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Chicken Tractor

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Wow I never thought of useing PVC piping!!

Me either when my wife showed me that I shook my head thinking why didn't I think of that before sinking 160+ in a wooden A frame. It came out good it's just hard to move by myself.

We're hatching some showgirls and silkies now (41 if they all hatch) so I have to build a home for them after that hatch before we can start selling them off as our place can't take more that 10 chickens.
 
The PVC one doesn't look very safe. It's not at all predator proof w/ that chicken wire, and even if one used hardware cloth it seems flimsy.

A general question re: these portable lightweight runs (b/c I'm trying to figure out a way to give my future new hen some kind of a life during her 30 days in quarantine): How does one prevent predators from just pushing it up from the bottom and going under? Do you put hardware cloth on the bottom and let them eat grass through that? Does that not damage their feet?
 
Quote:
Wow I never thought of useing PVC piping!!

Me either when my wife showed me that I shook my head thinking why didn't I think of that before sinking 160+ in a wooden A frame. It came out good it's just hard to move by myself.

We're hatching some showgirls and silkies now (41 if they all hatch) so I have to build a home for them after that hatch before we can start selling them off as our place can't take more that 10 chickens.

My husband built one 8' x 4' for my chicks out of wood and needless to say trying to move it put 2 nice sized bruses on my leg! and trying to get my chicks out of without them taking off in a million different directions is next to impossible!!
Im looking up prices on PVC pipes right now lol xD
 
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Wow I never thought of useing PVC piping!!

Beware of this -- I could see where the PVC would bend or break under the weight of a larger dog?
 
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My husband is almost done with our chicken tractor. We only have 3 baby chicks but he made it 3 feet wide, 7 feet long and 6 feet high. Their sleeping area is off the ground. 3 feet. He used 2x6's for the bottom frame, 2x4's for the frame and 3/4 inch for the sleeping area and for the roof. He's not finished with it yet but I can still lift it somewhat. He still has to put the wheels on.
 
Quote:
Wow I never thought of useing PVC piping!!

Beware of this -- I could see where the PVC would bend or break under the weight of a larger dog?

Only dog we have around around here is our Golden Retriever an she doesnt bother the chickens. the chickens pick on her!
and only need something to let the babies out of the brooder for a couple of hours.
 
I'll try to answer everyone one in this post
3 things in a coop shelter, roost, protection
PVC can provide for all three just by tweaking the design of it.

Most of the concerns were about protecting the chickens. Now I've got mine in the backyard so my worst predator is a cat or possum.
By using 2X4 and chicken wire together you can stop just about everything from getting in, using wire to attach the fencing to it will help stiffen everything up a little.
You can put sand into the pipes to give it more weight or I've read that someone actually used concrete that should help with something lifting it up.
Also if your really afraid of something coming after it you can increase the piping size.

If you on a huge farm and have had problems with coyotes, stray dogs or anything bigger I might not use PVC. You might wake up in time to stop whatever trying to get in the coop but you may have to rebuild it.
 
I have 8 pullets in my tractor, so far so good, but I'm building a regular coop ( 8x10) to be completed by the time they start laying. I think my tractor almost 5 x9 on bottom run and 5 x 6 coop on top will be too small when they are full grown. I built a dock up extension to give more grass area, they run from end to end.
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