Experiences With Hoop Coops?

[chickieandchookie]

I have one - more like a dome but the same principal - I love it and so do my hens. I have place it under a shady tree and put some shade cloth for extra protection over one side. We have hung a trestle with shade cloth which gives them somewhere high while providing shelter from rain and sun underneath. I have also put in a dog kennel where the lid raises. Inside of this is a perch and a nesting box full of straw. This provides full shelter from the elements if needed. I have tree stumps and bales of straw in there as well.
I have a separate coop outside of the dome which I call their bedroom. I give my girls several hours of free range and they end up putting themselves to bed in their separate coop. In the morning, I let them out and they happily follow me to the dome and jump in.
I really like the dome, we transfer it to other areas when needed and put it under different trees. It is also a relatively large space for them to run around in. I live in Australia so we don't get the really bad winters that some countries do. If this is the case, ensure you have a good area for them to go to in awful weather.

 

[Duckee]

I use a static hoop coop for my hens. My main concerns are to keep preditors out, keep the girls dry, and good ventilation.
Here is the way mine is built:
There is about 18 inches of chicken wire attached to the bottom wood frame & buried deep in the ground.
The rounded part (hoop) is covered with chicken wire and a thick tarp. The sides rolls up or down depending on weather. They lock into place.
The floor of the coop has chicken wire stapled to the frame with about 4 inches of sand atop. This is cleaned by scooping then more sand added as needed.
The front & back have wood framed harware cloth doors that have wood framed plastic "window" inserts for top and bottom of each door. To control weather. I dont use the windows in nice weather unless we get strong winds. Then i usually only need top ones to protect perches. Same with winter. Each door has a top & bottom lock.
The sides around front and back doors are plywood.
Each interior side has 2 perches with a huge covered nest box in between. So 4 perches & 2 huge nest boxes total.
I do have a LED light in the coop just used for counting heads at night. I havent found it necessary to add heat.
The girls are let out every morning into their good size deep bedding run and a couple times a week let out to free range. Daily in the nicer weather.
Oh, and I have a dog to guard around the outside of the coop as well.
I like the set up well enough. But I do wish I could still use my wood coop...but because of chicken math that coop became too small! LOL
Alot of info, but I hope it helps.

Edited to add missed details.

 

[Vacman]

I, too, have had a security breach but it was an aerial attack. One of my Rhode Island Reds was taken and a Buff Orpington was injured. She fully recovered but it was interesting that while injured, the rest of the flock protected her, Got between me and her most of the time preventing me from getting near her after I found her and moved her to the coop in the evening. Not sure how I could even prevent that type of attack. We have an occasional bald eagle, but mostly hawks of several varieties in the area. They only attacked that one time, so it didn't become a habit....at least not up to this point.

 

[aart]

I, too, have had a security breach but it was an aerial attack.

While the birds were in the hoop run?

 

[Purlsnponies]

Purlsnponies I really like your bachelor pad, is it staked down or moveable?

Thank you! I'd originally wanted it moveable, but the design kept getting heavier, so it's staked.

 

[JCaseyHammond]

I have built a low hoop coop that’s lightweight and has wheels to easily move. It’s 8’x10’ using 10’ pvc arches. Full length roosts. Nest boxes, waterer, and hanging feeder are on wheeled end to put weight over the wheels. Has hardware cloth in lower sides, chicken wire on top. Electric fence all the way around the base. It’s worked great these past few months to keep them secure and regularly on new pasture. I’ll be building another or two soon for a breeding pen and grow out pen.

View attachment 2554906

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing

 

[aart]

I also live in a place where temps often get over a hundred in the summer and frequently below freezing in the winters.

Hoop coops can be tough in both situations.
Biggest issue is preventing rain infiltration while also having max ventilation in summer.
Wind, and snow accumulation, can be issues in winter.
Just some thoughts on what I've seen here over the years.

I live in Australia so we don't get the really bad winters that some countries do.

Do you have some pics @chickieandchookie ?
Does it get really hot in your part of AU?
Also, here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[chickieandchookie]

Hoop coops can be tough in both situations.
Biggest issue is preventing rain infiltration while also having max ventilation in summer.
Wind, and snow accumulation, can be issues in winter.
Just some thoughts on what I've seen here over the years.


Do you have some pics @chickieandchookie ?
Does it get really hot in your part of AU?
Also, here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2492798

I live in Victoria - not the hottest part of Australia - but it still gets hot! The most important thing I believe with hoops/domes is to provide shelter with trees and to have something either inside or attached to provide shelter and protection. I will take a photograph and upload it when I finish work today. Btw - mine is small, suitable for about 4 hens and I only have one now after my other girl died. (this one is as happy as larry though after me fretting for days on how she would cope being on her own) But my dome is big enough for four adults to stand in.

 

[chickieandchookie]

Hello fellow Aussie @chickieandchookie . Mine is similar in concept and looks like @mowin’s
View attachment 2493957
It’s still a work in progress. I need to build a “Chunnel” to connect the side of the metal coop to the run (I have yet to cut a pop door on the side). Currently I just open the door of the coop and they follow me into their run. I also need to rig up a misting system in the run and on top of the coop roof for those stinking hot days. I really like the hoop house. It’s roomy.

Looks absolutely fantastic! Mine is not nearly as glamorous as yours but I only every have two chickens at a time and they are more like pets to be honest and it is really only for their daytime hours.

 

[Vacman]

While the birds were in the hoop run?

No. I should have made that point. At least I don't think so. The injured Buff Orpington was further away from the Hoop Coop in the orchard...probably 20-30 feet away. I assume that is where the attack took place as she was injured bad enough that she didn't want to move and feathers were out there as well. I'm also assuming that the Rhode Island Red was carried off, although one of the Reds had the ability to fly over the 4' tall electric fence. I never saw her again and when she had gotten out before, she had roosted in one of the several evergreens in the area. Not this time. Since my hoop is totally closed on three sides and only 1/2 of the end open, I don't think a predator bird would attack inside the hoop. Now a ground attack could happen in there if they got through the electric fence and the hens would be trapped.