questions about poultry netting and hoop houses

[Gatorpit]

Hi there! I'm new here.

I've been looking at different coop types and designs, and am seriously considering a hoophouse type. I was hoping those of you who have a hoophouse (or know someone who does) might be willing to share some pics with me. I found a simple plan that I will probably be using (as a guideline anyway) but would really like to see what other people have done and hear about how it's worked for you.

Second issue...I've been looking at different wire mesh options. My initial idea was to do the enclosure in welded wire fencing(2x4 squares) and run 1/4 hardware cloth around the bottom 2ft. I was advised that welded wire tended to break apart after awhile, and that I'd be better off using poultry netting (chicken wire). I've got the same type of fencing AS fencing here, and it's been here for 12 years with no breakage, so I'm not sure I believe what this guy was telling me. However, poultry netting is *much* cheaper, and if it will hold up just as well, then...well, that would work too.


And, if poultry netting is an ok way to go, is there a difference between 1" poultry netting, and a product called Garden Zone Hex netting, which also has 1" gaps?

 

[perchie.girl]

Hi and

from San Diego,

Welded wire is fine for coops because it isn't messed with like for a fence for dogs or Kids trying to climb it and stuff. I Id go with half inch hardware cloth three feet high if i could. I had a raccoon take a Guinea leg off right through Chainlink.

Poultry netting is good for keeping poultry contained it doesn't protect them from predators. So using it for a partition inside a chicken coop is an excellent chioce.

There used to be a bunch of hoop houses on the coops pages take a look there.

Dont know where you are located but I was very interested in doing a hoop house with Cattle panels at one point. No hoops needed just a strong base frame.

happy building

deb

Hi there! I'm new here.

I've been looking at different coop types and designs, and am seriously considering a hoophouse type. I was hoping those of you who have a hoophouse (or know someone who does) might be willing to share some pics with me. I found a simple plan that I will probably be using (as a guideline anyway) but would really like to see what other people have done and hear about how it's worked for you.

Second issue...I've been looking at different wire mesh options. My initial idea was to do the enclosure in welded wire fencing(2x4 squares) and run 1/4 hardware cloth around the bottom 2ft. I was advised that welded wire tended to break apart after awhile, and that I'd be better off using poultry netting (chicken wire). I've got the same type of fencing AS fencing here, and it's been here for 12 years with no breakage, so I'm not sure I believe what this guy was telling me. However, poultry netting is *much* cheaper, and if it will hold up just as well, then...well, that would work too.


And, if poultry netting is an ok way to go, is there a difference between 1" poultry netting, and a product called Garden Zone Hex netting, which also has 1" gaps?

 

[afveteran88]

Hardware cloth is very expensive. I put it up inside my coop and seems like I spent alot on a overkill by my part. If I had to do over I would just put welded 2x4 wire and call it a day.

 

[lolita117]

I used 14 gauge welded wire for my run and put 36 inch tall poultry netting as a barrier around the bottom of my run with about 8 inches of overlay on the ground around the run. The poultry wire is ALOT cheaper than hardware cloth and with the added strength of the welded wire you don't need hardware cloth. Just make sure it is the 1 inch hex and not the 2 inch.

 

[lclough1998]

Welcome!
We built a hoop coop out of 2 cattle panels and 2 X 4's, we used the welded wire on the front and back and then put 3 foot chicken wire around the base, one foot on the ground and 2 feet up the walls. then covered it all in a tarp. I built a nest box with plywood, about 2 feet off the ground, i cut a hole in the back of the coop and attached a 9 inch by 4 foot board, like a diving board off the back to keep our goats out. The board is attached to the nest box stand and I cut a hole in the wire a bit smaller then a square kitty litter box, then cut the bottom off the kitty litter bucket and stuffed it in the hole, it wedged in tight with the extra wire. Hubby made a wood lid that we attach with a couple bungee cords to close it up every night. The coop just has a dirt floor. The door we just made a frame out of 2 x 2 and it locks with a sliding lock and is centered in the front. I ran two 2 X 3's for roosts the long way to the right of the door, the lower perch is one foot out from the wall and as the wall curves up, the next roost is farther in but it works. Then on the floor I put a 2 x4 up on its edge just to the right of the door parallel to the roosts and attached it to the frame. I have put shavings down but they scratched it all to one side, so I think under the roosts I will leave bare ground for them to poop on and put the shaving on the other side of the wood divider to scratch in. I left the tarp long on the door and attached it to the wood with small u shaped nails and staple gun. I roll the tarp up and down on the door depending on the weather and it allows some air to get in but blocks most of it.

