Tractor or Arch or HELP!!!

[rsf31tmp]

I rent a farm in Central, IL and I am an active member of this site and love it.
In my coop today I have about 16-18 hens and 2-3 roosters. I have a second pen with temporary shelter for another 7 pullets that I hatched. Inside the coop, I have another 10 one month old chicks. In my basement brooder is another 17 chicks that are about 10 days old.

I raise the chickens as a hobby and love to eat the awesome eggs. I would like to try a few young roos/cockerals as meat birds. I really enjoy hatching my own chicks.

I am now needing more space. I am handy and have worked for many years as a carpenter. I don't have a lot of cash. I love the idea of the tractor/arch as a movable space to raise hens, meat birds and even to breed chickens.

I am looking for the best plans for these two different chicken set-ups. I am also looking for ways to do this fairly cheaply.

Please email me, or post here and pictures or plans you have for these. Any safe, sturdy, strong, fairly weather proof (warm summers/cold winters) plans would be great.

eamil [email protected]


thanks

 

[BeccaOH]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=172799
Try this thread.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:

Yup, the hoop coop! It's will be ther best thing for your needs. Beth and Mike have basicly done step by step pictures.

 

[rsf31tmp]

Like it a lot. What is the cost? TSC has cattle pannels for $21.99 so two of those...$43.98 plus the wood? What is the size of the base?

I like it, but not crazy about the tarp....cold winters and lots of snow....great summer housing

 

[BeccaOH]

I did my base with two 8-foot 4x4s on the sides and two 2x4s that are (if I remember correctly) 8 foot on the ends. I used treated lumber. I covered the panels with plastic netting, but it really isn't necessary with the tarp on there. I filled in the ends with extra 2x4 fencing I had from chicken runs.

I actually do use mine here in Ohio through the winter. I add extra plastic wind break around the bottom and use a double layer of tarp and banked the north side with a couple layers of straw bales. The first year I kept 6 BR turkey in mine. This year I had a flock of around 19 chickens in there. I had a little comb frostbite on the chickens, but otherwise they did fine. I love that I can move the hoop all over my yard.

I want to build another for a greenhouse.

 

[rsf31tmp]

I like what I am reading.... thinking a few different things:

1) would like to use treated 2 x 6's as runners on the sides

2) would like to have ends that are more sturdy

3) might build a small light coop on the closed end instead of the tarps, it mighht weigh a lot more, but I am big and strong and if it is too heavy, I will add wheels or pull with a tractor

4) was thinking about having a three sides mini shed on the closed end like a cattle run-in?

5) maybe having nest boxes out the far end on the closed side?

6) 2 cattle pannels at 50 inches is 100 inches x 9 feet wide!

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Click on the link in my signature...Maybe it will give you some ideas to incorporate with yours

Good Luck!

 

[maclady]

Ok you could use the 2x6x whatever length you need treated. Use metal corner braces to shore up corners or real cheap use scrap 2x4 or 4x4 attached in the inside corners. I know somewhere on here someone had wheels on a small hoop house. Not sure what the difficulty would be to add a small coop to one end for housing. Depending on breeds you are using in the hoop setup they may be fine in the winter as long as there is a portable shelter area (coop) and still could use tarps as wind breaks. Just a few thoughts.

Can't wait to see what you build.

 

[rsf31tmp]

the wheels in my head are turning....we will see.

Thinking 100 inches is like 8'4" so if I made it 14 feet long...??? still thinkin