fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

Picked up the 2x4x16' PTx boards this morning.

I made it home okay, but I highly recommend ratchet straps if you attempt this. I won't do it again without them!

 

[fuzzi]

It's still a bit cold, about 45°.

DH offered to help rake the area, so we shifted the hoop and raked most of the leaves and gumballs* away from the site. I also found a number of staples that had popped off. I guess the 1" type couldn't handle the stress.

I bought boxes of 1 1/2" staples this morning, specifically for pressure treated lumber. Hopefully they'll hold better.

Hey @3KillerBs , see what's growing where we're placing the coop/run? Think it will be shady enough?

*Info on gumballs here:
https://education.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/sweet-gum

 

[fuzzi]

Weee!

After raking the area we laid down the connected cattle panels, placing #4 at the end.

I popped off the staples and removed the old 2x4s:

Then I zip-tied the 4th panel to the end, and added more zip-ties where the panels joined for strength:

I slid the new pressure treated 2x4x16's under the long sides and hammered in 1 1/2" staples:

Four hours later...

It's supposed to rain tomorrow so the end pieces will have to wait a week.

Little by little...

 

[3KillerBs]

Hey @3KillerBs , see what's growing where we're placing the coop/run? Think it will be shady enough?

The birds will love it. Especially in July.

*Info on gumballs here:
https://education.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/sweet-gum

One of the scourges of the South. A lawnmower throws them like rocks!

I don't think that the chicken eat anything much out of them, but I when I pick them up with the lawnsweeper and put it all into the coop, I do think that the power of chicken manure composts them.

 

[fuzzi]

The birds will love it. Especially in July.



One of the scourges of the South. A lawnmower throws them like rocks!

I don't think that the chicken eat anything much out of them, but I when I pick them up with the lawnsweeper and put it all into the coop, I do think that the power of chicken manure composts them.

They compost? Oh, that's good news!

"The power of poo composts you!"

When we had a riding lawnmower the gumballs would pop off the belts. What a pain that was.

If I'm close to the chain link fence I chuck the gumballs over it, into the woods. If I'm closer to the middle of the backyard I chuck them into the burn pile. Gumballs burn up, too. I have a big trash can full of ashes from last November's burn.

 

[fuzzi]

I'm reading and brainstorming about the door end. I was thinking of using one of the longer pallets as a door frame. I'd lay it on top of the hoop coop's 2x4 end piece, cutting out the middle slats, or something like that.

 

[fuzzi]

After a deluge of rain Wednesday evening the yard was still pretty wet on Friday. Since it was only 45° with a cold breeze I put off working on the hoop coop until Saturday.

I made a run out to Ace Hardware as I had a coupon and wanted to get some wire to use when I attach the hardware cloth to the panels.

I bought this, used my $5.00 off coupon.

While in the wire section I noticed that their chain comes in plastic buckets. I got permission to take two empty containers. They are 10"X10"x13" long, so they may do well as nesting boxes for my bantams!

By now it was after noon and the temperature had hit 50° so outside I went to start on the rest of the frame.

The 2x4x16' was actually 16' 1" long, so I cut it in half. I laid the two 8' 1/2" boards in place.

Then I hit a snag.

I couldn't get the long side boards to stand up perpendicular to the ground. I drilled pilot holes but still the end boards would not meet the side boards. I stripped two screws trying.

Using bungee cords I secured one side of the hoop to the chain link fence, keeping it in one place, then used bricks as support under the two boards I was joining. I had to lift and pull on the cattle panels to straighten up the boards all while attempting to finish inserting the screws. It's not perfect, but I sunk three long screws in each corner, so it should hold.

Not a lot done today, but perhaps I can start on the sides tomorrow.

 

[fuzzi]

I already knew the ground was not level, now I can see it clearly. I was thinking of scraping the dirt a little where it's highest under the frame to help reduce the size of the gaps.

 

[3KillerBs]

While in the wire section I noticed that their chain comes in plastic buckets. I got permission to take two empty containers. They are 10"X10"x13" long, so they may do well as nesting boxes for my bantams!

SCORE!!!!!

I already knew the ground was not level, now I can see it clearly. I was thinking of scraping the dirt a little where it's highest under the frame to help reduce the size of the gaps.

View attachment 3389204

I have forgotten, are you planning a wire apron? You could just bend your wire down there to form a solid connection to the ground -- as long as the corners of the coop are firmly supported. The end wall isn't really structural in a hoop coop.

That sloping ground is your drainage.

 

[fuzzi]

SCORE!!!!!



I have forgotten, are you planning a wire apron? You could just bend your wire down there to form a solid connection to the ground -- as long as the corners of the coop are firmly supported. The end wall isn't really structural in a hoop coop.

That sloping ground is your drainage.

I agree, a SCORE!!!

Yes, have HWC and am planning on extending it to the ground and outwards into an apron.

I was thinking I could place some firebrick under the corners where it gaps about an inch.

Good point about drainage. That area of the yard is usually damp. I'm going to do deep litter inside the run. Oh, and the top of the hoop is over 6' tall. So it's 16'x8'x6' high in the middle, overall 128 sq ft.