fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[3KillerBs]

The company that makes the expandable bands doesn't have larger than 9mm, which is what the chickens are currently wearing.

I just ordered zip-ties from Amazon. They're cheap enough. And they have other uses, too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BXSDV9SR/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A3FOXFQMGBWSHB&psc=1

I use the zipties, which get changed 3-4 times as they grow.

 

[fuzzi]

I'm ready for transporting Purple to the auction on Saturday. I doubled the netting this time, not that I had any issues last time. But he's two weeks older, and the most aggressive with the hens.

He sure is pretty, just not the best for breeding.

 

[NanaK]

I think I would remove his leg band just before I took him to the auction. You never know who will get them. Someone new to chickens may not realize how important it is to check them.

He is a pretty boy.

 

[fuzzi]

I think I would remove his leg band just before I took him to the auction. You never know who will get them. Someone new to chickens may not realize how important it is to check them.

He is a pretty boy.

That's a good suggestion.

I am planning on staying for the auction this time. I think it will be fun.

 

[NanaK]

I've never been to an animal auction before. DH and I have discussed going just to go, but have never took time to do it.

 

[fuzzi]

I've never been to an animal auction before. DH and I have discussed going just to go, but have never took time to do it.

Shall I take pictures and give a report?

 

[NanaK]

Yes! That would be great! I'd love to see pictures and hear what you think of it. Thanks.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Close up:

And up onto the hoop it went

Absolutely LUV how you ha e documented your build and experience with everything!
I especially LUV how you wives the zipties to connect thr HWC here!!! I need to go back and do this on mine!

So I do have a question...I have an existing run/coop and I am adding on to the side of it a courtyard and smaller coop.

I'm trying to do it as inexpensive as possible and thought about a cattle panel!
I have lots of health problems too and wondered how much physical strength it took to bend the cattle panel?
I'm not going completely to the ground on the right side...I'm just trying to arch it so that I can walk inside without having to bend over.
And once you arched the cattle panel over how much space did you have between the two sides?

 

[fuzzi]

Absolutely LUV how you ha e documented your build and experience with everything!
I especially LUV how you wives the zipties to connect thr HWC here!!! I need to go back and do this on mine!

So I do have a question...I have an existing run/coop and I am adding on to the side of it a courtyard and smaller coop.

I'm trying to do it as inexpensive as possible and thought about a cattle panel!
I have lots of health problems too and wondered how much physical strength it took to bend the cattle panel?
I'm not going completely to the ground on the right side...I'm just trying to arch it so that I can walk inside without having to bend over.
And once you arched the cattle panel over how much space did you have between the two sides?

Thank you! I tend to go into great detail because I'd want to know EVERY step, as if I had no clue (which is usually the case, ha!). It's incredibly frustrating for me to be following instructions and discover that some step was left out, possibly because the engineer/software tech assumed part of the process was obvious!

Now, about bending the cattle panel...I'd recommend you have a second person there to control the panel. I'm not strong, am 62 years old, 5'3" and without much upper body strength, just have determination. I got a member of my family to help me by having them hold the panel. REMEMBER, there's a lot of tension in the panel and it's going to hurt if you lose control and the panel springs back and hits you...it could even injure you.

When I created my garden trellises I bent one panel myself by stepping on it, then reaching down to grab the panel near the short end, then walking backwards while bringing that end with me. Your feet are preventing the panel from springing back into a flat position. I used bungees with hooks to control the panel, hooking short bungees between the short ends of the panel.

I found a photo from the original hoop coop build to demonstrate the use of bungees:

Gardener Scott demonstrates how to bend the cattle panel, here, just before the 6:00 mark:

Scott cuts the panel to make a trellis. But with the entire panel (50" x 16') bent into an arch it was 6' tall if the arch was 8' wide.

Here's a diagram:

(credit to @gtaus for that graphic)

Hope that answers your questions.

If you want to look at specific parts of my build, there's a list of links here:

Hoop Coop build timeline: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fuzzis-chicken-journal.1550586/post-26819925

Have fun, but DO be careful. And let me know how it goes.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Thank you! I tend to go into great detail because I'd want to know EVERY step, as if I had no clue (which is usually the case, ha!). It's incredibly frustrating for me to be following instructions and discover that some step was left out, possibly because the engineer/software tech assumed part of the process was obvious!

Now, about bending the cattle panel...I'd recommend you have a second person there to control the panel. I'm not strong, am 62 years old, 5'3" and without much upper body strength, just have determination. I got a member of my family to help me by having them hold the panel. REMEMBER, there's a lot of tension in the panel and it's going to hurt if you lose control and the panel springs back and hits you...it could even injure you.

When I created my garden trellises I bent one panel myself by stepping on it, then reaching down to grab the panel near the short end, then walking backwards while bringing that end with me. Your feet are preventing the panel from springing back into a flat position. I used bungees with hooks to control the panel, hooking short bungees between the short ends of the panel.

I found a photo from the original hoop coop build to demonstrate the use of bungees:
View attachment 3552517

Gardener Scott demonstrates how to bend the cattle panel, here, just before the 6:00 mark:

Scott cuts the panel to make a trellis. But with the entire panel (50" x 16') bent into an arch it was 6' tall if the arch was 8' wide.

Here's a diagram:

View attachment 3552529
(credit to @gtaus for that graphic)

Hope that answers your questions.

If you want to look at specific parts of my build, there's a list of links here:

Hoop Coop build timeline: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fuzzis-chicken-journal.1550586/post-26819925

Have fun, but DO be careful. And let me know how it goes.

Awesome tips! Thank u so much!
I've got to get this done before I end up fallin over my temporary contraption I've rigged up.
Hoping DH will assist...but bungee cords are definitely good idea!

Edited: oh one more question!
My ares may require 2 cattle panels...which means I may need to cut off some. I have the 19 garage HWC and used tensnips to cut it. Will i be able to use them to cut the cattle panels too? I know it is a lot thicker so wasn't sure.