The Joel Salatin tractor, the Suscovich tractor, the CP hoop tractors (several varieties in BYCs Coop area under articles.
No reason to have a floored coop for meat birds - pooping machines. CC very rarely will go up a ramp to get to a floored coop. I've never actually seen them fly either...
I see from your 3rd pic, that you attached the CP to outside of your pallets. Nice overhang actually, do you have gutters on it to catch rain & snow water?
How has it held up?
My own builds have always had CP on inside of framing.
In our area of NC, on our property, our Rat/Jack digs up Voles & nasty white/grey grubs. The Voles underground trails are 1/2 above ground... They aren't deep. I stomp them down flat w/ other areas of yard. Ive never actually seen him eat one, though ive seen him carry them. I have also...
Well, it wasn't part of my original post - will go further backwards to see if it's in this thread, if not, I have no idea where it came from. I also dont know how to delete it from the reply to my post...
Ok, my BYC account is doing all kinds of "stuff". On page four, it had my reply w/ a copy...
The last paragraph about payment for games isn't mine. I will look back to see where it came from. It may have been part of what I was responding to.
I do more with BYC than any other platform. Even compared to texting/messaging family & a few close friends...
Do your high schools have FFA, 4H or JROTC? Sometimes those kids do want the work & are great, though I've found recently that's no longer true here in our area of NC... 😪
Also, check with your state & County agriculture. They may have lists of people able & willing. Just, again, be...
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Yes, I suppose so. I have a stockpile in our shop - paper & cardboard - from our daughter's families & from work. I haven't brought any paper/cardboard home since January 2024.
Edit - changed left to right.
I broke my left leg right above the ankle & dislocated the foot 90° to the right...
WELCOME to BYC!!
I'm not the best w/ cleaning. My coops have very little wood & some i'm currently refurbishing will only have wood roosts. I do know that it can be hard to get wood to dry after scrubbing w/ water. Staying wet can be an issue, causing mold &/or mildew.
Once you have it...
Something else to consider is shredded paper. This includes junk mail (plastic windows removed), paper from your office, last years kids' assignments & drawing projects, phone books & card board. There are several of us that do this - in slightly different ways.
ETA - The link below isn't the...
...Post - (started 2011) https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/for-those-that-use-deep-litter-method-please-advise-me.585432/post-15652422
**my Post (Dec 2024) in thread 'Deep litter method in Arizona (Zone 9)… not working?'...
O!! I forgot to add aprons on tractors. Aart's Hoop Coop shows hers.
Here are some other ideas, too.
This hoop coop tractor also does an apron. Nice Hoop coop, too.
Edit to add - the aprons, hinged to raise for moving, will help w/ gaps after you move it & with thier digging along...
...https://photos.app.goo.gl/fgKYkhxNAXBnH6B36
In all actuality, all chicken areas on our property need to be updated , repaired &/or refurbished...
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So, in the link above, is how we built our 1st hoop coop. We didn't do wheels (im currently using a length of PVC to move our A-frame...
Hmm... have some more tractor ideas that may work better than the Salatin type (your pic).
Also, your "hen" has more male characteristics than mine.
I need to run, watching grandsons today. I'll write more after I settle in there.
Ideas for tractors - i started out w/ a typical hoop coop made of 2 cattle panels (been using CP for horses since we had our 1st ones in CO in 1976). It was on a wood frame w/ a 2x2" frame out for the door. No wheels & skipped the step of adding angle supports to the corners. That worked great...
WOW! I was able to read a whole thread before commenting.
Then I realized that nothing more was written up...
So, where did you go with your ideas? Did you build? Did you find plans for a tractor you like & use? What kind of chickens did you get?
I imagine that a 10'x10' tractor would be...
Actually, you have the start of DLM in your coop just like in the run.
Add different sizes & types of natural materials. Unless you are very dry at this time of year, I would not put grass clippings in there (they are wet). If dry, add them & maybe even dump waterers in it. The different...
Since others have adressedcthe chicken issues, I'll just link a video regarding composting.
Sean, Edible Acres, is in New York. Not sure where as compared to your location. They have both a YouTube channel & a website. He does extensive composting using the chickens.
He has also...
The Wedge-Loc system
https://wedgeloc.com/index.html
It worked great for us until a full size horse hit one section of fence full tilt. She bounced off the 6 lines of high tensile wire uninjured. But at least 3 of the corner t-posts went airborne, straight out of the ground like missiles. I...