Chicken Tractor

[2overeasy000]

Quote:
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.

I ended up doing something similar to this one I think. 2x6 for the bottom frame, 2x4(and whatever other extra lumber I had around the house) for the frame, Hardware Cloth(19 gauge) for the fencing, maple sapling for the roost. It is 4'x8' with 6 pullets in it right now (at least I hope they are all female). I took some pics of the progress that I will be posting shortly. Thanks again for everyone's input.

 

[swmalone]

I have 3 in my Ark. It is total length of 8 feet and it four feet wide at the bottom, which is the run. So the coop section is actually 8 x 2. There is also an egg box in the top. It is made with 2x2s, 1x3, 1x6 and plywood. I don't have wheels on it so it takes two people to move it around the yard. It is pretty secure at night so I feel confident that nothing will get into the coop area. I don't have any wire or hardwear cloth on the bottom it is just open so it doesn't effect their feet and they can eat grass and scratch up areas when I put them on dirt. Of course they scratch the grass up too unfortunately. I have built a lightweight PVC run extension that I put on so they have more space to run around during the day. I don't have a picture of that because it isn't as nice looking as the coop.

 

[2overeasy000]

I got the tractor done and uploaded some pics...

Works good for chickens too.

 

[2overeasy000]

It is 4'x8'
about 4' tall
the hardware cloth was the only thing I had to buy...everything else was already here
If I did it again I would want to use all 2'x4's, as it came out a little heavier than I would like but I'm putting wheels on soon
currently housing 6 pullets

 

[2overeasy000]

Here is the perm. coop now housing 7 laying hens that the 6 new pullets will be added to...
8'x7' coop
20'x20' run

7 laying hens

6 new pullets

current rooster

 

[2overeasy000]

oh yeah, just got done moving it again. def putting wheels on soon.

 

[2overeasy000]

Update. The pullets are now 8 weeks old and loving their fresh patch of grass everyday.

 

[hiwasseenursery]

I've been researching different tractors here. I was wondering how yours is holding up now that you have had it a while. How did 6 LF do in that amount of space once they fully developed? Great post! I love this idea

 

[DrJerryrigger]

I was building a garden way style wheelbarrow and realized an old rabbit cage fit into it perfectly, anyway I never finished and it's a alright tractor and a crummy wheelbarrow.
What you can't see in the pic is that there is an opening in the cage so they can go anywhere in the wheelbarrow, and a latched door on the outside. I put some plywood on top when I'm not taking pics of them.

 

[DrJerryrigger]

Sorry this is a better pic of the tractor, so you can see what's going on better. I set up a run with an opening the width of the handles and just roll it into place. I lay a 2x6 under the handles so they can't get out there... a few of them always get out some where, these guys require lots of supervision.