Modified Hoop Coop Design Development

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found this :
about 1/2 way down.. I can not load the pic though http://cricketsongfarm.blogspot.com/2014/04/green-house-made-from-cattle-panels.html

LARGE GREEN HOUSE MADE WITH CATTLE PANELS

*we made a large 26' by 60' green house using 2 panels joined end to end with staples on a high center wooden beam, supported, by tall cedar posts. ( We used 10 sets of 2 panels to make it 60 feet long). The panels were also supported and stapled in the center, with more wooden beams, on both sides and then stapled them to large cedar posts laid along the ground. We covered it with fiberglass and boarded up the ends. Using a good quality 3/4 plywood the wood was cut to the shape of the arches and the edge of the panel stapled to the plywood. Framed in a door and made a screen door to fit. We had this greenhouse for many years until one of our renters tore it down. Sorry it was about 20 years ago, I don't have a photograph so I tried to do a sketch for you.​
 
Hopefully the side will be facing prevailing winds....curves handle winds pretty well I would think.
Once all those panels are tightly fastened to the posts and to each other and the HC cladding is well attached, it should be a pretty strong structure.
 
aart said:
Hopefully the side will be facing prevailing winds....curves handle winds pretty well I would think.
Once all those panels are tightly fastened to the posts and to each other and the HC cladding is well attached, it should be a pretty strong structure.
Click to expand...

Ok cool. I can see that now. Molpet, thanks for the links, I had read Blooie's file a while back, and it was good to refresh on it since it too is made using t-posts. And good to see the Cricket Song Farm stuff.

Got the site chosen and cleared today. Am very excited because it is a niche in the edge of the forest so it is shaded with pine and deciduous, is significantly cooler in the niche, will have the front of the coop out where it will get morning sun.


@Molpet
@aart
 
First, thank you to Aart and everyone on here who contributed. We were able to clear a shaded niche in the forest edge so the translucent tarp will not create any greenhouse effect, and no need to use shadecloth. In winter, the lower sun path will shine in the coop, and the deciduous trees will also be bare, letting more sunlight in. The evergreens will help break winter winds.

Decided to go ahead and post pics of the coop we are building, even tho not yet finished. Still to come is hardware cloth cladding plus tarp, interior roosts etc.
Size is 8' x 24'. Had to cut 2 separate cattle panels to get each one 8' long to add to the 16' piece on each side, but we can always use pieces of cattle panels for various applications.

I almost had this post finished and a slip of the finger lost it, so having to start over. ::sigh::


1) Foundation. Ground was sloped so the foundation had to be raised to level to make the arches true. It was decided to make a "bathtub" of the hardware cloth instead of digging it in to the perimeter for predator protection, because of so many roots in the ground and also it would have entailed digging next to the buried t-posts that depend on the integrity of the ground to stay anchored. We'll fill it in with sod complete with insects and plant cover to entertain the keets during their "confinement" period to ensure they know this is home. Will leave some slope for drainage. Will eventually be using deep litter method.




2) First arch piece up. Realized afterward should have started in the back to make it easier to add each piece. Easy to make the arch and easy to attach with it sitting right on top of the perimeter-base cattle panels.



3) Close-up of the junction between perimeter-base and arches. That was the one t-post we pounded in too far, wouldn't you know it that would be the one I photographed?



4) View from inside looking out across the field. Distances are much longer than they appear.



5) Door is over 6' high. Note zipties closing up the hardware cloth on the floor. All long ends have been snipped off.



6) Cross-ties for stability and we expect the guineas will roost up there, they like to fly to roosts. Will put some roosts lower for juveniles but our 5-week olds will love flying that high.



MORE TO COME!!
 
WHOAA!!! SWEET!! :-D

Edge to edge on the panels worked out good, huh?

How stable is the hoop...does it 'sway' at all? I imagined more tpost contact than (the what, 8" or so?) you've got.

How did you attach wood bracing to panels...some close up pics maybe?

So glad you're posting process pics...thanks!
 
aart said:
WHOAA!!! SWEET!! :-D

Edge to edge on the panels worked out good, huh?

How stable is the hoop...does it 'sway' at all? I imagined more tpost contact than (the what, 8" or so?) you've got.

How did you attach wood bracing to panels...some close up pics maybe?

So glad you're posting process pics...thanks!
Click to expand...

I think it is REALLY sweet :-D Yes, the edge to edge on the panels worked out PERFECTLY. It's much better than it would have been trying to overlap or something, really fits together well and just sat there very cooperative while we ziptied it together. Yes, it's about 8", the contact area of the t-post with hoops/arches. We bought 7' posts thinking that was adequate but because of the uneven slope more of the post was eaten up than expected-- we should have used 8' posts. And, I was very nervous but we really feel the 8" is working sufficiently. More would be better but would always need to make sure the post does not rise above the curve of the arch. There are 6 hoops, which means 12 t-posts to a side. It's very strong.

Prior to putting in the bracing on the ends and the cross-ties, but after tying the hoop panels together, there was some movement if you grabbed a side and shook it, but it was surprisingly solid. After the door and other end bracing, and then after the cross-ties, almost no movement. And we still have the hardware cloth to add (currently in process).

The cross-ties are attached using a type of Simpson Ties, flat plates that are bendable (can't find on their website). I'll take pics. There is a large selection of these ties available at Lowe's, usually on an aisle-end-cap with a huge range. We used a different Simpson Tie to hold together the two 12-ft-long 2x4 that make up the long sides of the base-- our handyfriend (in green shirt) said that the tie he used wasn't even meant for that but it worked perfectly. So, creative purposing.

We wound up cutting off several inches of the last hoop panel to fit into 24'. And, we'll be putting in a pop-door (chickendoors.com), but didn't need it right away.

I'm thrilled. It's positively palatial.
 
Yes, really, really, REALLY sweet!!

Yeah, the edge to edge really is easier than you might think.....1/4" rods are 'huge' compared to fence wire.....and way more 'elegant' than overlapping.
So great to see a design conversation come to fruition.

Keep taking pics!

Mind if I share one of your pics on another site and privately?
Want to show the 'high hoop' coop concept.
 
Last edited:
aart said:
Yes, really, really, REALLY sweet!!

Yeah, the edge to edge really is easier than you might think.....1/4" rods are 'huge' compared to fence wire.....and way more 'elegant' than overlapping.
So great to see a design conversation come to fruition.

Keep taking pics!

Mind if I share one of your pics on another site and privately?
Want to show the 'high hoop' coop concept.
Click to expand...
I will keep taking pics-- I want to share this with others so feel free to share pics. When it's finished I want to share on the Guinea thread here on BWC.

Way more elegant, throughout, not to overlap, whether at the side seam or overhead.

I will hope to do an article for BWC so it's easy to find. This is a new concept and extremely useful.

Yes, totally marvelous to have this idea, collaborate on design, and have it come to fruition and have it be easier and better than dreamed.
 

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