Patent ID: 7798559

Claim:
A method of transporting poultry in a coop trailer, said method comprising the steps of: loading a plurality of poultry coops onto a bed of an open-sided trailer; where the trailer has a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; drawing a pair of cable-supported tarpaulins between the first end and the second end of the trailer so that each of the tarpaulins at least partially covers one of the open-sides thereof, including the step of moving each tarpaulin from a storage position where the tarpaulin is disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the trailer; to an initial unfolding position where the tarpaulin is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the trailer; and when the tarpaulins at least partially cover one of the open sides of the trailer they shield the poultry coops on the bed; driving the trailer to a remote destination; withdrawing at least one of the tarpaulins by moving the tarpaulin outwardly away from one of the open sides and at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the trailer; whereby substantially the entire bed of the trailer is made accessible; and unloading the poultry coops.