Hoop Coops*UPDATE!*It's finished! New Pics pg. 3

[Moonwalker]

The chicken wire has a few purposes. A) to make the front and back walls, B) keep small critters like rats, opossums, skunks etc. from getting in and C) to keep not so smart chickens from getting their heads caught between the hog panels and the tarp.
Next time I make one of these, I will put the chicken wire on BEFORE I put the corner braces and any interior boards, roosts etc. It's easier to cut a hole in an existing wall of chicken wire than to try and cut it to fit around the boards! (again, trial and error is a great teacher)

 

[Moonwalker]

I got the chicken wire around the sides and on the back and front. I put wire on the door (I cheated, I stole a door we had used for the dog pen). I hung the door. Then I got out my 12'x16' tarp. Since the coop is about 10ft long and the hog panels are 16ft long, I figured that would be the perfect size.
(by the way, I didn't take pics cuz it was getting dark by the time I finished. I'll take them tomorrow)

So, I folded a rope, threw the middle over the top, attached the ends to the appropriate corners, went around the other side and pulled the tarp up and over. YAY!
I pulled and tugged till I got it right back to front, with the expected excess on the ends. Then I pulled it down to the frame at the bottom and fastened it down. I walked around to the other side and it is SHORT by about 18"!! un
I guess that's what I get for trying to save a couple bucks by buying at Big Lots. Apparently, it was an irregular and was a bit short.

SO now I have to either go get another, smaller tarp to fit the remaining space, or just go to Home Depot and get the proper size.

 

[chickenannie]

Maybe the 18 inches will provide ventilation???

 

[Moonwalker]

There is plenty of ventilation at the ends, because the tarp will only come down about 1 ft on the ends. In bad or cold weather, an additional tarp can be secured to the end and front to keep heat in.
If the tarp doesn't go all the way down to the bottom, it will allow the wind to come up under it and not only make a wind tunnel out of it, but possibly flip it over.
I decided to just go ahead and do what I SHOULD have done the first time: Go to Home Depot and get the right size. I can always use the other one to cover the 49 Plymouth I am working on.

 

[chickenannie]

Can't wait to see your pics. Are you planning to move it daily? or if not, are you going to attach it to the ground in case of wind?

I priced cattle panels today at $20 per panel. Just curious what you got yours for (and how you got them home). They won't even fit into my Dad's pickup with an 8-ft bed.

 

[okiehen]

I have a hoop coop I'll have to get a few pictures when it stops raining.
Very easy to put together. And there is room for 7 chickens easy, I have 3 hens and a roo in mine.

 

[Moonwalker]

I got mine at Tractor Supply. The Cattle panels were $16.98 and the combo panels were $22.98
I was faced with the same proble. I have a truck with an 8ft bed, but it has a camper shell. I was lucky that a friend was also there at the same time. All you have to do is to set them up on edge and curve them around. We managed to fit 6 of them in the back of a standard sized pick up. Just make sure you have a couple of straps or some rope to secure them.
But even at $20 each that's $40 for the panels, around $8-$10 for the 2x4's, $8-$10 for the chicken wire, $10-$15 for the tarp and a few bucks for hardware, nails and zip ties. SO the total:is less that $100.00 for a movable, walk-in coop, 8'x10'6'high.
I probably won't move it daily, at least not till the chicks are quite a bit larger. I won;t be putting the nest boxes in for a while yet either. It is starting to be warm enough for them to be outdoors with a heat lamp at night. I will move the brooder out there soon and they will be able to come out on warm sunny days.
I am going to make some sort of temporary partition for the ducks, so they can have room to play, but the chiocks can't get to their swimming pool. I found a nice big plastic washtub for them. Later, I will get a kiddie pool.

 

[Moonwalker]

I finally got it finished!
I have it divided for now, with the ducks on one side and the goats on the other. By the time the chicks are old enough to go out there, The goats will be able to go in their new pen and I will have another pen made for the ducks.

Waist high divider

250 watt heat lamp over a pan of shavings.

I know they would like a bigger swimming pool, but for now, the tub will do so they won't turn the entire pen into a swamp.

 

[chickenannie]

Hey, that looks great! Good work. Can I pay you to build mine!!

It looks very neat and professional.

 

[Moonwalker]

LOL! I wouldn't go so far as to say professional, but it did turn out rather nicely, especially since it was a one-man(err, woman) job. But thanks anyway!!

The next one will be even easier. I am thinking of making the bottom frame out of PVC pipe to make it more flexible to contour closer to the ground.