I am really thinking about making a hoop run this year for my chickens. I have a run right now but it was extreamly hard to keep the run dry. The plastic i had on the top kept getting holes in it. So my big question is, what kind of pvc to use? I live in indiana and it is a pain with the weather. Like say some years it snows quite a bit, and some it doesn't. Also it can get kind of hot, 95 at times. I heard that pvc gets brittle in the sun. Is there some kind of type that dosen't get brittle in the sun? And would it be strong enough to hold snow or ice? Cuz thats a big deal, i dont want to even think about it if it will be weak and not do its job on keeping the birds in and things out. Or standing up to the weather. So other hoop run people what did you do and did you use pvc? Thanks.
I used 2 hog panels (i think thats what they are called), bent them between 2 X 6 frame, so its 6 feet wide by 9 feet long, then covered the bottom with chicken wire, enclose the open ends with 2 X 4 inch welded fence wire and dh made a walk in door at one end and covered the whole thing with tarp, leaving ventilation holes at the top of the front and back. Love it, need to make another...
I make a sectional mobile coop and run for my garden. It stand up well to snow. When it's wet and during the winter I cover the run this way And when it hot and I need shade the can be cover like this. The runs are made from 2"x4" welded wire fencing and the only tubing I use is for reinforcement of my watering station.
