Greenhouse Hoops - Spacing Question!

[donniedarko]

Hi All,

I'm going to be building an aviary out of greenhouse hoops. They are 14ft wide and about 6ft tall with their current curvature.

I'll be using some heavy 1"-1.5" netting. UV resistant....and screwing the hoops into a wooden base.

My question is, how far apart can I space the hoops? I have 10 of them...and the only mention of spacing i can reference was another individuals design, posted on this forum, which was at 6ft per hoop.


Thanks!!!!!

 

[1lpoock]

You might be talking about my design... We have ours spaced 6' apart and I think it's perfect. Any farther apart the netting would sag too much and any closer would be a waste. You can check my site for construction pictures of it! What are you planning on putting in there?

 

[donniedarko]

I think that was it

We are planning on putting in our call ducks, (Snowy, Grey, Pastel, White, ect...) a pair of Indies and some future wild ducks (ie. Wood, Mand.,).

So if I were to keep it at 6ft spacing it would be 14ft wide by 60ft long.

Or break it up into two.

 

[1lpoock]

Yeah you have to take into account the size of your netting too. We put netting over the whole thing except the ends. We used chicken wire for that. However, you do know that your call ducks will cross breed if you put them in a big pen all together.

 

[giffy]

The 1 3/8 "top rail" you have attaching them together can also be used down the length of both sides for additional support. Biggest problem lies in snow areas. Also, you can use larger line posts set in the ground at any length for the hoops to slide into. That would allow you to go higher than your six feet.

giffy
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[donniedarko]

giffy - very nice! I hope that is what ours will look like when completed.

1lpoock - Yes of course?. My interest isn't so much into breeding as it is just for having them around as a hobby. We have several breeding pens already created for those pairs we wish to breed. They are the typical 4 legged box style.

 

[1lpoock]

Oh ok just making sure....can't wait to see pics of the construction!

 

[donniedarko]

1lpoock & giffy - What size lumber did you use for your base? and how tall?

Giffy's looks like he used 2x4's...but then it looks like a 2x6 on-top. Not sure if that stayed or not. I'm guess it was just for leveling or something.

I've seen other designs that use a 2x4 on the bottom, plywood put in between, then another 2x4.

Just curious!!

 

[giffy]

Quote:
I started with one 2x6, attached the base posts and set it in place. The second 2x6 was added to tie it all on together. Height.......just depends on how long you make the base post that your hoop frame sets into.

Make everything easy for yourself to get into/out of. Too short and you have to hunch over to walk around in.

Remember too that you are going to need to either bury wire around the base or lay it and cover it out about 15 inches around the base to keep critters from digging into your new pen.

I did not use flight netting as I always had a problem with raccoons. The one pictured was covered with pvc coated 1 inch hex wire............never had a problem with it.

giffy
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[1lpoock]

Yes I second that about making it easy for you to get into. I'm glad we made ours as tall as we did, we are in their doing things all the time.

We first made a bottom frame out of 2x6. Then there is the 16" OSB sight barrier with a 2x4 frame on top. There is also 2x4 supports that run vertically from the top 2x4 to the bottom 2x6 to have something to screw the OSB too.

The reason a sight barrier works on mine is because my hoops are vertical for a few feet and then they curve, Giffy's only are vertical for about a foot and then curve. We made ours a bit higher so we could add the sight barrier.

We have netting on ours and haven't had a problem. However, we have a solar powered electric fence running around the sight barrier.