Food placement importance in tractor design?

[PoultryPromulgator]

Hi fellow feathered-friend freaks.

I am about to start assembling a tractor and need some information about the eating habits of chickens. I will be using a ute tub and canopy for the coop. $2.00 on eBay!

The two roof racks / roll bars will be removed and put underneath to support the coop above two 12' long skids.

If I was to put a raised floor at the top of the wheel-arches would chickens mind traversing the centre of this raised section complete with perches and a nest box on the sides to go through to their food and water at the other end? Does that make sense? What I really need to know is will the chooks congregate around the food and water inside or peck about outdoors? Basicly, will the chickens hang-out at the food like office workers at the water-cooler? If I have to turn the canopy and tub around I'll lose the largest access point from outside of the run.

That weird egg shaped thing is supposed to be a hanging feeder or water container. (I have zero art skills)

Should I put the feed & water in the coop or under it?

I've just finished reading

Patandchickens' Big Ol' VENTILATION Page. Boy do I have a lot of insulating/ventilation work to do. Oh well, I have lots of Polystyrene and Corflute for insulating and stainless-steel mesh for the ventilation, now where did I put the enthusiasm? The trouble with seeking out the advice of experts is you then know what you should do and can't lazily say "I didn't know any better".

Any other hints relating to my use of the ute (truck) tub and canopy would be appreciated as are all others.

I'm thinking of getting six mixed breed bantams, I'll probably end up with three Australorp or ISA Browns. Not all choices are mine

The hints here are excellent. This is a great example of positive use of the internet. People sharing selflessly.

p.s. When it's all finished will the coop-plan-dreams stop too?
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[ColoradoMike]

Love the idea! I think there's plenty of room in there for a 'loft' or partial 2nd story, I would suggest however, that it be higher than the top of the wheel well. I think if the second floor was even with the top of the bed rail, so the upper and lover levels have about equal head space, there would be ample room.

Way to recycle!

 

[SpunkyTheMonkey]

that is awesome!

we're going to need a new category on the coop pages soon for hillbilly coops.

anyway, i reckon the food & water would be fine where you have them but personally i'd put them underneath the tub...more shade = cooler water and cooler chickens while they're eating and drinking.

also easier for them when they're babies. a lot of them seem to struggle with ramps to begin with.

$0.02

 

[PoultryPromulgator]

Thanks Mike and Spunky for the helpful hints.
As an Australian I'm not too sure of the way "Hillbilly" is used over there but it sounds rather derogatory to me. Like "trailer trash". Perhaps a section on things repurposed into coops? Though there definitely needs to be a better way to say it.
I nearly bought an old rusty 1960s VW Combi as I though it would look interesting but decided against it. Can you imagine an old bus as a coop? Especially an old American yellow school bus.
I think if there was a really easily converted commonly found item that made a good beginners coop more people might be inclined to try keeping chooks. (Do Americans understand that a chook is a chicken or is that just for Aussies and Kiwis)
I nearly went with using a chest or deep freezer. It's already insulated. It has an easy to clean interior. It has white enamel exterior. Sizes vary. It would be so easy to mod into a tractor.

 

[SpunkyTheMonkey]

well i'm not "over there" either (brit living in greece here) but hillbilly coops are retro-cool on this forum. same goes for creative recycling of any kind.

see:

clothes dryer coop
camper van top coop
kids playhouse coop
morris traveller coop
chevvy van coop

etc. it wasn't meant in a bad way.

 

[PoultryPromulgator]

Thanks Spunky, I saw the Old Morry ages ago and I love it. The Chevy van is great but in Queensland, Australia an uninsulated car can reach 50°C (122°F) and I don't have quite enough polystyrene for that. I couldn't keep chickens in it but I could cook 'em in it. My old dryer is a small pond for water plants now.

Why is it that when I decide to build something cheap out of recycled materials I end up spending more than I would have if I had bought a tractor retail?