends to wrap around the cattle panel. Do both sides and now you have a nice tunnel with a wire floor. Build two of these and cover them with the Poultry wire (top only) using the wire ties. Now use the 2x4 wire and cut a 16' length, along with an 8' length and make a similar unit - only do not cover this one with poultry wire. Now stand all these together and join them with either scrap wire, or with wire ties. ( I use scrap wire) Cut an 8' section of 2x4 wire and begin to use the ends to secure it to the front of the coop. Cut another piece and stack it on that one to finish closing in the end up to the top. Do both ends like this. Now cut your doorway.
