55 gallon chicken tractor

[CrazyBirdLady]

Has anyone ever used a 55-gallon drum to build a chicken tractor? I saw a picture online of one used upright but there were no pics of the inside so I don't know how it was set up with nest boxes and such.
A drum is about 23" diameter so I was considering cutting off 5" of the side (from top to bottom) and laying it flat (it would look like a hoop house). That would give the chickens 18" of height. Is that enough?
The overall inside dimensions would be approximately 23" wide by 70" long (if I used two drums) for 11.2 sq.ft. of space.
Comments? Suggestions?

 

[patandchickens]

And what keeps this from turning into a 55 gallon chicken-roaster?

(I suppose MAYBE if you could have it in the shade every hour of every day of the year. But, realistically...)

Just a thought,

Pat

 

[CrazyBirdLady]

It's plastic. The drum wouldn't heat up that much.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Quote:
If you want to try it, I would suggest laying a barrel in the sun for a couple of days with one of those cheap digital thermomiters that record the highs and lows. I think after checking it you might be suprised just how much it would heat up.
I've seen people here use half barrels cut long ways with the ends removed to cover one end of a long wire tractor, but it was used more as a roof than a coop.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Indeedy!


Pat

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Somebody was working on one but they were having a real problem with moisture.

I agree with Pat and MFB, Plastic barrels get hot too. I use them for rainbarrels. In summer those things heat up warmed than bathtub water! I using Igloo doghouses right now and I'm worried it's still going to get too hot even with the center of the roof cut out!