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Hahahaha, yeah, I don't want to do things twice, either, but I just can't afford a hard roof for my run just now.

Don't know what kind of covers you're getting, but I can tell you my experience: We had one of those 10X20 vinyl shelters for a hay shed that lasted almost two winters. The first winter, tho, was a nice SUNNY snowy winter, and the snow drifted right off every day. The next winter was dark and dreary and snowy, (we weren't paying attention) and with just a few inches on the tarp over several days, the legs buckled, but not the arches. After we got it braced up, we just had to go out after snow and whack the underside of the canopy to get the snow rolling. We took it down after the snow stopped because it was barely hanging on, and now I had all these scrap brackets and poles lying around...

SOOO! I had a 10'X24' dog run being unused. I cut the connector brackets down to sit on the top rails, screwed and mondo-zip-tied the frame to the run and put the old canopy back on. Last four feet I covered with sunshade and the ends got chicken wire...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84860_100_0533.jpg https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84860_100_0596.jpg
I'm really hoping that all I need to do is watch and whack
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this winter, but if it starts looking iffy, I'll try a heat tape on the rails and skip sheeting to stop the canopy from sagging...
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afterthot: Uf duh! I guess my point is, the top is approx a 6/12 pitch, and was pretty daggumed solid with a vinyl top as long as the snow was not allowed to sit and sag the canopy, so depending on what you have, hopefully you can take this info and apply it to your covers, put your mind at rest and get some sleep!
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For now, all I have coming is a sun shade to discourage the eagles. I think a solid top might be too heavy for the kennel to support. Since I couldn't sleep I was checking out tops for kennel runs on BYC. Some people make a PVC hoop and tarp arrangement for the top. That looks like it might be doable. Buying a truss arrangement and cover like your would be another $200 per. Heavy snow load isn't common in Seattle, but it's not impossible. The other thing is whatever I do can't look too makeshift and ugly. Mr Hallerlake would have a problem with that. It's just as well to start thinking about it now. I'd rather throw time than money at the problem.

There's some nice replica Victorian cast iron pergola thingies kicking aound, but they're over $500 apiece for anything of a size that would work. I was thinking of Japanese stacked timber style (like a scaled down version of the trellises at the Arboretum gift shop). Does Botann still have timber bamboo? That takes a lot of lateral load, and is what the stacked timber construction was modeled on.
 
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rehome polly.. The goat pig is not a good mix IMHO !!

Thanks CR! I will let my Sister and Mother know that its not the best mix for a friend for Polly. They'll be bumbed, but will probably not listen anyway, but I can say I warned them at least.
 
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hallerlake (and Haller Lake) is right in the sweet spot of the Puget Sound Convergence Zone and in the way of the nasty substance called Cascade Concrete. I'm worrying about snow load myself which is why I'm going for hoop houses (except in the Wyandotte coop and run, which will get something stronger before winter) along with SW gale force winds and cattle getting out.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=214469&p=4 See post#35

This person has done PVC hoops on their kennel. I think a more acute arc would shed snow better, but I might be able to do this, and then put a tarp over it (in brown or gray rather than blue out of deference to Mr. H).

Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm considering for the Wyandotte pen (which is by the gate into the orchard, on the side with the tree).

The new BLRWs and the eventual permanent Hamburg pen are going to be ground mounted hoop houses, with the 3/4" hoops socketted and pinned into 2" pipes set at ground level at two-foot intervals. The ends are going to be sawn lumber and hardware cloth with greenhouse cover winterization, the sides hardware cloth (anchored to steel pipe) up to 2 feet and greenhouse cover over one-inch poultry mesh; there'll be a coop inside at one end with nest boxes and feeder and water access from the outside.
 
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Hahahaha, yeah, I don't want to do things twice, either, but I just can't afford a hard roof for my run just now.

Don't know what kind of covers you're getting, but I can tell you my experience: We had one of those 10X20 vinyl shelters for a hay shed that lasted almost two winters. The first winter, tho, was a nice SUNNY snowy winter, and the snow drifted right off every day. The next winter was dark and dreary and snowy, (we weren't paying attention) and with just a few inches on the tarp over several days, the legs buckled, but not the arches. After we got it braced up, we just had to go out after snow and whack the underside of the canopy to get the snow rolling. We took it down after the snow stopped because it was barely hanging on, and now I had all these scrap brackets and poles lying around...

