Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

No problem. I will get some pictures taken of some of the details.

I would like some more pictures too, could you show how you connected the panels to the "ridge pole".

Did you use 4x4s for the base?

Is the covering tarp or just plastic?



Mistah

Again BC is right, taking a chick to a vet is not cost effective. We all feel really bad when we have to cull. but it is part of bird owning. I am like you I hang on too long before doing it. but I would never got to a vet with a bird.

But I thought about it with Bert. However, his genetics just did not make it worth it. but there is a point where I stop taking my dogs to vets. I have had to "put down" a couple of my dogs as it was the best thing for them and us, I can tell you putting a chick down is easy compared to that.

I find it hard to locate the balance between being a pet and just an animal that is suffering. I hope you find that spot. Good luck and have a strong one ready to chug when you do the deed. Maybe 2, one before and one after, followed by a chaser, followed by a second level chaser.........( you get the idea)

 

[duluthralphie]

Hey Ralphie welcome back. Glad Ma had the chooks in good order. Bless her heart.

I can't remember anything either today. Rough night of sleep or something. I drove like crap to work. Good thing its a small po-dunk town. Putting on my brakes here and there for no reason. Scared the crap out of myself. I think I need to go back to bed.

The pup wakes up at 5:30 each morning. She has to go potty. And the sky this morning was as orange as any orange peel. It was glowing orange off the dirt driveway. I took pictures but they did not do the color justice. It was amazing. The shades in the bedroom were even glowing orange. Beautiful. But Rain and thunderstorms today...so that's why the color I suppose. "Red skies in morning sailors take warning."

The red orange hue was unbelievable!

Our bedroom faces east and it was like living on mars!

When I started my coffee regiment, the western skies were even red, then the lightning was amazing. The rain was hard but not a lot of wind here. Now I am suffering with 79 degrees and 81% humidity!

 

[KlopKlop]

And the sky this morning was as orange as any orange peel.   It was glowing orange off the dirt driveway.  I took pictures but they did not do the color justice.  It was amazing.  The shades in the bedroom were even glowing orange.  Beautiful.  But Rain and thunderstorms today...so that's why the color I suppose.  "Red skies in morning sailors take warning."

It was angry here as well

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Klop Klop you got the color. Ralphie I should have put on a pot of coffee instead of trying to get back to sleep and enjoyed the glow. Amazing sunrise.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Well, unlike you crazy people, I stayed in bed until the rain stopped. We got over an inch this morning. Our youngest dog, Willow, freaks out over thunder now. She is 3 and never did that until this spring. Go figure. I think it is all something to do with her getting attention from my husband who spoils the heck out of her. She is finally learning that our bed is not her bed.

I knew that watering the garden yesterday would bring the rain. It was in the forecast for us over the weekend, but we only got a couple of sprinkles. We needed it.

 

[KlopKlop]

I wish I was able to stay in bed that long. We have had nearly 1.5" today here and it looks like we may be done

 

[scandiafowl]

I drove to work in that mess. It's been a while since I've watched a semi fishtail.


Speaking of doing the deed @duluthralphie, It took two shots of bourbon for me to cut Sunshine's throat.

Or maybe I just like bourbon.

 

[NikonD2xer]

I will try to explain what i did to build my hoop house for everyone interested. I am sorry for the long post to everyone else.

First thing I did was to figure out the width i wanted by arching one of the panels so i knew how much head room I had inside. I think most panels at 16 feet long. I got mine at Tractor Supply for 20 bucks each. They are 50 inches tall. The overall dimension of the hoop house is really a personal preference. I used 4 panels

Here is the link to the photos https://www.backyardchickens.com/g/a/7050199/hoop-house-coop/

The Base:

4 x 6 treated timber. Cut lap joints in the corners and joined them with construction adhesive and a large bolt. I wanted it to be strong enough to be able to be pulled or lifted by a tractor if the coop needed to be moved. There is also a 4 x 6 timber across the coop at the midway point. I used large lag bolts the are installed from the outside as well as a double joist hanger(slightly modified to fit 4 x 6).

The Hoops:

The panels are nailed to the inside of the base with "U" shaped fence staples. I put a 2x4 on the ground and set the panels on that to get a consistent height and to ease with nailing them. If the panel are not even on the bottom they won't be on top either. I cut the corner of the back panels to reach over the back 4 x6 so that back wall would flush with the base. I used hog rings to tie the panels to each other and foam sill plate insulation over the joints to prevent any punctures through the tarp. The foam is a pain. The chickens destroyed it where they could.

