Building Tractor: First timer

[DeadSpider]

Looking for tips and advice.

I am not skilled in woodworking or anything for that matter so I am working out the kinks as I go.

Still in building mode

Overall: 6' x 12'
Run: 6' x 8' [roughly 5' tall inside]
Coop: 4' x 6'
Nesting Box Hight off ground: 3'

Lower frame along ground is 2x6's
All rest is 2x4's
Plywood is 3/8 if I recall

 

[Dawns Funy Farm]

i really like the look of it. It looks perfect for my banties i need to build a pen for them soon . do you mind if i copy this ?

 

[DeadSpider]

i really like the look of it. It looks perfect for my banties i need to build a pen for them soon . do you mind if i copy this ?

Copy all you want. I am still working on it in sketchup too, making updates to trial and errors mainly. I worked up the frame in sketchup before I started buying materials to get an idea of what I would need.

 

[LoneOak]

I have a SketchUp file of my tractor design that a friend did for me. I don't know how to post it here where anyone else can look at it in sketchup, I tried and tried and tried and just can't get it to work right but I can send it to you in an email. I did the design and my friend did the sketchup but we haven't finished it yet.

The basic framework of the tractor looks like this,








The bottom frame is 4x8 and it is 5ft high at the peak. The side wall studs are 2-3-4-5-4 ft from the low side to the high end. You can see where I have already framed out for the floor of the enclosed section under the peak. In the middle picture there are two cross pieces temporarly held in with clamps that will eventually be where my 5 gal bucket nest boxes will be located. The front lowest slope section will have a door and the side facing you in the first picture will have one door that opens both in the enclosed coop and the lower section under the coop.

I plan on putting a nipple water system on it with at least a 5 gal bucket reservoir and 2 of the 5 gal bucket nest boxes out the back. I am going to put a PVC feeder tube on the outside with the feeder pipe underneath the coop. I have already mounted the wheels but I may have to move them back some but I have some brackets if I need them to move the wheels back.

The bottom will have 2x4 welded wire fence, the enclosed area will be covered with wooden fence pickets nailed on like a board and baton style -one full width board next to another full width board with a half or third width board covering the gap. The bottom of the enclosed coop will have 1/2" hardware cloth covered with wheat straw, when I want to clean it simply remove the wheat straw and hose it down. The rest of the run will be covered with 1" chicken wire.

Ain't no telling what I might add to this thing before I'm finished. I plan on putting it out near the road with some Rhode Island Whites in it and putting a for sale sign on it with a disclaimer of let me build you one just like it. I have learned a lot on the first one and could do much better on any more built in the future.

 

[aart]

I have a SketchUp file of my tractor design that a friend did for me. I don't know how to post it here where anyone else can look at it in sketchup, I tried and tried and tried and just can't get it to work right but I can send it to you in an email. I did the design and my friend did the sketchup but we haven't finished it yet.

You could do screen shots into jpg's and post those...I do that with cadd all the time to show clients.

 

[DeadSpider]

Quick question: Will the tractor I'm building be ok for 12 chickens and 2 ducks? I think the 2 ducks might be pushing it a bit *shrugs*

Also I thinking about having the nestbox area as a second floor instead of having it totally open access from the bottom... perhaps mesh as the floor. Leave the bottom for shelter and perhaps some roost.

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

You wont want to keep ducks with your chickens. Especially if you have an open mesh bottom to your roost area as the ducks may just get pooped on every night. The ducks wont be able to use nipple waterers, so you will have to use a watering system that works for both...which will need to be cleaned often as ducks dirty everything. They will also spend their whole day around the water so you will get a pile up of duck poop which may not be pleasent. You can build a really simple duck tractor for the two ducks with a little gravity fed watered like a little giant. They only need three walls and a roof shelter so basically you could build a rectangular frame and add three small plywoood walls and a roof, some hardware cloth and a feeder and watered and wheels and be done. No skill needed really. I just started a chicken coop tractor today...ive never had chickens before, just ducks and geese....so I am right there with you building. There is a coop contest on now, winner gets a 20$ gift certificate. Good luck with your build!

 

[BStump]

@DeadSpider

My one word of advice for you is to make it as light as you can. Your frame looks heavy already.

My first tractor coupe was big and HEAVY. I couldn't move it very easily. Then, when it was muddy, forget it!
Figure out a good way to push it around the yard.

Good luck.


~Brian

 

[DeadSpider]

You wont want to keep ducks with your chickens. Especially if you have an open mesh bottom to your roost area as the ducks may just get pooped on every night. The ducks wont be able to use nipple waterers, so you will have to use a watering system that works for both...which will need to be cleaned often as ducks dirty everything. They will also spend their whole day around the water so you will get a pile up of duck poop which may not be pleasent. You can build a really simple duck tractor for the two ducks with a little gravity fed watered like a little giant. They only need three walls and a roof shelter so basically you could build a rectangular frame and add three small plywoood walls and a roof, some hardware cloth and a feeder and watered and wheels and be done. No skill needed really. I just started a chicken coop tractor today...ive never had chickens before, just ducks and geese....so I am right there with you building. There is a coop contest on now, winner gets a 20$ gift certificate. Good luck with your build!

Thank you for the information. I guess I will stick to just chickens for now. I have a lot to learn.

@DeadSpider

My one word of advice for you is to make it as light as you can. Your frame looks heavy already.

My first tractor coupe was big and HEAVY. I couldn't move it very easily. Then, when it was muddy, forget it!
Figure out a good way to push it around the yard.

Good luck.


~Brian

My original plan was to use PVC to keep things light but I got to thinking about how flimsy it would be and decided to use wood. It is a bit on the hefty side but with 2 people it should not be to bad. I will find out soon if it's too much to handle.

=+=+=+=+=+=+=

Small update:
Got the wheel lift system roughed out. It seems to work fine right now. I am worried over time the heft will wear it out fast. I have to take them off to trim the lower corner of the swing arm so it will sit flat on the ground. I used 13" wheels and had to reverse my pivot point with my axle so I have to make a hold system when its in lift mode.


Finished the door too... not to happy with it :/

 

[DeadSpider]

Got the roof on, wrapped the ventilation area in chicken wire, put on some wheelbarrow handles and installed latches on the nest box doors.

Next up I'll have to figure out a ladder from the lower to the nest level... worried on how steep it may have to be. How steep is too steep?

Also have to build two triangle doors for the front, currently have rags stapled over to keep my lil chickens in.