Working with Cattle Panels?

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Coop construction is going well, and now I'm turning my attention to the run.

The idea is to have a small run, but then let the girls free-range around the fenced yard whenever we're home and the weather allows.

Does anyone have experience working with cattle panels? From what I'm seeing, they're 16 ft long and 50 inches tall.

Are they sturdy enough to use to build a run with? Can they be bent at angles and still hold up? What do you use as a roof/cover for a pen built with cattle panels?

Any advice or experiences shared very much appreciated!

 

[jenniemig]

You can search for hoop coop. There area a lot of people that have built them. I'm considering making one when I expand.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Most common approach is to do a "hoop coop" where the panels are bent into an arc and held in place by a wood frame at the base. The issue is that the openings in the panels are fairly large so supplemental wire (poultry netting, hardware cloth, etc) is necessary at least at the base of the structure to prevent reaching in from predators or squeezing out by some birds - so you are basically using the panel to form your skeleton but still having to cover at least the bottom couple of feet with another material. There are also different types of panels - combo, sheep, horse, etc - each with it's own configuration of the grid and the height of the panel.
If you were to use the panels more as "sides" than a hoop you would simply affix them to posts (t or wood) and the choice of material for the covering of the top would depend on your needs - anything from a bird netting to poultry netting or more panels across the top.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Thank you both for the info.

Would combining chicken wire and the cattle panels be sufficient protection? I know you shouldn't use just chicken wire, as some predators can tear through it....but is the combination of the two enough? Or would hardware cloth or some other material be required?

The panels are fairly inexpensive (TS had them on sale last week for $22 each)...if I can figure out how to get a 16 ft long object home (thinking my Toyota Celica won't work...but what about a pickup truck?!), I'll have to start playing around and see what I come up with!

 

[ladyearth]

I think You tube shows how to put them in a pickup...
We used our utility trailer.....
My run is made up of cattle panels and hardware cloth... use total of 5 panels.. I really want it bigger
matter of fact the 50 foot rolls of poultry wire .. were almost the same price as the hardware cloth
but ended up buyin 150 ft rolls of PW..
but Hubby says I am going chicken crazy...... So I am lucky to get it that big of run... They ( a paid helper) and Hubby started at top of each 50 inch panel .. attached it with ties and wire.... while laying down on ground.. Used 3 foot rolls each roll 50 ft long... then 2nd -3ft wide piece attached below and overlapped some. under that.... the last 18 or so inch bent down and folded to ground.... Trying to convince Hubby that that bottom "bend" need to be trenched in... Right yall ?
just wished we would have bought the tall 8 ft poles to begin with....
He attached a partial 2 by 4 to each t post .. so the tops have poultry wire . Then poultry wire ran to centers.. There we used the 8 ft t posts....
so could comfortably walk in it....
I bought the poultry wire 6 ft wide and 150 ft rolls... but regret not buying the 1 inch "Openings'" I bought the 2 inch openings... still have lots of poultry wire left. THE 2 INCH IS SO FLIMSY....
I prob did an overkill with hardware cloth and cattle panels
stiil not finished nest boxes inside. Hubby not feeling well......
Later, hope to cut out opening for bump out nestboxes...
just chiming in... Oh my coop is fence panels (used) and a nice aluminum topper. Does not look real good. But plan on siding with vinyl or aluminum siding....
also want a chicken porch for them . and to make the door on a timer....
so also need to add poop boards and improve the roost.. and maybe insulate the aluminum topper roof ....
Oh also I feel like should use hardware cloth above the cattle panels sides.. the change to PW over top....
Just chiming in...
Jean

 

[ladyearth]

Oh....... also should have wrapped under the Hw cloth .... 16 foot edges at least near the "gate" area.... cause I get stuck so easily going in and out the chain link( junk pickup up find (with the concrete still attached to one side>>>>LOL)........gate
Good luck
Jean

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Thanks for the thoughts, Jean!

I'll check out the YouTube video, unless I can borrow a trailer or a box truck.

If I decide to try to move the panels in my Celica, I'll make sure someone shoots a video...that has "viral video" potential written all over it!

Going to be fun figuring this out...I'll post pictures once I get something together!

 

[Stoili]

Redstars

This is how to haul the panels in a pickup.


This hoop is made with 4 panels. 3 make the hoop and 1 cut up for end walls. 12' by 7'
gives me about 6'3" of head room.I covered it in hardware cloth.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Thanks neighbor!

The pickup truck picture confirms what I HOPED might be possible. Did you find you had to tie the panels down, or did they stay in place?

Great looking coop! I *wish* I needed 6'3" of head room, but sadly unless I'm cleaning the coop in a top hat, that would be overkill!

 

[Primo]

Thanks neighbor!

The pickup truck picture confirms what I HOPED might be possible. Did you find you had to tie the panels down, or did they stay in place?

Great looking coop! I *wish* I needed 6'3" of head room, but sadly unless I'm cleaning the coop in a top hat, that would be overkill!

The guys at tractor supply will know how to load them into a pickup. They will either do it the way shown in that picture, Or stand it on edge and bring the two ends together and rest set it in the bed. "teardropping it" is what the local tsc guy called it. You can haul up to three this way.