I'm starting to work on a new hen house. We live in the country and let the hens roam during the day. At night, they return to the chicken-tractor (our first tractor). Among other problems with the tractor, the thing is too heavy for DW to move. I'm making convenient mobility issue #1 for the new design. Stability in a storm will be #2. Raccoon protection will be issue #3. Convenient management of food, water and eggs is #4. Keeping to a budget is probably #10 or #11.
I looked around at ways to attach wheels to our chicken tractor but creating a highly reliable axle/wheel assembly looked difficult. So, I started looking for a cost effective way to buy a wagon or cart which would already have a decent wheel/axle assembly. I looked at wagons first, but settled on a garden cart. The thing has two bicycle style wheels under the 'cart'. If it had been a 'wagon', it would have 2 more wheels, but instead the cart has a leg where the second set of wheels might have been.
The idea is to use the cart as a foundation for the new hen house. For now, I'm thinking the cage and cart duo will look like a 'chicken flower cart'.
The cart will come in the mail next week. If anyone has any experience with this kind of hen house, I'd love to hear about it.
I looked around at ways to attach wheels to our chicken tractor but creating a highly reliable axle/wheel assembly looked difficult. So, I started looking for a cost effective way to buy a wagon or cart which would already have a decent wheel/axle assembly. I looked at wagons first, but settled on a garden cart. The thing has two bicycle style wheels under the 'cart'. If it had been a 'wagon', it would have 2 more wheels, but instead the cart has a leg where the second set of wheels might have been.
The idea is to use the cart as a foundation for the new hen house. For now, I'm thinking the cage and cart duo will look like a 'chicken flower cart'.
The cart will come in the mail next week. If anyone has any experience with this kind of hen house, I'd love to hear about it.