Anyone use PVC pipe to make a tractor coop run?

[suburbanhomesteader]

I used 10' sections of PVC, and it made a hoop house about 4' tall. I got SOOOO tired of bending over and walking at the same time!!!

PVC is so lightweight that the next PVC hoop house I make will use 1" 20'pipe (even if I have to use a connector on two 10' pipes). That will give me a house in which I can stand up, but that is still lightweight.

I have also considered 3/4" 20' rebar as the basis for a non-moving hoophouse (see this site for greenhouses, where I got the idea: http://www.northerngreenhouse.com/ideas/how_to/rebar.htm

Personally, I love my horse-panel chunnel, even though it is not movable. I know it is 100% completely dog/raccoon/hawk/possum/etc. predator-proof (only rats and snakes might be problems)

 

[TerrasCritters]

I have seen people use the hog fencing pannels and bend them in a curve like shape for the sides and top and nail wood to the bottoms and put a tarp over it!

 

[kcfuerst]

The tractor is only a "temporary" structure and the girls are never left for long periods of time in it, never over night. This tractor is so lightweight that I can move it around with one hand and yet the wind doesn't knock it over. Definitely hawk proof. However, I live near a creek and there are all kinds of varmints around. The "real" run is 8x40' with hardware cloth buried 2' in concrete. If you look at the picture again of my grandson, you can see the run in the background. Part of it is covered with a tan colored shade cloth.

Thanks for the comps on "my boys" who are actually my grandchildren. They love Grammie's chickens. I'm so lucky to get to have my boys spend time with me when Mom and Dad need a break.

Coop and run:

Creek in my back yard:

 

[TerrasCritters]

Lol never know, I could of said grand kids, and then if they were your boys, I would of felt bad! LOL

Anyway, love the coop, nice and big!!

I use my little "tractors' for my grow out pens for babies and right now they are full of BQ and some chicks. <sigh> Need it to warm up!

 

[halo]

What interesting ideas here. Im thinking I might use pvc pipe to extend my run higher so its not only 4 feet high, like the fencing Im using to fence it. Great ideas here.

 

[horsewishr]

Here's an interesting site that shows how to build a HUGE run with PVC. They state, emphatically, "Do not under any circumstance substitute a cheaper quality pipe for the Schedule 40. You need the wall thickness of the Schedule 40."

http://www.utm.edu/departments/cece/idea/mopens.shtml

 

[TerrasCritters]

Wow thats HUGE! But nice!!! I could think of other things to keep in there LOL.
Did I see a door or entry way for it? Will look again, great find!

Ahh I found the door, cool!

 

[Forest_Nymph]

My schedule 40 grade pvc pipe run from my coop collapsed last night under heavy wet snow that arrived for the second time this week... GRRRRRR !!!
After spending all summer and lots of cash creating a mulitipurpose chicken run/greenhouse frame it finally could not contend with the extreme weather conditons that we've had in over 20 years.
Just a warning to all who love that lightweight framing....It is and would have been sufficient enough to handle most of our normal winters but it just didn't work. In hindsight, I think we may have been better to space the framing closer together and / or remove the plastic netting over the top before the winter came upon us. (Makes me wish I didn't insist on gluing the joints too)
Come spring, we'll replace and reinforce it somehow.....

I still like the whole concept and believe it does well under normal wind and winter events. Good luck everyone with the progress of your pvc run and tractors. As far as rusting of wire...I'd spray paint it with something to resist rusting of the hardware cloth or wiring.
It was very secure with the plastic mesh netting over the top and protected my flock nicely.

Sylvia

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

Terras-
I used 16' long x 5' tall panels which have 2x4 squares; that is how I built the chunnel you see in my (very tiny) avatar. It makes a 6' tall arch 8.5' wide.

Forest-
In Indiana, I used green house plastic on a gothic arch kind of greenhouse for my neighbor, and it held up to all the winter snow we had, but we would broom off the snow if it was wet and sticking to the plastic.

I think the key to it was the gothic arch, and the plastic on the outside; the snow never really had a chance to get a grip.