Frustrated newbie - PLEASE help with coop!!!

[roosterroost]

Quote:
I was also thinking about some kind of barrier... So my plan is perhaps some kind of barrier, some pea gravel, then a good layer of sand on top. I've been wanting to put nicer sand in my kids' sandbox; perhaps I'll give the chickens the old stuff then! I have been handed a great big, barn-red lemon on wheels and will be putting in some serious time this week to turn it into lemonade. It'll be great. Right?

 

[UrbanChick101]

We have a very sturdy, heavy child's playhouse that my husband has made movable. I was worried we weren't going to get it from the person's house. Not sure how much of a yard you have, or if you have a garden tractor??? My husband built a skid (essentially skis that he put under it) he jacked up the house and bolted the skid to it. Added D hooks to each corner and it now can be moved about our yard. However, we don't need it movable anymore (unless we move) our pen is permanent, cemented posts underground. This was a great way to save on our backs and frustration. It made very small indentations in our yard, that aren't noticable now, this all has happened in the past month. Don't give up hope. Maybe your contractor would consider doing this for the price of the wood or free if the coop is bigger than what you originally contracted him to construct for your peeps.

Pictures of our setup here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=387166 There is also a picture of it, while it was hooked up to the tractor, it was a great idea that I was very impressed with. (So was the fellow that we purchased it from on Craigslist ~ he was expecting 6 or more guys to pick it up and walk it out of his yard and up onto a trailer. )

 

[ScotH]

I'm in the designing phase of my tractor and I would really appreciate seeing pictures of yours', or at least know the approximate size\\weight. I get nervous with the thought of going through all my designing and then building it just to have it end up a 600 lbs. fail-tractor that I'll have to put PVC pipes\
ollers underneath the frame, hook up myself and my dogs, struggle like hell just to move it 12 feet.

... but I am very much looking forward to having chickens!

(P.S. Sorry for your loss)

 

[elmo]

Quote:
I have three different models of tractors on my BYC page. So far, the lightest one is the one I made from metal hoops that were originally designed to be garden row covers. It's a daytime tractor, though (no night time roost).

 

[roosterroost]

No, we don't have a garden tractor, so it is just my hubby and I moving it by pushing with every ounce of our being. There is just no way we are going to be able to keep this as a portable unit, so I am resigned to making it stationary. Since there is a bottom edge to the entire structure (where "wheels" are attached, and I use that term lightly)....I am wondering if I can't just put pea gravel down on top of the ground; this area would be part grass, part dirt where I have removed landscape fabric and rock. Then I will add sand on top and still not have it spilling out of the wired area... Thinking out loud here.

I will try to figure out how to post a pic. Our structure was intended to be rather solid and sturdy in order to tolerate our cold MN winters. So it is a day and night structure. So I figured it would be a bit heavy, but this is just way too heavy to move.

 

[roosterroost]

I tried to make my own page to post pics of the chicken "tractor." However, the pictures themselves do not show up on the page; there is only a red "x" where the photo should be. I have watched the tutorial and did everything exactly the way it is described, so I'm not sure why I can't post it.... Also can't simply copy and paste the photo here. So until I figure that out, I don't know how to get a photo for you guys.

Also, HOW MUCH sand do you think I need in the bottom? How deep?

THANKS

 

[hudsonhousechicks]

I put fill dirt on the bottom of our coop and it was a big mistake. I found that out after the first big rain. I then covered the fill dirt with sand. It's the way to go. Sand, sand,sand. I wish I knew that to begin with.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

Quote:
if u are work on firefox it does not work i did my page on IE. so u will have to upload the pics with/on the uploads pic it is right a bove the search box to your left https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploadimg.php

 

[hudsonhousechicks]

Several inches of sand. I bought 6 fifty pound bags, and our coop is about....6 x 8 feet? I put pine shaving on top of that but in hindsight I wish that I'd used rice hulls. It makes a richer compost.

 

[ScotH]

A plus to your coop being stationary: you can expand the run later to fit the location and give them and you more room in there.


Thanks Elmo for the ideas, I've been thinking of using 2x2s (or even angled aluminum) for supports on my frame, should cut down on weight and still be pretty strong.