My Little Hoop Coop

[fuzzi]

Ta-da!! The hoop is hooped!
It’s 9’9” long and 9’ wide.

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Fuzzi have you ever used hog rings? They make wonderful fasteners. I’ll use them tomorrow to fasten hardware cloth to the sides. You need the pliers and a box of these.

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I
AM
IMPRESSED!

I was in the office at 6:15, worked until 4:15. I got home about 5 so I didn't get any work done on my hoop coop today. Four 10 hour days at work means I can take off Friday. Frank the tree guy is supposed to come over on Friday, or Saturday, to clear out the last remaining part of the overgrown old garden.

I've never tried hog rings although I am aware of them. I don't have much strength in my hands (arthritis) and the zip-ties I can handle.

 

[fuzzi]

I’m going to watch a movie, The Sting with Paul Newman and Robert Redford from 1973. Hope I can stay awake. Gonna get a glass of wine….

That's a good one, enjoy!

 

[fuzzi]

While I didn't get any physical work done on the hoop coop, I took a couple hours after supper to go through a box of locks, matching them to a LOT of keys that were attached to Ron's numerous keychains. I also went through a box that had locks, keys, and odds and ends of my dad's (he passed away in 2022).

So, I now have 14 padlocks with keys...I don't think I will ever need to buy another padlock!

These two were only dad's stuff, used a little WD-40 as they were stiff.

And while going through boxes
I SCORED! AGAIN!

Hinges for the coop door! A coping saw! A small level (can't have too many of those), and some type of clamp (far right).

Anyone know what that clamp is called? For?

And my hardware cloth arrived, too!

 

[Baymule]

More good stuff! Dont know on the clamp, specifically, but hang onto it.

Hog rings are strong and getting that first bend is hard for me. So I get them started as pictured.

 

[fuzzi]

Speaking of good stuff...

... that tin shed overhang? I looked at it closer when I walked Cleo this evening...it's made of six 2' (+/-) wide sections, edges overlapped. If I can get it off in basically one piece it may be just what I need to cover the new coop's roosting area!

 

[fuzzi]

More good stuff! Dont know on the clamp, specifically, but hang onto it.

Hog rings are strong and getting that first bend is hard for me. So I get them started as pictured.

Question: when you staple the panels to the wood frame do you just swing a hammer? Or do you have a different driver? I used fence staples on the first hoop coop, but I put the 2x4x16 boards under the cattle panel so I was driving in the staples using gravity with each strike of the hammer.

Then, with help, flipped it over and into position.

Oh. And did you get the hardware cloth hung?

 

[Baymule]

Yep, I build the frame, then swing that hammer!
Nope. I didn’t work on the coop today. I got a 1100 pound super bag of feed this morning. Scooped it into 5 gallon buckets and dumped in metal trash cans.
I went to Crockett to go eat. Frizzled away the afternoon, came home, did chores. I’ll hit it in the morning!

 

[fuzzi]

Yep, I build the frame, then swing that hammer!
Nope. I didn’t work on the coop today. I got a 1100 pound super bag of feed this morning. Scooped it into 5 gallon buckets and dumped in metal trash cans.
I went to Crockett to go eat. Frizzled away the afternoon, came home, did chores. I’ll hit it in the morning!

That's a bit more difficult, hammering bent over, head down.

I think I will pre-drill the 2x4 ends this time. I had a hard time getting the ends flush with the first coop, there was too much tension to overcome.

 

[Mini Horses]

Mostly it's because your of cut isn't straight, won't line up

 

[Baymule]

I cleaned out the place where I set the round bale in the middle field, then set a round bale this morning. Then I started on the coop.

I measured the length of the coop and cut a piece of hardware cloth. I didn’t have enough left on the roll for another piece. The hardware cloth was 3’ wide, so I cut it in half.

I went and got some tin. I held it up to the back of the coop and marked it and laid it down. I used a nail and hammer to drive holes in the tin on both ends. I held the tin back against the coop and bent the wire in a U. I wired the tin to the cow panel. Then the second piece! I needed a pet octopus to hold the tin up and mark where the holes went. But I substituted hay string. I ran hay string through holes already in the tin and tied the tin up to the top of the cow panel.

Then I could mark it, took it down and pounded holes in it. Tied it back up and wired it to the cow panel. I did not trim the tin to fit to the hoop because I will take this back down. I need to find some scraps to fill the gap.

Do this is what I got done today.