Want to build a hoop coop, but I don't have cattle panels!

[3KillerBs]

I just completed my own cattle panel coop. The picture is at the almost done stage. I see this is a couple week so if your still looking...My issue was how would I get them home. 16 ft doesn't fit in a pickup. Was shocked at how easily they bent. The girl at TSC knew exactly what to do. We just bent them and fit them in the back of the pickup and ran rope through each corner so it wouldn't pop back into shape on the highway. There are a couple good "how to" load cattle panels on youtube. When we unloaded they popped right back to shape. I bought 5 that rode fine in a normal sized pickup.

Your question about height. I'm 6 foot and had the same thought that i wanted to be able to stand up. I used 2x8 and attached them 2 inches from the top edge of the 2x8 and probably have easily 6 inches of clearance in the middle of the coop. I made mine 8 foot wide by 20 foot long. My reason for going 8 foot wide was I could cover half the pen with my 10 x 16 foot tarp.

Good luck

Very nice!

Be sure to make a Coop Page article about it.

 

[sewingkitty1170]

Thank you all for the information! I ended up driving from San Jose to Gilroy with a rented trailer and purchased four cattle panels! I'm hoping there will be enough space for eight chickens with all four panels. I may build the frame up by two feet so I can stretch the width out to 10 feet. That should be enough space - 10 x 16 for the run & coop?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes. 160 sq ft combined coop run is plenty for 8 birds. Even just 8x16 will meet the minimum needs and then some, with room for (a little) "chicken math".

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thank you all for the information! I ended up driving from San Jose to Gilroy with a rented trailer and purchased four cattle panels! I'm hoping there will be enough space for eight chickens with all four panels. I may build the frame up by two feet so I can stretch the width out to 10 feet. That should be enough space - 10 x 16 for the run & coop?

At 8x16 that is plenty of space. I haven't tried going 10 foot with a 16 foot panel.

I know a lot of the strength has to do with the angle of the arch.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

At 8x16 that is plenty of space. I haven't tried going 10 foot with a 16 foot panel.

I know a lot of the strength has to do with the angle of the arch.

Agree. To a point, the greater the bend, the greater the tension, and the more the arch will resist further deformation.

10' wide is pretty shallow for the roof, as well. I'd be ducking, and as a 5'9" male, I'm not particularly tall. Maybe it would clear my head, but it would be close enough I'd feel the need to duck anyways.

 

[sewingkitty1170]

I just completed my own cattle panel coop. The picture is at the almost done stage. I see this is a couple week so if your still looking...My issue was how would I get them home. 16 ft doesn't fit in a pickup. Was shocked at how easily they bent. The girl at TSC knew exactly what to do. We just bent them and fit them in the back of the pickup and ran rope through each corner so it wouldn't pop back into shape on the highway. There are a couple good "how to" load cattle panels on youtube. When we unloaded they popped right back to shape. I bought 5 that rode fine in a normal sized pickup.

Your question about height. I'm 6 foot and had the same thought that i wanted to be able to stand up. I used 2x8 and attached them 2 inches from the top edge of the 2x8 and probably have easily 6 inches of clearance in the middle of the coop. I made mine 8 foot wide by 20 foot long. My reason for going 8 foot wide was I could cover half the pen with my 10 x 16 foot tarp.

Good luck

That is nicely built! I rented a 5x8 trailer from Home Depot and picked them up with my Subaru Impreza wagon. The guys loaded them up one by one bent in an arc. Worked just fine! The panels are sitting against my garage and I plan on tackling construction over the three-day weekend. I may raise the sides up some so I can stretch it out to 10 feet. I bought four panels to make it 16 feet long. I hope it's enough room for 8 hens! I'm also going to make a simple box coop, with nesting boxes and roost/poop board and have it at least three feet off the ground. Then I don't have to bend over to clean it out! I'm only 5'3" tall. I thought I'd sink some 4x4 posts into the ground and use additional 2x4s to lift the sides up before I attach the panels to the tops of the sides. I'm hoping to find free pallets so I don't have to spend too much for the coop.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

That is nicely built! I rented a 5x8 trailer from Home Depot and picked them up with my Subaru Impreza wagon. The guys loaded them up one by one bent in an arc. Worked just fine! The panels are sitting against my garage and I plan on tackling construction over the three-day weekend. I may raise the sides up some so I can stretch it out to 10 feet. I bought four panels to make it 16 feet long. I hope it's enough room for 8 hens! I'm also going to make a simple box coop, with nesting boxes and roost/poop board and have it at least three feet off the ground. Then I don't have to bend over to clean it out! I'm only 5'3" tall. I thought I'd sink some 4x4 posts into the ground and use additional 2x4s to lift the sides up before I attach the panels to the tops of the sides. I'm hoping to find free pallets so I don't have to spend too much for the coop.

Again, that's plenty of space, and a good plan.

 

[sewingkitty1170]

Agree. To a point, the greater the bend, the greater the tension, and the more the arch will resist further deformation.

10' wide is pretty shallow for the roof, as well. I'd be ducking, and as a 5'9" male, I'm not particularly tall. Maybe it would clear my head, but it would be close enough I'd feel the need to duck anyways.

I'm only 5'3" tall, so it doesn't need to super tall. I was planning on sinking 4x4 post into the ground to help hold the box frame in place along with building the frame up some. What do you think?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm only 5'3" tall, so it doesn't need to super tall. I was planning on sinking 4x4 post into the ground to help hold the box frame in place along with building the frame up some. What do you think?

How far you sink it, and your soils, plus how far it sticks above ground, will determine how much tension it can resist - but if the corners are then tied together by lumber or wire it should be more than adequate. Are you concreting the posts as well?

Honestly, I think you may be engaged in overengineering, but I have a special place in my heart for over engineering.

 

[sewingkitty1170]

How far you sink it, and your soils, plus how far it sticks above ground, will determine how much tension it can resist - but if the corners are then tied together by lumber or wire it should be more than adequate. Are you concreting the posts as well?

Honestly, I think you may be engaged in overengineering, but I have a special place in my heart for over engineering.

I know I'm over engineering it. My dad is an engineer so that's where I get it from. I thought at least a 12-16 inches down with cement, four corners and two midway. Then I can use 2x4x8 lumber to build up the sides by two feet & enclose the bottom with hardware cloth and attached the panels to the tops of the 2x4x8s. I may use those metal brackets for additional strength when attaching the 2x4s to the 4x4s. I plan to trench down by 12 inches and sink in metal fencing for diggers. Even though I live in the city, I do get raccoons in my backyard. I may place a skirt of chicken wire and plant greenery all the way around the run. A blackberry bush on one end to provide shade and treats during the summer, and corrugated roofing panels and shade cloth until the bush grows up and over the run. I want it 10 feet wide so I can have a chair & table inside to have "happy-hour" with my hens.