Chicken Tractor/ark questions.

[hoodrider]

Hello all new to the site. To the questions though. I'm planning on getting a couple chickens and i want to build a chicken tractor/ ark first.

For a couple chickens i'm think something in the 3x3 to 4x4 ground space. I like the A-Frame idea, but i don't understand the whole roost nesting area.

I'm confused about space requirments how high it needs to be etc. I've looked at tons of pictures, but i just can't figure out how to setup the top part of the a-frame.

If anyone could elaborate more on this for me it would be very aprreciated!

Thanks-Curtis

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

Hmmm... not sure what you mean by the "pain of the ark".

I have a large tractor (the run is 5x8, attached coop is 5x4, with one nest box in the coop) and move it 8' every other day.

The only pain with it is my dogs; I have tried electric fencing, invisible fencing, and a shocking training collar, but they still "test" the boundaries every time they go outside, and two of them bark and pester the heck out of the chickens from outside the tractor.

Otherwise than that, I love my tractor (although I've only had it about 2 months; perhaps that is one of the keys to my happiness...)

 

[hoodrider]

Well i don't have much of an option for a permanent coop right now, so i have to use a tractor for now. I'm just confused about the nesting boxes and roosting area in general whether its in a permanent coop or tractor.

I'm also curious about making a waterer and was wondering if anyone has any pictures of a watering device they have made.

Thanks

 

[allen wranch]

With two chickens in a tractor, a one gallon commercial waterer set on a cinderblock would work well. They are not very expensive and are fairly easy to clean.

The nesting box should only be for egg laying and most are roughly 12x12 inches. I would measure about a foot down from the top of your ark and put a platform all the way across for the nest box. Remember that the top is the narrowest part of the ark, and you may have to come down a little farther to give them room on the sides. Put a lip on the front to keep the litter from falling out and an opening at the back to collect eggs. Make sure the top and sides are solid for weather and predator protection.

Put the roost about in the middle of the ark going across the short width. If you go longways you won't have a place to keep the food and water from being pooped on (unless your ark is pretty wide). Twelve to fifteen inches from the top should be sufficient. Put hardware cloth up and down the side where the roost meets the side so predators cannot reach in and kill the birds. If the birds have a hard time getting on the roost, lower it.

The width and height of the ark is personal choice. Allow enough room for the water and food, and for the birds to move around comfortably. If they are going to be in the ark all the time, I would make it larger than 4x4. If you can handle it, at least 4x8 would be better.

Is this what you needed ?