Does an A-frame coop/run need a real floor or can it be open air?

[InvertGang]

I ended up going with a more traditional, fixed, coop design. I made a thread for it and have photos here! https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-embrace-the-box.1655035/page-2#post-28540117

 

[citymeetscountry]

Chicken wire on the bottom will eventually rust and busy especially with moving. Do you need a floor? Not necessarily. But you’ll want some sort of predator apron-wire mesh that can lay flat around the outside to prevent digging underneath.

 

[ChaosMom]

 

[redinator]

Yeah it seems like this isn't going to work as well as I thought. I think I'll make a new design that's more traditional fixed coop + run.

Don't give up YouTube has some great mobile tractor style coops and small covered runs that might work

With the 4-5 chickens you have the PVC one would be a good choice since it's lightweight.

 

[BDutch]

Don't give up YouTube has some great mobile tractor style coops and small covered runs that might work

With the 4-5 chickens you have the PVC one would be a good choice since it's lightweight.

Its a complete waste of money bc its not predator proof and I’m sure it falls apart in a short time. You will merely pollute our environment if you buy this.

 

[paintedChix]

Some have mentioned using tried & true designs. For a tractor the type you are talking there are SEVERAL designs, with plans available for each cut if needed. Also for designs out there long enough, some have done updates or improvements that work better for them.

Have you gone through all the tractor designs right here on BYC? I'm not finding my list, will work on that...

The Suscovich tractor. A modified A-frame. Original plans made for meat birds, so no roosts or nest boxes.

An update done by Tom Wylie (a browse thru YouTube shows MANY other updates or changes). I like his conduit skids that don't need wheels & his door -

Reformed Acres -
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1592070244/chicken-tractor-plans-8x10-moveable

Cotton River Farm - CP Hoop w/ pred apron -

On most, the tarps originally used can be updated to the various metal or "plastic" sheets that can add longer life.

For framing the tractor out, I can say that aluminum, metal etc will last longer then PVC & even wood. If you can weld, this may be better way to go. Some are lighter, many heavier.

Wire under the area where chickens are defeats the purpose of tractoring. Not only hard on those poor feets, but impossible to clean poop & move. Instead, do hingeable aprons. Aarts hoop demonstrates these here on BYC.

Others -



So, so many ideas!!

Edit for punctuation & spacing.

 

[yungtan]

Yeah it seems like this isn't going to work as well as I thought. I think I'll make a new design that's more traditional fixed coop + run.

You could go with a chicken tractor design. Meant to be moved daily to fresh grass, it’s open bottom, there are some that have a roost/coop built into the top for them to be enclosed at night. Mostly used for broilers but they can work for layers as well.

 

[InvertGang]

You could go with a chicken tractor design. Meant to be moved daily to fresh grass, it’s open bottom, there are some that have a roost/coop built into the top for them to be enclosed at night. Mostly used for broilers but they can work for layers as well.

I did end up building a tractor for my broilers, it looks like this:

 

[yungtan]

I did end up building a tractor for my broilers, it looks like this:

View attachment 4136726

How many you got going in there? Are they the Tyson birds?

 

[InvertGang]

How many you got going in there? Are they the Tyson birds?

They've actually just finished. It was white rock Cornish crosses, and there were 20. They sure liked eating, haha. Made it easy to move though because they had 12 hours on 12 hours off food. They'd run to the feeder so the tractor could be dragged along.