Can I make a tractor out of this?

[Tdub4chiks]

Ok, I have this:

Then I have this:

What's wrong with this picture...lol

Anyway, I built my original coop to be a tractor, but with all the stuff donated from friends, it ended up way to heavy and the pen is only 4' x 4' (so is the coop).

I was thinking that maybe I could make a tractor out of the unused dog house. Any suggestions?

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Absolutely! I'm a little jealous. Wish I had one of those to go with my little box cage. I would use big washers and bolts to attach it to a small pen of sorts. I'm no expert though and would have to ask for lots of help from my DH.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Do a search of Mother Earth News. They have a tractor using a dog house. Works pretty good too.

Here you go I found it.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/2007-04-01/Portable-Chicken-Mini-coop-Plan.aspx

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Here you go: (except you probably know the only safe thing is hardware cloth, and buried around the edges or aproned out at an angle- do a search for "hardware cloth apron")

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4118833

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=213444&p=1



https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2218135
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=255705

Also you can do a search on here for dog house tractor.

 

[Tdub4chiks]

Thanks for the tips. I do have a lot of hardware cloth and chicken wire available. I put chicken wire on the floor of my pen, but put hardware cloth all the way around. I still need to do the skirting before the snow starts to fly.

I'll have to start gathering material this winter, so the girls can have a tractor for next spring.

 

[Karens62]

Hey, I've got one of those too, the puppy in the bed, I mean

The doghouse tractor looks like a perfect quarantine pen.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Here's my dog house tractor.

Hardware cloth apron out about 15".

You need to have an easy way to feed and water them. I was going to put the door on the end but desided I didn't want to have to bend down to get it in there, so I made the door on the top of the run. So happy I did.

You need an easy way to gather eggs, clean out the house, or check on a broody. I love that this dog house was built with piano hinged top.

 

[Tdub4chiks]

Sweet Cheeks, that is a really nice coop. I know the girls want out of their small pen so bad, but I just can't. My son has one dog that would love to get at them & I always have the neighbor dog visiting. I have to try to make it so I can put the tractor against the coop, and have them enter the tractor from the coop. I guess a door on the side of the pen would work.

I'm sure I will get alot of great ideas on this thread. Thanks

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I'll be interested to see what and how you make something out of that dog house. I got the same dog house FREE on Craigslist a couple months ago I was going to use for my ducks but desided I didn't like that is doesn't have built-in ventilation nor a door to lock up at night, so it just sits.

 

[Tdub4chiks]

I was just thinking of a place they can get shelter when it rains or when they want to lay an egg. I wouldn't leave them in it at night.

I'm sure I could use hole saws to put ventilation in, but not sure how I would add the hardware cloth. Probably with screws & washers & bolts. As far as a roost, I could pre-drll through the house into the 2x4 & attach with screws.

I was also thinking of taking off the clear plastic door shield and cut more strips (only has 1 cut) and putting this on the bigger coop so I can leave the pop door open even during the winter. It should help control the cold from going in. Just an idea.