Design Phase of a Trailer Coop/Tractor

[seanengler]

So I am in the design/ brainstorm phase of a coop trailer/tractor. I assembled the trailer today from harbor freight. 40"x48" area for the coop.

Here is the trailer:



Here is a larger size of what I am going to, this picture is of a 48x96 trailer:


So here is my biggest question so far, I've built quite a few coops for people for some side money...but always built solid floors. Has anyone used expanded steel as a floor? Our climate where we are (Paso Robles, CA), gets to 110 degrees occasionally in the summers and down around 10-15 degrees at the coldest in the winter. Would an open floor with closable vents work in this winter climate? I want to get as much manure to drop onto the pastures as easily as possible without the solid floor. Anyway, your input is appreciated.

Here is a photo of the steel I'm wanting to use for the floor for those who don't know what expanded steel is.


Again, thanks for the input!

-Sean

 

[Hirad]

I'm considering building a trailer coop as well. Can't wait to see what you do!

 

[seanengler]

I'm considering building a trailer coop as well. Can't wait to see what you do!

I have the trailer built, I picked up the expanded steel the other day. I got flat 1/4" because the flat looked easier to walk on and the 1/4" looked like small enough gaps to walk on yet still drop poop through, or easily knock through with a hoe or something. I will start and finish building it sometime towards the end of the month. I'll make sure to post pics!

 

[Hirad]

Great! Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[seanengler]

Great! Can't wait to see the finished product.

Pics coming tomorrow! Trailer/coop mobile is done, fiiiiinally.

 

[seanengler]

Finally! Pics!

Framed out:



Painted and in place on the hill:


Gallagher solar fence charger hooked up.


Coop in place on the hill, we have hot summers, so I went with as reflective a roof as possible and same with the paint.


Super pleased with this door opener so far. Would recommend,



Full coop shot again. Still need more door hardware on the egg door and access door.




It's still pretty cool in the nights here so I have hay down on the floor, but once it's warmer, the bottom will be open for the manure to fall through. I ended up having to coat the expanded steel in a rubberized spray. The chickens were scratching at the metal and getting little cuts on their feet.


Roost bar in front of the egg boxes....space is pretty limited, looking to add another roost bar.


Full shot again, coop was a piece of cake to move and level on the hill.

 

[aart]

No ventilation?

 

[seanengler]

No ventilation?

Right now I have the open floor, the eves have about 1 inch between the corrugated roof and the top plate of the wall, and the metal ridge flashing all have good passive air flow. I have been holding off on the cross ventilation until I see how the air flow works in there with the open bottom and how the hens do while roosted. I don't want to create a draft with too much ventilation with the open floor. This afternoon I crawled inside and closed the door behind me, but left the chicken door open. It was rather windy, sustained winds of 15-20 and gusts probably around 25-30. With the open floor, and all the doors closed except the smallest access door, I could feel some slight air movement, but not enough to cause the hay in there to stir. When I open up the human access door again to exit the coop, it created enough opportunity for air movement to blow hay all over etc. We also had a high of 90 today with the thermometer in the coop reading 82-84, so I'm pleased with the color and roof functionality. I will probably end up doing gable vents that can be opened and closed though. Your thoughts? With the passive ventilation up from the floor to the eves and ridge flashing, do you think cross ventilation on the gable ends is necessary? I don't want to create so much air flow their feathers are moving, but I guess that's the whole point of being able to button it up a bit at night. I figured it would be easier to add ventilation than try to close things up. Our coldest temps in the winter are around 10-15.

 

[aart]

Quote: Extra venting that can be opened and closed is always a good thing to have.
Feathers moving during warm weather is good..I think.....during cold weather not good.
I find it hard to believe that at 90 outside it was only 84 inside with coop sitting in full sun like shown....was that 84 near the end of a sunny day?

 

[Howard E]

A resource to see how a commercial built unit of this type is setup:

I liked your method on testing for ventilation.......go out some nice sunny day and climb in that thing at high noon. Shut it up as shown......then stick around. By 1 PM you may be looking around for ways to add more ventilation. If not, and you are OK and happy with it as is, then problem solved. BTW, that simple test would apply to every chicken house / coop anyone builds.......not just you.

It is unfortunate (for the birds anyway) that far too many well intentioned folks end up building houses that more closely resemble torture type sweat boxes than comfortable coops.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_(torture)