Diagram complete, now to build

[Ruralhideaway]

So I'm about done with the coop and eagerly awaiting weather for building the run.

I've decided I'm going to build a half hoop with cattle panels. We talked lots about this but I've moved the location to catch the morning winter sun and I'm hoping this plan will work. It'll be permanently covered with polycarb panels. I'll open the ends in the summer for air.

There's a small yard for ducks and geese adjacent, they can hopefully all share roofed run space in winter.

@aart maybe you'll have a look when you have time.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

WOW!!! Great job!!!

 

[aart]

Nice drawing!
Red stuff is in existing coop/run?
Plan view is 1sq = 1'?
Elevation not to scale?
Is duck/geese space new too?
Might want to lable or key the fencing materials.....
..... but dashes are 2x4 fencing, dots are HC??
Will look more later.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Thanks! I really hope this is not going to need rebuilding, I'm very motivated to get it right.

Nice drawing!
Red stuff is in existing coop/run?
Plan view is 1sq = 1'?
Elevation not to scale?
Is duck/geese space new too?
Might want to lable or key the fencing materials.....
..... but dashes are 2x4 fencing, dots are HC??
Will look more later.

*Red stuff is roosts nests etc yes.
*1 sq= 1 ft yes. Elevation not to scale, exactly, just to demonstrate how the half hoop will attach. It's off center to catch that morning winter sun better, plus eliminates door complications. The width left to right of it will be finalized when I wrestle the panels(don't have yet) to see how they'll behave.
*Adding a few geese and call ducks, that's not built yet, uncertain their house needs still.
*Dashes are HC with 2x4 bottom 2 ft plus apron. Using 14g rabbit wire so will be 1x2 apron area. In a perfect world this will be very safe. Electric wire at 1ft and 5ft on fence. Net top.
*Dots are hoop area with same fencing plus poly carb panels. Looking for old sliding glass doors for flat side. Maybe.

 

[aart]

You'll have to play with, and cut, the panels to fit a 7' up and 8' out configuration,
but I think you know that.
It'll be FUN!

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Exactly! Although I don't really want to cut the panels, I'll use as much space as they want to give. The plan is to secure those first then I can adjust fencing to suit what they do. I dug around and have some big Amish beams 6x8, 8ft, 10ft, 18ft long(think that was a whole tree!). So I think I can support the half hoop enough to be sturdy without breaking the bank. My back could be another matter.

 

[squadleader]

Ruralhideaway looks great!

A typical 16 foot section of cattle panel gives us an 8 foot wide, by about 6 foot tall cross section. Since you didn't ask the wire to travel the distance back to the ground on one of the sides, I would think you'd pick up an extra four feet or so, to add to the horizontal or vertical plane, or a combination thereof.

So maybe you want an extra foot of height, maybe 7 feet instead of 6 feet, and an extra 2 or 3 feet of width, that would be pretty sweet. Ultimately, doing an experiment by bending one panel into place, will tell you what you've got in real life.

Aart mentioned in one of his posts that snow load is too much for an unsupported cattle panel roof, so a 2x6 or two, spaced a couple feet apart, down the length of the hoop, with probably one of them at the transition point, from the flatter part of the roof, to the more vertical part of the hoop wall.

Those 2x6's will need a post or vertical board to carry each end, so maybe use those vertical supports as the door frame too.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Ruralhideaway looks great!

A typical 16 foot section of cattle panel gives us an 8 foot wide, by about 6 foot tall cross section. Since you didn't ask the wire to travel the distance back to the ground on one of the sides, I would think you'd pick up an extra four feet or so, to add to the horizontal or vertical plane, or a combination thereof.

So maybe you want an extra foot of height, maybe 7 feet instead of 6 feet, and an extra 2 or 3 feet of width, that would be pretty sweet. Ultimately, doing an experiment by bending one panel into place, will tell you what you've got in real life.

Aart mentioned in one of his posts that snow load is too much for an unsupported cattle panel roof, so a 2x6 or two, spaced a couple feet apart, down the length of the hoop, with probably one of them at the transition point, from the flatter part of the roof, to the more vertical part of the hoop wall.

Those 2x6's will need a post or vertical board to carry each end, so maybe use those vertical supports as the door frame too.

I agree that having them in hand to play with is going to be the final answer.

I'm a bit worried about the upward pressure popping my old roof up where they'll be attached to the coop. I'm thinking to build a frame for the tall side using these beams I have. So a big 16' beam at the top with 5 uprights down that long open wall, 1 at each end plus each cattle panel join. However...couldn't easily cement the upright near the coop, there's a sidewalk there. So need a bottom beam there as well? Cemented down at maybe 2 other posts?

Ha every time I think I know what I'm doing I find issues.

 

[aart]

I'm a bit worried about the upward pressure popping my old roof up where they'll be attached to the coop.

They don't have that much 'spring power', especially cattle panels.

Buy yourself an angle grinder with some cut off blades,
they are really pretty easy to cut.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I have a cheapo grinder that I use to cut hardware cloth. That was a life changing discovery! But more covered space is good, if I end up with enough I could steal greenhouse space too.

Now less upward pressure is very good news, I pictured lots.

I'm going to have to do a draw with post and beam locations proposed later, maybe you could advise so I do enough without ridiculous overbuilding. I'm determined but definitely never did anything like this before.

They don't have that much 'spring power', especially cattle panels.

Buy yourself an angle grinder with some cut off blades,
they are really pretty easy to cut.