Chicken tractor designs for a very small and simple tractor

[3KillerBs]

But as for nowhere to roost out of their poop, the pen would be moveable so you could keep the poop within the pen at a minimum by moving the pen often enough.

They'd still be sitting in it all night.

 

[Carter Martin]

They'd still be sitting in it all night.

Maybe. But it could depend on when and how often you move the coop. If you moved it in the evening or when it was about dark, then they wouldn't really sit in much of anything during the night. And you could move it twice a day, morning and evening, which would be even better.

 

[3KillerBs]

Maybe. But it could depend on when and how often you move the coop. If you moved it in the evening or when it was about dark, then they wouldn't really sit in much of anything during the night. And you could move it twice a day, morning and evening, which would be even better.

They poop all night.

If they're sleeping on the ground they'll be in the poop.

 

[Carter Martin]

@3KillerBs Ok. Do you think this would be a really bad situation?

 

[3KillerBs]

@3KillerBs Ok. Do you think this would be a really bad situation?

It's not something I would care to do myself.

Obviously, it works for the man who wrote the article and it has worked for him over time. But I don't care to ever crowd my birds and even when I have a hen in the broody breaker I give her a perch so she doesn't have to sit in her poop.

The exposure to weather issue is the least of it because a simple tarp on the windward side would serve the purpose -- in a mild climate.

In my climate a bird who couldn't get out of the sun in the summer would be dead.

 

[NatJ]

They poop all night.

If they're sleeping on the ground they'll be in the poop.

Chicks sleep on the ground.
Silkies usually sleep on the ground.

I don't see why it would be worse for an adult, normal-feathered chicken than for a chick or a Silkie.

I do think a roost would be a good thing to include, I just don't think it is essential.

 

[Carter Martin]

It's not something I would care to do myself.

Obviously, it works for the man who wrote the article and it has worked for him over time. But I don't care to ever crowd my birds and even when I have a hen in the broody breaker I give her a perch so she doesn't have to sit in her poop.

The exposure to weather issue is the least of it because a simple tarp on the windward side would serve the purpose -- in a mild climate.

In my climate a bird who couldn't get out of the sun in the summer would be dead.

Ok. Thanks for your input. As far as weather, yeah I live in Ireland so even during the hottest parts of summer it is almost unknown for the temperature to get much if any above 87 degrees F. But even 87 degrees is pretty rare in Ireland. During most of the summer, I would say the hottest parts of the day stay between 70 and 83 degrees F.
The one thing I will say though is that I think the sun is more intense here in Ireland than it is in Pennsylvania where I used to live. With the sun shining on you and with no cloud cover or shade, even if the temperature is only low to mid 70s, it could feel a good bit hotter. But usually as soon as a cloud covers the sun you can feel a difference, the warmth can really decrease, and depending on the day you might feel a little chilly. Pretty much you don't want to risk leaving the house, here in Ireland, without some sort of jumper (jacket) and, very possibly, not without a raincoat either.
There's a few things about Ireland for you.