Finally posting pics of tractor.
- Thread starter domromer
- Start date
Nice coop and beautiful birds. It looks very roomy.
I have a couple of questions though. Is this the birds' permanent coop or do they go inside another coop at night ? What type of predators do you have in your area ?
A couple of suggestions too.
Since we are getting into winter, a solid wall at the lower end and on at least one side will give them a wind break. It will also help keep water from splashing into the tractor when it rains and prevent the the feed from getting wet.
Chickens don't use swinging roosts like smaller birds. It is also harder for them to get on to. Can you put another 2x4 brace in the middle and another one at the end of the tractor ? You could then attach the roost to it. There would be plenty of room for the birds to walk around the posts and you could then put the feed and waterer where there isn't a roost.
I have a couple of questions though. Is this the birds' permanent coop or do they go inside another coop at night ? What type of predators do you have in your area ?
A couple of suggestions too.
Since we are getting into winter, a solid wall at the lower end and on at least one side will give them a wind break. It will also help keep water from splashing into the tractor when it rains and prevent the the feed from getting wet.
Chickens don't use swinging roosts like smaller birds. It is also harder for them to get on to. Can you put another 2x4 brace in the middle and another one at the end of the tractor ? You could then attach the roost to it. There would be plenty of room for the birds to walk around the posts and you could then put the feed and waterer where there isn't a roost.
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks for the questions.
1. This is just thier daytime hangout. We shuffle them into their nice big coop at night.
2. After 3 weeks of nobody perching we realized they weren't into swinging. I've since crawled in there and attached it permanently. They still hardly every perch but it's nice and secure now and has plenty of clearance for their plump bodies. I guess chickens are creatures of habit and it will take awhile for them to start perching.
3. This photo was taken in the summer when they needed maximum airflow. I have since collected a bunch of those real-estate house for sale signs. They are made of some sort of indestructible plastic that will be around more a million years. I've stapled them in strategic locations around the bottom/sides of the coop. So now the food and water is sheltered and there is good areas for wind-blockage and still areas that are open so they can bathe in the weak winter sun.
My only regret is that we didn't turn this into their permanent shelter and build sleeping quarters in the top of the triangle. But just doing this severely taxed my construction capabilities! Next set of chickens we are just going to get 3 hens and build a much smaller shelter that has an area for sleeping. Bringing them into this shelter every night is a real pain!
1. This is just thier daytime hangout. We shuffle them into their nice big coop at night.
2. After 3 weeks of nobody perching we realized they weren't into swinging. I've since crawled in there and attached it permanently. They still hardly every perch but it's nice and secure now and has plenty of clearance for their plump bodies. I guess chickens are creatures of habit and it will take awhile for them to start perching.
3. This photo was taken in the summer when they needed maximum airflow. I have since collected a bunch of those real-estate house for sale signs. They are made of some sort of indestructible plastic that will be around more a million years. I've stapled them in strategic locations around the bottom/sides of the coop. So now the food and water is sheltered and there is good areas for wind-blockage and still areas that are open so they can bathe in the weak winter sun.
My only regret is that we didn't turn this into their permanent shelter and build sleeping quarters in the top of the triangle. But just doing this severely taxed my construction capabilities! Next set of chickens we are just going to get 3 hens and build a much smaller shelter that has an area for sleeping. Bringing them into this shelter every night is a real pain!
You are ahead of me ! Good going...
Looks great!!!
Dawn
Dawn
Great work!
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