I love our coop, its plenty big for the 9 hens and 1 roo that are in it. Hope this help

 

[redhotchick]

Hey Man,Here is one thing I did not hear anyone say about netting.I use it my self & love it.However,there is a serious problem with it.You need put a barrier around the bottom of the enclosure. My rooster has got hung up in the net a few times.Now its because of him trying to fight another rooster thru the net,but it can happen for any reason.I can home one day to find my prize rooster handing upside down by one of his feet.There was not much fight in him by then.He is ok,but it scared the crap outta me. Build your pen how you want.Common sence goes a long way here.Your chickens will tell you the rest. Make sure to listen to them! Also,there is netting on ebay for cheaper. Make sure you get the heavy netting.It is some good stuff.I use 2 inch myself & it works fine. Buy it way bigger than you need. It does not strech like you would think. The most inportant things to remember is safty and VENTALATION VENTALITION VENTALATION. They gotta breathe!

 

[Gatorpit]

Thanks giuys! I'm going to look into cattle panels, but from what I've seen so far, the ones that are labeled specifically "cattle panels" are 4x16 with 1'x1' squares cost $21 each. Those would have to be completely covered in welded wire, and then skirted. I would likely go ahead and use hardware cloth for skirting because we have TONS of coons here, and I gather poultry netting doesn't really hold up against predators. There's also goat and sheep panels, that appear to have 4-5 inch squares (it didn't actually say on the webpage) and is 5 x 16 feet. These would do away with the need to cover the entire thing with welded wire, but they cost $50 each, and the bottom would still need to be skirted.

I was bored the other week and used the skills I've been learning in school to create a 3D model of a coop design I sketched up last year, and while I like the design, I'm afraid it would just be too expensive to build right now.

Here it is: http://bubasti333.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d4l07ij

I can still use the hen house part of the design and have it coming off the back of the hoop house.

So my next question is, with a 16 foot panel, how wide does the base have to be to allow an arc of around 5-6 feet at the center of the hoop house (in order to get in there without having to bend in half while working? (Did I phrase that so as it makes sense? lol)

 

[redhotchick]

Hey man,you need to work on your plans! Its hard to see your vision! OMG! I thought that was a real coop! You are fine.Dont worry so much about this.It is real easy. For sure worry about those racoons though.They are the number 1 preditor. The only reason I use netting is I have a real good chicken dog. His job it to watch my birds & he takes it seriouslly. That coop you have planned is real cool man,I like it alot.

 

[Gatorpit]

Thank you! I'm a chick though, lol. I would LOVE to have a good watch dog, but well...you see my avatar? That's my "dog". The cats routinely use him as practice for rabbit hunting. I don't think he'd fare to well against our coons., lol

 

[perchie.girl]

I like your design. Why not build that?

WRT the arc height its not going to be a half circle it will be a Parabula. Meaning it will go up reasonably straight at the base and arc more and more rapidly as it bends toward the top. I suspect in order to stand up the base would need to be about six feet wide. I also suspect the height will wind up being about six feet.... give or take an inch or two.

deb

Thanks giuys! I'm going to look into cattle panels, but from what I've seen so far, the ones that are labeled specifically "cattle panels" are 4x16 with 1'x1' squares cost $21 each. Those would have to be completely covered in welded wire, and then skirted. I would likely go ahead and use hardware cloth for skirting because we have TONS of coons here, and I gather poultry netting doesn't really hold up against predators. There's also goat and sheep panels, that appear to have 4-5 inch squares (it didn't actually say on the webpage) and is 5 x 16 feet. These would do away with the need to cover the entire thing with welded wire, but they cost $50 each, and the bottom would still need to be skirted.

I was bored the other week and used the skills I've been learning in school to create a 3D model of a coop design I sketched up last year, and while I like the design, I'm afraid it would just be too expensive to build right now.

Here it is: http://bubasti333.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d4l07ij

I can still use the hen house part of the design and have it coming off the back of the hoop house.

So my next question is, with a 16 foot panel, how wide does the base have to be to allow an arc of around 5-6 feet at the center of the hoop house (in order to get in there without having to bend in half while working? (Did I phrase that so as it makes sense? lol)