help me make a portable coop

[Nutcase]

Hey everyone, please post your thoughts in this thread:

I am thinking of making a portable coop which I can move around the yard at will (sort of like a cheap tractor). Can anyone help me? It doesn't need to be huge or anything but I would prefer easy, affordable materials.

 

[macgeoghagen]

Are you looking for an all inclusive thing that they will spend all their time inside, or just sleeping/laying quarters?

I made a hutch about a year and a half ago. 12 square feet, sleeps 15 medium chickens comfortably or 20 uncomfortably. Materials and paint cost about 120.00 and took an afternoon to build using hand tools. They sleep and lay in it, but spend most of their waking hours in an outdoor run. I also have an 8+- square foot hutch, but I will need to re-draw the plans for it.

The larger one has wheels, the smaller I tie to a hand truck to move.

 

[PaulScott]

if you give us a idea of more exactly what your wanting ill be glad to help

 

[n2omike]

If you have access to an old riding mower, remove the wheels/axles. After you do this, drill holes in the frame of the coop floor, jack it up, and install the axles through the holes. It's what I did, and it works. I made the frame double walled at the bottom for more support. I also drilled a hole through the axle so it could be held in place by a cotter pin. (placed in the space between the double walls of the frame)

You can see the holes in frame below the house section.

I screw extensions to the front (door) side of the coop to give more leverage when it comes time to lift it and move it around.

Good Luck!

 

[chicken dude]

I like the hoophouse design. it starts with a rectangle 2x4 base. then cattle fencing is bent and placed inside the two length sides of the frame. then some more cattle fencing squares are places on the sides width sides for the doors.

 

[kacklinkelly]

Doesn't get any easier or more affordable than stuff laying around
the garage. This was temporary until the tractor was built.
They are happy in either


Actually, I think they may feel a lot safer in this one.
Was built from mostly scrap wood. We bought a sheet of
plywood, a few 2x4's and hardware cloth. Slapped on a coat of
left over paint and there you have it. We have to make some
modifications but this is our first crack at it.

 

[foulplay]

These are two of my many chicken coops. They are used for my meat birds and they work very well the one on the right has wheels while the one on the left doesn't have wheels it is all preference. The one on the left is 8x6 and the one on the right is 4x16. Good luck