GAH!!! or the Evolution of a Hoop Tractor. pix inside

[slystr]

I started my coop/tractor today and what looked great on paper is not turning out like I want it to.
First off, I can't get the base frame screwed together by my self. If I could only find a way to stand the 10 foot frame on end I could get the screws in in about 2 min. It's so frustrating to see what needs to be done but not have the arms to do it.
Next I bought 10' PVC pipes for the ribs. 10' is too small bent into a hoop yet 20'(2 pipes coupled together is too tall, almost 10 feet. I don't have a saw to cut the pipe down. Well I have a hand saw but I cant figure out how short to cut them to get a 6' height.
So now the drills battery has died and it takes about 4 hrs to recharge.

here is what I have so far. base is 10X4

I so wanted to finish this this weekend!

 

[slystr]

got the ribs on Woo hoo!

 

[bigzio]

slystr, looking good. Are you in a area where there is a chance of the weight of snow? Greenhouses have support up the center to handle it. Just curious....

bigzio

 

[Varisha]

Just wanted to say that looks neat.

 

[slystr]

bigzo, I'm in Dallas so I'm hoping I wont have to worry about snow. but I will probably put a spine on the top of those ribs tomorrow.

 

[slystr]

thinking as I go here, do I need to leave about a foot of extra chix wire on the bottom of my coop? I have an inclosed backyard but have seen a possum or 2 on the patio in the past. I've never seen a 'coon but I do see evidence of rats in my decrepid "tool" shed. I get cat visitors that I do see. This tractor will move some times onto the raised bed and onto the grass in the lawn in the back yard. The garden is framed with cinder blocks. What do you think?

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

slystr, take lots of detailed pictures along the way so we can add it to the coop section of BYC when you're done!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/coopdesigns.html

You're coop is unique to all the ones currently on the site, so I'm especially interested in you taking pics of how you're connecting the PVC to the frame. So, if you could take close up pictures of that it would be a great addition!

Thanks and keep up the good work!

 

[mlheran]

Oooh, nice progress!! I've been thinking about making a tractor or run like that since I found some PVC pipe in the barn. What kind of PVC is yours (or what is printed on the side)? Is it really flexible, or did you have to wrestle it?

IMHO, if you're going to be housing your chickens in this full time, you'll want some heavy wire -chicken wire keeps chickens in but it doesn't keep much out.

Are you going to have some kind of handles or some way of pulling it? Or will it be light enough to lift?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just very interested and curious!

 

[slystr]

y'know I was wrestling over the chix wire while I wa sin Home Depot. I went with the vinyl covered wire only because they had enough of it and not enough of the hardware cloth. They did have 2X4 welded wire in quantities but I don't have a bolt cutter. Would hardware cloth be strong enough?
Also I was going to attach the wire to the PVC, which is schedule 40, with outdoor rated zip ties. Will that work?
this thing should be light enough that I can get my DH to help me move it around. I don't have a lot of room in the yard for it so we won't be moving it too frequently.

 

[slystr]

PVC supports on OUTSIDE of frame