For those with Tractors: question re: laying..

[WoodlandWoman]

Thndrdancr, could you possibly post a picture of your tractor? There are different styles of tractors and if we see yours, we might be able to give you some ideas on the easiest way to add a nest box to it.

Basically, though, it's just a box or a shelf with a little lip at the front edge, to keep the nesting material and eggs from falling out, attached to a wall. Those little L-shaped metal brackets you can get at the hardware store can be useful for adding support underneath, if needed.

It can also just be something sitting on the ground, if you don't mind moving it, when you move the tractor. A covered cat litter box was a great idea.

We used wood, but plastic is lighter weight, if that's a concern. Some people are using something like a plastic vegetable bin in their coops. If you attached one of those to a wall, that would work. Or it could sit on the ground also.

For placement, it needs to be sheltered from the rain and you need to be able to get the eggs out with as little trouble as possible. We have ours in the sheltered end of the tractor and it has it's own little side door. If you don't want to get that fancy, you might be able to just place it near an existing door, depending on your design. There are also long-handled egg grabbers, if you need one.

 

[thndrdancr]

Well, right now, my almost used to be tractor has turned into more of a pen. So I was thinking of building an addition, or something new, thats easier to move.
The PEN is almost 7 x 4 and made of 2 x 4's so its really heavy and clumsy. I made it that way, as I had one side that I nabbed free from an existing no longer in use chicken pen. It was actually the door of the old fencing that a guy had across the street, just going to waste. So I asked and they said, yea take it. So even tho it was slightly warped, and heavy, it was the basis for my pen, and so made the rest to match. I am NOT a carpenter by any means, but if I have something to look at, generally I can figure it out. So I had to have that to go by. lol My ancestor were carpenters, guess its in the blood. DH is so far from being handy its almost scarey, I get mad watching him trying to pound a nail in. So its up to me. Its mighty inconvenient to get eggs out of it as well, 3 foot high, and I made it so it can open on both ends, but they always lay in the most inconvenient place.

So it would be best to just rig a tractor, I think I could do it, its just the nestbox thing has me stumped.
How high do you guys have the A frame? I would like something like that, but have a hard time cutting the angles, all we have is a hand saw or a reciprocating saw, neither seem to be too good for cutting plywood.

I bought some 1 x 4's, I know they would be lighter and I have some ideas, just stumped on the angle thing. I still have a flat roof on my coop. sigh...

 

[schmism]

the upper portion of mine is designed to house a nest box, although i dont think they will be laying before i get them moved in to the new permant coupe for winter....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=12444

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
Unless the rain is blowing a lot, the ledge in front of the nesting area stays pretty dry, as does the open area under the ledge/nest area. The Nest area stays very dry. DH double roofed it so it wouldn't be air tight but would be water tight.

When the winter winds start blowing, we plan to cover one side of the open area with a sheet of board material so that they can still get light but stay drier and warmer.

Our tractor isn't very tall. Maybe 4.5-5'. Inconvenient to crawl into. But our nest area has it's own door and since the girls are laying there pretty nicely we can get the eggs no problem. I'll take some better pictures of the door and such so if you want...

 

[WoodlandWoman]

So, it sounds like you are thinking of building a new, lightweight tractor, that will dock with your existing pen? I think that would be brilliant! I think several people here have done that. Then you'd have even more space, plus a lot more convenience, with an updated design.

 

[Godiva]

We have chicken tractors with nesting boxes attached inside the corner. The whole tractor is roofed with plastic roofing panels and we made it with 2x2 wood. The one end has roofing panels on the sides to protect from weather and predators while the birds are roosting. At the moment we have to open the lid to get the eggs but DH is going to make doors that will give me access without having to do that. The hens don't mind being moved, in fact they get all agitated when they don't have fresh greens! I don't let our guys out for any free ranging, too many predators. Plus they get LOTS of fresh food and bugs with each move. I just move as soon as the grass is looking worn down. Some of my hens are serious foragers while others really don't do much eating and scratching from the ground(or laying for that matter!)

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

thndrdancr:How high do you guys have the A frame? I would like something like that, but have a hard time cutting the angles, all we have is a hand saw or a reciprocating saw, neither seem to be too good for cutting plywood. I bought some 1 x 4's, I know they would be lighter and I have some ideas, just stumped on the angle thing. I still have a flat roof on my coop. sigh...

Ours is around 3-4 feet high....

As far as the angles...I was really worried about that too....I just eyeballed it on the frame...just crossed the two pieces and drew lines at an angle where they intersect. The only angles on the frame is at the top...we screwed the bottom in square. as far at the angle cuts on the ends...where it graduates from bigger to smaller....I was really worried about that!! But it turned out easiest of all! I just put the piece of wood up to the frame and the frame was my guide..just marked it and sawed away...all we had was a circular saw and a jig saw.​