2 Hoop coop cattle panel questions

[NatJ]

I'd go without any bottom framing. Just some steel T-posts and it won't go anywhere

That's a good point. Many cattle panel pens need a bottom frame because they are meant to be moved around. Since OP intends this to be stationary, then permanent posts are possible.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Given wood prices and limitations (which have improved, I admit), if the soils will permit it, I'd stake it down with either rebar or Tposts, since you don't plan to move it and it will be quite long. The longer your "run", the more wood framing would have to resist warping in the middle. You don't have those issues with frequent stakes or tposts driven into the ground. 12' or shorter, I'd probably stick with wood, thinking I might move it later. Beyond 12', either you would be driving stakes to stabalize the wood frame and hold it down anyways, or the stresses would give you something closer to a lozenge shape in the middle, rather than a nice parallel sided rectangle. May as well skip the wood, and go straight to stakes. (again, soils permitting - loose sand isn't great for resisting lateral forces, you need more stakes [or sand stakes], and if its too rocky to drive posts...)

 

[Krugerrand]

Given wood prices and limitations (which have improved, I admit), if the soils will permit it, I'd stake it down with either rebar or Tposts, since you don't plan to move it and it will be quite long. The longer your "run", the more wood framing would have to resist warping in the middle. You don't have those issues with frequent stakes or tposts driven into the ground. 12' or shorter, I'd probably stick with wood, thinking I might move it later. Beyond 12', either you would be driving stakes to stabalize the wood frame and hold it down anyways, or the stresses would give you something closer to a lozenge shape in the middle, rather than a nice parallel sided rectangle. May as well skip the wood, and go straight to stakes. (again, soils permitting - loose sand isn't great for resisting lateral forces, you need more stakes [or sand stakes], and if its too rocky to drive posts...)

Good point on the soil type. We have good ol' fashioned dirt. I forgot not everybody does.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Good point on the soil type. We have good ol' fashioned dirt. I forgot not everybody does.

So do I' but I've had to erect tents in sugar sand so often that we stopped carrying stakes, and started packing garden trowels.

 

[Brooks_]

started packing garden trowels

Using the trowel as a stake?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Using the trowel as a stake?

Yup, drive it in the ground like a shovel, bungie the tent fly to the handle - the blade of the trowel provides more surface area to resist movement. the wire tent stakes pull right out of sugar sand, and the nylon/plastic ones (besides breaking easily) aren't much better.

 

[affacat]

Will they be stationary?
Probably good to plan on staking them down.

Yes, absolutely permanent. Ultimately, 32 foot lengths of hoops in a square formation with 8x12 structures on the corners capping each. Starting with just 2 structures and 1 run of hoop due to current lumber costs (a small fortune in lumber is already bought).

We are currently planning on 2 corner coops sharing 3 runs, 1 alpaca lean to open to the yard, 1 rabbit colony in a run (hardest due to needing to deter deep tunneling).

This will surround a large garden (36x36 currently, though it ultimately depends on how many panels per side and my wife is planning the garden).

 

[affacat]

I'd go without any bottom framing. Just some steel T-posts and it won't go anywhere.

This is how Blooie did hers:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cattle-panel.1140564/page-4#post-17913008

Here is mine:
View attachment 2796243

Wow, great thread link... i originally posted this thread hoping to use stakes instead of wood, now I know I can.

Did you skirt the bottom with hardware cloth to prevent rodent intrusion or other digging?

We will have a much longer run.. at least 8 panels.

Also, based on photo on other thread (need to read in full, just scanned that page), i love the interior chick section. Do you have more photos of that?

 

[Krugerrand]

Wow, great thread link... i originally posted this thread hoping to use stakes instead of wood, now I know I can.

Did you skirt the bottom with hardware cloth to prevent rodent intrusion or other digging?

We will have a much longer run.. at least 8 panels.

Also, based on photo on other thread (need to read in full, just scanned that page), i love the interior chick section. Do you have more photos of that?

Yes, I covered my entire run with hardware cloth and have an apron skirt around the bottom. I'll try and post some pictures. (I'm waiting until I add the finishing touches before I do coop page.) Here's the best I have for now:

I believe Blooie had to move on from keeping chickens and is not active on the site. Her coop page has more info on her build:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/motel-chix.67240/

She had done an article on brooding chicks outside that would have more information:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors.68067/

 

[affacat]

Given wood prices and limitations (which have improved, I admit), if the soils will permit it, I'd stake it down with either rebar or Tposts, since you don't plan to move it and it will be quite long. The longer your "run", the more wood framing would have to resist warping in the middle. You don't have those issues with frequent stakes or tposts driven into the ground. 12' or shorter, I'd probably stick with wood, thinking I might move it later. Beyond 12', either you would be driving stakes to stabalize the wood frame and hold it down anyways, or the stresses would give you something closer to a lozenge shape in the middle, rather than a nice parallel sided rectangle. May as well skip the wood, and go straight to stakes. (again, soils permitting - loose sand isn't great for resisting lateral forces, you need more stakes [or sand stakes], and if its too rocky to drive posts...)

Thanks for another fantastic post.

I wonder if I could alternate rebar and tposts... or, actually, earlier in this thread you suggested u-bar.

That will probably do the job? Need to check if ubar is easily available to me, but that seems better than tposts to me. Maybe a couple tposts for added integrity since they go deeper.

We have nice hard packed old fashion Oregon dirt. Lots of rain during the winter, but even then it seems like it stays pretty strong due to deep roots.

I wasn't planning on building this this year due to costs, and had diverted efforts to barn rehab, but my wife decided she liked my idea for the protected garden so much we're going back that way (plus she hates the barn, lol).