Chicken Tractor Conversion

[PennysHennys]

After purchasing a wonderful chicken tractor made by a local craftsman, I was bothered by the fact that the thing sat on the ground. Due to options that I asked for it was too heavy for me and DH to move without using a (real) tractor. Even though it is made of treated wood I couldn't stand the thought of it rotting before my eyes. I spotted an old trailer on the farm that I believed would work for turning the chicken tractor into a chicken tractor trailer! In a discussion with my DH and hearing the 17 reasons it wouldn't work, he woke up the next morning and said he had it all worked out in his head how to accomplish what I wanted! What a hubby! I painted the frame with barn paint and assisted him with flooring it with treated lumber. I will probably add some removable solid sides later to help with protecting the chicks from winter weather. Oh and the girls love roosting on the axle in the shade!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

he woke up the next morning and said he had it all worked out in his head how to accomplish what I wanted! What a hubby!

Gotta love the men who try really hard to keep us happy!

Hubby's got some talent, that a nice looking build. Oh I see it was a local craftsmen... Still gotta give him credit for the rest of the effort.

Are you planning to move that by hand?

The metal roof on my pole barn sweats pretty badly where it touches the frame. Makes it rain inside on cool mornings after the sun rises no matter how much ventilation I have.

I started out with tractors but far prefer more permanent and not having to move them all the time. So most have gotten a stone base of some sort. Those trailers aren't cheap... but if ya got it sitting around anyways, that's awesome.

 

[PennysHennys]

Gotta love the men who try really hard to keep us happy!

Hubby's got some talent, that a nice looking build. Oh I see it was a local craftsmen... Still gotta give him credit for the rest of the effort.

Are you planning to move that by hand?

The metal roof on my pole barn sweats pretty badly where it touches the frame. Makes it rain inside on cool mornings after the sun rises no matter how much ventilation I have.

I started out with tractors but far prefer more permanent and not having to move them all the time. So most have gotten a stone base of some sort. Those trailers aren't cheap... but if ya got it sitting around anyways, that's awesome.

Thanks for the compliment!
This trailer moves very easily with just me and hubs pushing/pulling but we have other equipment to hook to it if needed.

My goal is to move to permanent housing but this was a "gateway" purchase to help hubs understand chickens to not have to be stinky, smelly critters - it is in the management.
He is agreeable now. We use portable net fencing and a solar charger so we can move the babes around to different places.

I sure hope this tractor doesn't sweat, rain, drip too much as the roosts are near the metal. But I know what you mean, we have a shed with a metal roof that rains.

Thanks!

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

OoooOoOoh SNAP!! I like it..... how much did it ended up costing you, if you don't mind? And how many chickens do you plan to put in there?

 

[PennysHennys]

OoooOoOoh SNAP!! I like it..... how much did it ended up costing you, if you don't mind? And how many chickens do you plan to put in there?

The tractor was made to order so a little on the high side. My son says I could not have purchased the lumber and supplies for what we paid. The trailer however, was free and we purchased about $100 worth of additional lumber and hardware to complete the project. The house is rated for 8 chickens, I have 6 currently. But, since they have a large run and only use the house to roost I'm thinking I could go up to maybe 12 and be OK. We will have to enclose more of the lower area and add another roost bar.