The Door(s):

I looked at the arch of the hoops and the height of the door and compromised. Mine is 30 inches wide and 62 inches tall. Because of the arch the door height is limited, so watch your head going in. I would have liked it to wide enough for a wheel barrow but it is not bad at all.
I framed for doors on both ends just for future flexibility. The door is covered with hardware cloth.

Ridge beam and center post:

I used 2 2 x 4's as a beam to make the panels more sturdy. I didn't want my to collapse like some i saw online. I installed a center post on the 4 x 6 cross brace. It is just 2 2 x 4 screwed together. there is a ridge bean from the front door header to the center post and a beam from the center post to the rear door header. The panels are now nailed with fence staples to the top of the ridge beam.

End Walls: The walls are just 2 x4's cut to the height of the panel and fastened on top with fence staple and screwed to the bottom base. The back wall is covered with plywood and the front is covered with hardware cloth.

The Tarp:

The tarp I got is a the heavy duty silver one i bought at Menards. I think is was a 20 x 20 for around 50 dollars. I wrapped the tarp around 2 x 4's and screwed them down to the base. Same with the back except it is just screwed to the back wall. Nothing fancy and I have never had a problem with it at all except the one small hole caused by the lawn mower.



OK guys and galls i think that is it. Feel free to ask me anything about my hoop house if there is something I didn't explain well enough or i didn't get the photos you wanted.

 

[KlopKlop]

I will try to explain what i did to build my hoop house for everyone interested.  I am sorry for the long post to everyone else.  

First thing I did was to figure out the width i wanted by arching one of the panels so i knew how much head room I had inside.  I think most panels at 16 feet long.  I got mine at Tractor Supply for 20 bucks each. They are 50 inches tall.  The overall dimension of the hoop house is really a personal preference. I used 4 panels

Here is the link to the photos  https://www.backyardchickens.com/g/a/7050199/hoop-house-coop/  

The Base:

4 x 6 treated timber.  Cut lap joints in the corners and joined them with construction adhesive and a large bolt.  I wanted it to be strong enough to be able to be pulled or lifted by a tractor if the coop needed to be moved.  There is also a 4 x 6 timber across the coop at the midway point.  I used large lag bolts the are installed from the outside as well as a double joist hanger(slightly modified to fit 4 x 6).   

The Hoops:

The panels are nailed to the inside of the base with "U" shaped fence staples.  I put a 2x4 on the ground and set the panels on that to get a consistent height and to ease with nailing them.  If the panel are not even on the bottom they won't be on top either.  I cut the corner of the back panels to reach over the back 4 x6 so that back wall would flush with the base.  I used hog rings to tie the panels to each other and foam sill plate insulation over the joints to prevent  any punctures through the tarp.  The foam is a pain.  The chickens destroyed it where they could.

The Door(s):

I looked at the arch of the hoops and the height of the door and compromised.  Mine is 30 inches wide and 62 inches tall.  Because of the arch the door height is limited, so watch your head going in.  I would have liked it to wide enough for a wheel barrow but it is not bad at all.
I framed for doors on both ends just for future flexibility.  The door is covered with hardware cloth.

Ridge beam and center post:

I used 2 2 x 4's as a beam to make the panels more sturdy.  I didn't want my to collapse like some i saw online.  I installed a center post on the 4 x 6 cross brace.  It is just 2 2 x 4 screwed together. there is a ridge bean from the front door header to the center post and a beam from the center post to the rear door header.  The panels are now nailed with fence staples to the top of the ridge beam.  

End Walls:  The walls are just 2 x4's cut to the height of the panel and fastened on top with fence staple and screwed to the bottom base. The back wall is covered with plywood and the front is covered with hardware cloth.

The Tarp:

The tarp I got is a the heavy duty silver one i bought at Menards.  I think is was a 20 x 20 for around 50 dollars.  I wrapped the tarp around 2 x 4's and screwed them down to the base.  Same with the back except it is just screwed to the back wall.  Nothing fancy and I have never had a problem with it at all except the one small hole caused by the lawn mower.



OK guys and galls i think that is it.  Feel free to ask me anything about my hoop house if there is something I didn't explain well enough or i didn't get the photos you wanted.

That is fantastic! It looks very well built. My only question is, do you worry that predators (most likely coons) could tear through the tarp and reach or squeeze through the panel holes? I was thinking I would run a 3 foot course of hardware cloth down the bottom of each side/open end. Maybe you don't have coons where you are and that isn't a concern

 

[Cyrus83]

That is fantastic! It looks very well built. My only question is, do you worry that predators (most likely coons) could tear through the tarp and reach or squeeze through the panel holes? I was thinking I would run a 3 foot course of hardware cloth down the bottom of each side/open end. Maybe you don't have coons where you are and that isn't a concern

Is there a place in this hemisphere without raccoon's?