Has anyone built Hoop Buildings using Livestock Panels? I have read a couple of articles about them and am looking for peoples exspirence with them.

-- Mark D. Williams (deadgoatman@webtv.net), April 10, 2000

Answers

We used a series of regular hoops from an old greenhouse and call it a hoop house because we didn't add any ventilation or electricity. We housed our chickens and their tractor in it last winter but want to try some of Eliot Coleman's techniques as outlined in FOUR SEASON HARVEST next season. We got into winter before we had time to build a regular coop. We had no problems with excess moisture in it although we did have occasional drips from the film. We used white instead of clear plastic as it helps reduce heat build up on sunny days. This summer I plan to remove the plastic and put up some recycled bale wrap to support vining crops. With the cattle panels, you shouldn't need to do that. However, it will be easier for me to get the dead vegetation off than you. Please feel free to e-mail if I can answer specific questions.

Marilyn

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), April 11, 2000.

Mark, we use these in our 6 acre woods pen when we broker herds of goats. The only trick that I can tell you is to have them anchored down, because if you look at a hoop house made of cattle panels and a tarp, it is really just a big old hang glinder, just waiting to take off. We used rail road ties one year. But the cinderblocks worked the best last year. We have a small group coming in Saturday, and we will use the cinderblocks, they already have holes in them so it is easy to wire the panels to the blocks. Overlap the cattlepanels, rather than butting them to each other. It is extrememly strong, and best yet when the stock is sold it is easy to take down and store. When using for goat housing make sure and make your hoop house tall, if you try to stretch it out any farther than 8 feet wide the goats can jump up on the sides and walk all over it. Just 4 cattle panels makes a nice 8 by 13 house. We do attach the ends to 8 foot landscape timbers to add a little substance to the bottom edge. Hope this helps, Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 11, 2000.

I had thought about this for my goats, but was afraid they would chew the tarp off. No trouble with this????

-- Les (lvaughn@suntransformer.com), April 12, 2000.

We only use this in the pen for late sping, summer and early fall. So here in the south the tarp is mostly for shade and to protect the hay, so it is up near the top. Yes I can see them eating the tarp if they can get to it. For a more permanant fixture you could just bend sheet metal roofing on. Screw holes in it to afix it with hog rings or wire, this is my best friends buck barn, and us two gals did this ourselves. She even put on a back wall, and an extra piece of panel across the back corner made a great hay feeder. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 12, 2000.

I have been thinking of some uses for the cattle panels after reading those same articles and I was curious how much a cattle panel costs. Can anyone tell me?

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), April 12, 2000.

We have had a storage shed (called the blue shed, because of the tarp) in place for 4 years now made of cattle panels. In fact it was our first "building" on the place! It has had the tarp replaced once since. I just bought more panels a week ago and they were $14 each for the 52" x 16' ones. I think the idea of putting metal roofing over it is a great idea! We hold ours in place with t-posts pounded in and wire the bottom of the panels to them.

-- Tami Bowser (windridg@chorus.net), April 13, 2000.

I'd shop around on price. They are rather a commodity any more and go for $11-$12 here last I priced them. Watch out though. Some use smaller gauge rod in their manufacture. I was facinated with the idea when I first heard about it, but never got around to experimenting first hand. Has anybody out there tried welding two panels end to end then forming a larger hoop? Doing that and covering it with sheet metal could make a cheap quonset garage. Think for permanent use, you could just tack weld the sheet metal to the cattlepanels rather than wire it on. Would it require some concrete reinforcement rods welded in for bracing? Could even weld three panels end to end, but pretty sure to need bracing then and several people to get it set up. Definitely a cheap quick way of building a shed though. And fireproof if using sheet metal to cover it.

-- Hermit John (ozarkhermit@pleasedontspamme.com), April 14, 2000.

I've been thinking about this and it seems to me that if you wanted longer or wider hoops you could fasten them together with those nylon wire ties. They're tougher'n nails, easy to use, and removable if you want to make some changes.

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), April 17, 2000.