PVC Pipe For Run Roof

[tnchickenut]

I'm trying my best to remember (I have been out of the service for 10 years now) what we called the posts, but the camo netting that gets thrown over tanks, makeshift command centers, ect. have these posts that have "paddles" that hold up the netting. It would be perfect. Just pop a couple in there and it will hold the netting up. I bet if you could locate it, it would be cheaper than PVC or anything else. Completely mobile too. It is what I would do if I had a round run.

 

[cherylcohen]

We've since put a real roof on but this is what we did. Worked perfectly for us.

 

[Kansaseq]

Someone on here made arches out of pvc, attached it to the frame of a chain link kennel, and put chicken wire or hardware cloth over it. I'll see if I can find the pix. I plan to do the same thing.

 

[bison]

My run is a hoop house made out of cattle panels, which is pretty much the same concept as the arched PVC (but much stronger). The problem with that system in this application is that this run is circular, 20' in diameter. I like tnchickenut's idea about the posts and "paddles". Maybe instead of a 6x6 post you could use a 4 to 6" PVC as a center post, with a flange at the top of it with the netting attached to the flange.

This is what I mean by a flange: http://jieyuindustry.com/UploadFiles/2008111891124290.jpg

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

The problem with that system in this application is that this run is circular, 20' in diameter.

If it's 100 ft of wire in a PERFECT circle, the diameter is a little over 31 ft

100 / Pi (3.14) = 31.84

There aren't going to be any easy ways of covering it​

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
If it's 100 ft of wire in a PERFECT circle, the diameter is a little over 31 ft

100 / Pi (3.14) = 31.84

There aren't going to be any easy ways of covering it

I still say about three "paddle" type structures (in a triangle) would work (like a circus tent)... and be much cheaper than trying to span the whole diameter.

 

[patandchickens]

If you got no snow, a tall central pole well-set in the ground and topped with a tire, with 2x4s or strong cable going out to your run fence (or beyond) like the spokes of a wheel only slanted downwards from the pole to the run fence, could support a large piece of aviary netting. That would probably run you into the $300+ range but would work, except perhaps if very high winds were a problem.

However with snow load involved there is really not a lot you can do that won't cost a LOT, and still have collapse under snow load be a concern. Any material you use WILL catch significant snow (at least when it's a wet snow) and sag/rip unless very very very strongly supported at close intervals.

Have you considered just building areas of cover in the run so the chickens are never too far from somewhere they can duck underneath to get away from a hawk? Brush piles, little table-shaped or a-frame things (someone here uses pallets wired together as a low 'A', which sounds quite sensible to me), etc. That would be far more feasible.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[bison]

Making a circus tent with the netting seems like the only inexpensive option with the run like it is... But they are right, the snow load may not allow this. Would it be possible for you to re-layout the run so that it is not a circle but a rectangle instead? It would be alot easier to span with PVC then. What kind of fence posts do you have?

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
Oh, yeah... I didn't even think of snow. I'm in TN. lol. Guess there is a point there.

 

[joshiewashie]

So what ended up happening? I think that there really would be a lot of great things that are available for people to get roofing taken care of for their homes for their chickens. You might want to even contact a roofer that is local who might have some extra shingles from a job that they'd be willing to sell you for cheap. I know that there really is a lot of options out there. But that is just an idea. www.rtsroofs.com