2 Hoop coop cattle panel questions

[affacat]

I have built a tractor shed out of cattle panels. The full 16 ft ARCHED....I actually placed mine ON TOP OF 40"pallets...it is 20ft or more ....I didn't overlap..just zip tied together...I also didnt frame..mainly because I'm only 4'9 and didn't have any help building it..I placed a large(20x30) Tarp on mine. And after several inches of snow fell it collapsed in the middle...If you are only using hardware cloth and setting panels on ground and only using a couple you might not have too..however a heavy coon could also collapse it as mine around here are upwards of 40-50 pounds...I ended up framing the front only, then put pillars in the middle where yypanels meet each other..of course this was AFTER much "under the breath" mumbling about how dumb I was.. as I tried for days to push it back up...I want to run a small beam , maybe just some 2x3s , down the center to alleviate the pillars..but so far have not done so...as a side note..I cut out the pieces on ends of panels so they were not squared but "spikes"? Then drilled holes in pallets and slipped spiked ends in them and bent over..also no vinyl coated panels ..they are galvanized so even IF you tried to coat them it wouldn't stick....unless you "etched" with vinegar at which point your defeating the purpose of the galvanization...is that even a word

Each of our panel hoops overlap each other. Under over under over under over. We generally did about one column overlap. It wasn't always easy since the ground isn't totally level but we got it to work. There is no tarping so no snow load, and I'm sure it can take the weight of a raccoon.

I also do double panel sheds for a chicken feeding area and to cover logs, etc. Unless they are heavily wind guarded I only put a 6 ft wide tarp on the very top so that it doesn't blow away. A 6 ft wide tarp provides rain cover while you're feeding the chickens and keeps their food dry unless it's particularly stormy. A two panel shed is enough room for a dusting pool, two trash cans and room to feed them so it works quite well.. I should take a picture because I think other people might like it. I fully top the firewood ones but they are between two buildings. Snow load makes the chicken one look silly but doesn't break it. But I do clear it if I know it's going to snow again, I don't live in a heavy snow area

 

[Rene Espiricieta]

So, i have been researching hoop coops for a while now, but have 2 questions.

(Possibly worth noting, i am making a 'hoop run' to attach to a preexisting wood coop.)

1) I see everyone builds a wood frame (often with 2x6), then attaches the cattle panels to the wood frame. Is there any reason I can't just buy vinyl coated cattle panel and bury it a bit? Or stake it directly to the ground? I am already planning on attaching hardware cloth that will be buried, so i feel like the lumber is almost unnecessary... unless it is, for a reason I am not thinking of.

2) my plan will be much longer than most of the 12 or 16 footers.. maybe even double that (I don't think I would go past 32 foot). Will I need any vertical supports? Should I overlap each half a foot a so for extra support? Or is each panel sturdy enough without?

I don't mind buying the lumber and framing out a base if necessary, but I just keep thinking that since im already trenching hardware cloth that perhaps i dont need to, saving money and labor.

 

[mowin]

As long as it's secured firmly to the ground so it can't "spread" you should be good. Never heard of vinyl coated cattle panels.

 

[Rene Espiricieta]

So, i have been researching hoop coops for a while now, but have 2 questions.

(Possibly worth noting, i am making a 'hoop run' to attach to a preexisting wood coop.)

1) I see everyone builds a wood frame (often with 2x6), then attaches the cattle panels to the wood frame. Is there any reason I can't just buy vinyl coated cattle panel and bury it a bit? Or stake it directly to the ground? I am already planning on attaching hardware cloth that will be buried, so i feel like the lumber is almost unnecessary... unless it is, for a reason I am not thinking of.

2) my plan will be much longer than most of the 12 or 16 footers.. maybe even double that (I don't think I would go past 32 foot). Will I need any vertical supports? Should I overlap each half a foot a so for extra support? Or is each panel sturdy enough without?

I don't mind buying the lumber and framing out a base if necessary, but I just keep thinking that since im already trenching hardware cloth that perhaps i dont need to, saving money and labor.

Vive seen where they would drive metal posts on each side and attached the panels to it without having to build a wood frame

 

[Krugerrand]

Vive seen where they would drive metal posts on each side and attached the panels to it without having to build a wood frame

My cattle panel run has no framing. The steel T-posts hold it in place. I got the idea from Blooie's run. It would require your ground be adequate for it. For example, something too sandy would likely not work.

I never heard of vinyl coated cattle panel.