First crack at a chicken tractor

[Tomhusker]

I began my venture into raising meat chickens a couple of weeks ago with the purchase of 10 Cornish X chicks.
Once the weather gets warmer they will be moved outside into a tractor. So I began building said tractor yesterday. No blue prints, just a picture in my head and a couple hundred dollars in supplies.

I've built a few coops for layers over the years. I've always made them practical, yet very sturdy and secure. But this build has to be lighter and mobile. It also has to accommodate more birds than what I currently have, as I plan to do more if this first group is successful.
With that in mind, I went to work.

I'm not exactly sure what to call these pieces (ribs maybe?), but I built two of them. Then I built a third one with an access door framed in.

I then started connecting them together using 1x4's, along with osb board for the sheltered area.

I added another 1x4 to this side, running the full length of the tractor, for two purposes. The first was to add some structural integrity, as I noticed a bit of flex when I lifted the unit from either end. The second, was to make an access door on one side for water filling, and to help with getting the birds out for whatever reason.

Next, I added the access door on the end. I haven't decided whether I am going to cover this end in wood or hardware cloth.

The open sides will be covered in 1/2" hardware cloth. The whole structure will be sealed, either with a sealer or latex barn paint.
I plan on adding wheels to one end, if I can figure out how to mount them.
I'll post more pics when I'm done. Still waiting for delivery of the hardware cloth.

 

[Tomhusker]

Finally finished up the tractor today. I learned a lot. I cussed a lot. But in the end, it turned out well and the meaties seem to like it.

This is the completed tractor with the chicks in it. We added an apron once we got the chicks into it.
The build was not particularly difficult. But I certainly had my share of frustrations while working out the details. It ended up being 10'x6'. It has two accesses, one on the side and one on the covered end. I used 1 1/2"deck screws and fender washers to secure the 1/2" hardware cloth. My son had some left over roofing supplies, so I got a nice piece of sheet metal to seal the peak.
The hardest part was building a type of cam lever wheel assembly, for raising and lowering a set of wheels mounted on the heavy end of the tractor, having never seen one before. Tomorrow I'll hang the water bucket and build a trough for feed.
Now we will turn our attention to building the coop for our layers.

 

[ColoradoPip]

I cussed a lot

Hahaha, you too?!

The hardest part was building a type of cam lever wheel assembly, for raising and lowering a set of wheels mounted on the heavy end of the tractor, having never seen one before.

How did you make yours?

What's the point of that little access door?

 

[Tomhusker]

Hahaha, you too?!



How did you make yours?

What's the point of that little access door?

That "little" access door is 24"x18"(give or take.) I'll use that for getting to the feeder, and removing the chickens for slaughter. Today I'll hang the water bucket in the side access.
As far as how I made it, mostly by guess work, and a good supply of trial and error. I do know that, should I ever build another tractor, it will not be this style.

 

[ColoradoPip]

How did you make the wheel assembly?

Why won't you build this style again?

 

[Jimmy D1]

Wow! Looks really nice. The first pictures of the "ribs" made me think it was going to be small but that is definitely not small. LOL I'd imagine all the angles made it a PITA. I feel your pain though. The coop I just built has hurt my brain. Haha.

 

[Tomhusker]

How did you make the wheel assembly?

Why won't you build this style again?

I'll take a couple of pictures when I get home from work tonight, and try to explain the how and why.

I won't build this style again because it's an inefficient use of materials. It's probably twice as tall than it has to be. That extra height is wasted on meat chickens, as they don't roost, nor will they nest.
Something half as tall and just as wide will hold the same number of birds, will better access possibilities.

 

[aart]

That "little" access door is 24"x18"(give or take.) I'll use that for getting to the feeder, and removing the chickens for slaughter.

You're gonna crawl thru that door to grab chickens for slaughter?

So how does it roll?
Wondering how well the aprons will travel.

 

[Tomhusker]

You're gonna crawl thru that door to grab chickens for slaughter?

So how does it roll?
Wondering how well the aprons will travel.

Me? I'm too fat and old to crawl through that door. My wife, however, is just old. She could do it, but the idea is to get them all into that area and then close it off, via the side access. Then it's just reach in and grab one, or net one if need be.
It rolls fine, but could be better. I'll address that after these go to freezer camp. I have some old m industrial shelving angle iron I can use to weld up a stronger mount. The apron is connected at the corners. When I pull up the front piece, it lifts a portion of the sides. The rest will be pulled up and hung on a bungee.
It works beautifully in my head. I'll get back to you on how it works in practice.

 

[Tomhusker]

How did you make the wheel assembly?

OK, got home a little late last night so I didn't post pics. Here you go.

In this last picture, you can see how everything is attached. The 2x4 "Lever" is mounted to a 4x4 block with a lag bolt. The wheel is mounted a couple of inches below that, to the 2x4.
Simply lift the Lever and the wheel is forced down, raising the tractor. Version 2.0 will be much cleaner.