The newest proof my wife has that I'm a total wacko:
We will be using this as a day-range shelter during the growing season with a 165' poultry netting surrounding it.
I might need to put a shade cloth or tarp on it during parts of the summer or risk turning it into a giant solar oven.
It's got scissor joists inside to give it some strength as well as a mounting point for roosts. I have put poultry netting
in those triangle sections on the side (for ventilation) and a wooden door in the rectangle. I still need to cut in a small
door for the birds in the big man sized door. Feed and water will be provided out in the yard.
In the winter we will pile in a foot or so of shavings and overwinter layers or breeding stock. The back panel is
hinged so I call pull this right off the top of the shavings leaving behind a raised bed. Then I will move my pigs
(guinea hogs) onto it to dig out the corn I put under the shavings. When they are done tilling it up I hopefully
will be able to plant my crops in the raised bed.
I went to the Polyface Farm Field Day this summer and developed the idea from this:
This is their commercial pastured egg operation. They only use it in the growing season and overwinter the birds
in hoop houses. If you merge it and one of the hoop houses together into a single structure that can do both....
Well, maybe it looks like mine. I'll find out soon!
Edited to add: It's 10' x 16'
We will be using this as a day-range shelter during the growing season with a 165' poultry netting surrounding it.
I might need to put a shade cloth or tarp on it during parts of the summer or risk turning it into a giant solar oven.
It's got scissor joists inside to give it some strength as well as a mounting point for roosts. I have put poultry netting
in those triangle sections on the side (for ventilation) and a wooden door in the rectangle. I still need to cut in a small
door for the birds in the big man sized door. Feed and water will be provided out in the yard.
In the winter we will pile in a foot or so of shavings and overwinter layers or breeding stock. The back panel is
hinged so I call pull this right off the top of the shavings leaving behind a raised bed. Then I will move my pigs
(guinea hogs) onto it to dig out the corn I put under the shavings. When they are done tilling it up I hopefully
will be able to plant my crops in the raised bed.
I went to the Polyface Farm Field Day this summer and developed the idea from this:
This is their commercial pastured egg operation. They only use it in the growing season and overwinter the birds
in hoop houses. If you merge it and one of the hoop houses together into a single structure that can do both....
Well, maybe it looks like mine. I'll find out soon!
Edited to add: It's 10' x 16'
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