"The Stress Free Chicken Tractor"--my thoughts on modifying and winterizing; feedback please

[3KillerBs]

I don't see a framing plan but the span is tiny - 2x4s will carry 10# of dead load and 20# of snow load (about 14" of snow) over that span with less than 1/360 deflection, when spaced 2' oc.

So I'm not worried much about loads unless this thing is built with toothpicks.
That said, a tarp won't take those loads, or if it does, it won't for long. Expect it to tear where it transitions from supported to unsupported.

The frame seems to be made from electrical conduit.

 

[Sunshine_Amy]

Thank you @U_Stormcrow for your thoughts on the roofing question, in any case, and you too @aart .

We had a quality tarped carport at one point. The tarp held up beautifully and looked like new when we moved four years later. It was attached very taught, and didn't have the slumpy thing going on that you see with some (including the above image), where the tarp is permitted to sink between the supports. I don't recall the spacing of the beams, but I think the biggest thing is it had going on was a perfectly tailored fit, and knobbed bungie fasteners threaded through several grommets to pick up any remaining slack. I don't think I can approach its perfection, but I can add extra grommets and get it certainly more taught than a summer tractor would require. Aesthetically I might prefer supports every 2 feet, to line up with the huddle house front wall, so that's also a likelihood. For what it's worth, I may have neglected to mention that there is also going to be hardware cloth under the tarp, providing support from slumping as well. There's also a stabilizing ridge pole (conduit) running the length of the roof to keep everything true.


More thoughts on ventilation:

I'm thinking of screwing these corrugated roofing supports (sans the corrugated roofing) horizontally along the outer sides of the litter area (curves touching the tarp), to ensure side ventilation up the tarp edge:

I'm also considering increasing the size of the through-way of lateral air flow, as shown below. Is this overdoing it? I liked the roost heights better before, but I want to make sure that the 6 square feet of air movement @3KillerBs named can actually exchange with the adjacent air. What do you think? (Changes shown in red, with a triangle above the summer birds just to show their new relative position, which is lower):

 

[3KillerBs]

Best I can tell -- and I'll admit that I'm not at my best right now since it's my first day fully out of bed after a severe illness and I'm dragging -- that looks good from a ventilation standpoint.

I tend toward the over-engineering side so I'm still a little nervous about the structural support for snow load problem with the conduit as a framework. I don't have any numbers to back that up, just a general unease about light structures without the inherent strength of an arch.

 

[Sunshine_Amy]

THanks, @3KillerBs , and good health to you. Let me know if your thoughts change, and if you still find the original plan sufficient.

Thanks, too, for your thoughts on the structural support. I'll proceed with caution on that.

 

[aart]

It was attached very taught, and didn't have the slumpy thing going on that you see with some (including the above image), where the tarp is permitted to sink between the supports.

Tautness makes a huge difference.
Good Luck.

 

[Sunshine_Amy]

Thank you all so much for your help. I’m excited to build this in the coming month. If you have any further thoughts or suggestions, I welcome them. I will probably check this thread tomorrow, but will be off-line for a week after that. Best wishes to all, and thanks again, I’ve learned so much from each of you!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thank you all so much for your help. I’m excited to build this in the coming month. If you have any further thoughts or suggestions, I welcome them. I will probably check this thread tomorrow, but will be off-line for a week after that. Best wishes to all, and thanks again, I’ve learned so much from each of you!

Good luck on your chickens keeping Journey. The build goes smoothly for you. You know where to find us if you have questions though I admit I can't be much help with the EMT