SOOO! I had a 10'X24' dog run being unused. I cut the connector brackets down to sit on the top rails, screwed and mondo-zip-tied the frame to the run and put the old canopy back on. Last four feet I covered with sunshade and the ends got chicken wire...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84860_100_0533.jpg https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/84860_100_0596.jpg
I'm really hoping that all I need to do is watch and whack
tongue.png
this winter, but if it starts looking iffy, I'll try a heat tape on the rails and skip sheeting to stop the canopy from sagging...
hu.gif




afterthot: Uf duh! I guess my point is, the top is approx a 6/12 pitch, and was pretty daggumed solid with a vinyl top as long as the snow was not allowed to sit and sag the canopy, so depending on what you have, hopefully you can take this info and apply it to your covers, put your mind at rest and get some sleep!
tongue2.gif


For now, all I have coming is a sun shade to discourage the eagles. I think a solid top might be too heavy for the kennel to support. Since I couldn't sleep I was checking out tops for kennel runs on BYC. Some people make a PVC hoop and tarp arrangement for the top. That looks like it might be doable. Buying a truss arrangement and cover like your would be another $200 per. Heavy snow load isn't common in Seattle, but it's not impossible. The other thing is whatever I do can't look too makeshift and ugly. Mr Hallerlake would have a problem with that. It's just as well to start thinking about it now. I'd rather throw time than money at the problem.

We made the hoop house out of PVC, and if it has enough plane to it, and a tarp or plastic over it, Snows slides right off like butter in a hot pan.
 
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Depending on how wide the kennels are, I'd prolly use 3/4" for more stability and the price difference from 1/2" isn't that much. I had a 1/2" PVC frame and tarp over the run the first year as shade/shelter for the dogs, and the first little bit of snow collapsed it. You might also check out PVC electrical conduit. It's gray, so it would blend better with your kennels, although you CAN use spray paint for plastic to color the white PVC

When you get ready to buy your PVC, pay attention to the wall thickness. It comes in Sched 40 and Sched 80 (80 being thicker = stronger) but it also affects the fittings you need.

You can also get some ideas here: http://www.pvcplans.com/ I'm not real crazy about their poultry pens, but you could prolly easily adapt the greenhouse plan to your kennels.

This site http://www.pvcworkshop.com/freePVCplans.htm has a TON of ideas for EVERYTHING, so you'd have to just scan thru all of them, but kewl ideas if you have the time.
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My kennels are 7' X 12'. Gray is a good idea. Anything that makes it look like something I did on purpose is good. I'll check out the site. Thank you.

Check out this web site
50801_the_monster_in_may_006.jpg

It is easy to make.
One thing I hate about garden/seed/web sites is the price for the plastic clips is outrageous!!
DH cut alot of the PVC pipe into 1 " pieces and hollowed them a bit & smoothed the edges and they clip right on & hold the plastic fast!!
 
OK back to work, in between rain storms, no "ice pellets" or 'T' yet, and still no sign of the contractor, dump truck or excavator...I fear they will arrive tomorrow as he said Sat or Sun and we will not be able to go help T-Hi move.
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Hopefully others will be there to help her and her 2 girls get moved ?
Bye....
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I am retracting my statement as I spoke to the hatchery and they've been thoroughly expected and had no other issues in that hatch, previous hatches, or hatches after mine. I kind of jumped to conclusions trying to solve the mystery behind the illness and pointed fingers before I had had any birds analyzed. These people are very reasonable and apparently are cleaner than most of the other birds you can get around here! Obviously my "protect my babies" instinct came in a little too strong (which happens frequently, actually, lol) and I just put the puzzle together before I had all the right pieces.

Sooo yes. I'm apologizing and hoping my stupid little backyard flock doesn't dissuade anyone from giving them a try. They're fantastically friendly people and don't deserve to be punished for my "put the cart before the horse" behavior.
 
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So, this is a wild twist(no pun intended) to the tornado story from yesterday.
Turns out that Komo News was right in reporting that it was in Napavine. We saw a video of the damage taken by a neighbor from across the street. Turns out that neighbor was the guy who bought our old house on Woodard rd. This twister was right across the street from the house we bought from my grandpa. WILD!
 
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Broody and I had ice-pellets yesterday; I an not at all thrilled with this late winter.
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ice pellets here too of course, most in the quarter-to-half-inch size but several golf ball sized ones got lobbed at us --- I thought our neighbor had been practicing his hooks and slices until I noticed how COLD these were

chickens were NOT amused
 
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