Help!!!

[Horsedoglover]

So my daughter is building a coop for my chickens. I need an easy plan for a chicken tractor, but am having trouble finding one. It needs to be a little small. My daughter is twelve and I'm helping her with complex steps, but it needs to be easy. I have a Border Terrier and he likes to try and get in so it needs to be dog-proof. I am in the suburbs as well. Thank you so much!

 

[bald Rooster]

Most of the small kit ones I've seen are pretty fancy and pricey.
the best small designs I've seen is basically a elevated dog house with a roost in it a ramp in the bottom and some way to get in it to cleaning a couple nesting boxes. build a strong run with door and elevate coop in it. chickens don't care what it looks like!

 

[Urlec]

How about a bit more on what you want. Small to me is about 10 chickens. Some others here it might be 1 or 100.

How may chickens do you want yo have?
What kind of budget do you have?
Any special features do you want it to have?
Do you have any building experience or do you want something with little cutting and assembled?

Check the learning centre here to there's lots of ideas you can modify to make it work for you.

 

[Horsedoglover]

Thanks, well I want ten and I want to build everything, but nothing too complex. Maybe around $150. Nothing to fany but i don't want it to look like trash. Also I want it raised so my dog can't dig into it.

 

[Urlec]

There's all kinds of options. I built my first one out of a truck box cap (free with broken windows) a lot of fence lumber ( free) and chain link fencing (0.20 /lb scrap yard) basically built a frame the same sise as the truck cap and mounted it on top then used chain link fence as a dig proofing skirt.

My next one is a old gazebo frame ( free since no canvas on it ). Should be a simple build. Just got to scrounge up some wall and fence material. Kijiji, Craig's list, facebook groups, are all a good source of materials. Scrap yards are my favourites since you can get metal fencing and siding by weight instead of paying by piece.

I build based on materials I can get. There might be weeks before I can get something I need or I may see something I'll need later and have to get it now. I built my first run out of pallets till I got enough fencing and posts then built the new one around the old one. Now that's its painted and complete it looks as good as anything I can build with new materials. Chickens are not picky give them what they need and constantly improve things for them.

 

[TalkALittle]

So why does it need to be able to have a heat lamp in it?

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Do a search for A frame coops/tractors it does not get much easier than that. Why does it need a heat lamp?

Gary from Idyllwild Ca here

 

[Gordon Shumway]

I have been dreaming of a new and improved coop since before I got chickens and have seen some simple and economically built coops and tractors by simply googling homemade chicken coops and looking at the images. When I build a bigger coop I want to have no regrets (hopefully) when I am done so I have been checking that out about every week. Many nicely built tractors and coops there are built on a shoestring budget or with free materials. Its worth looking into if you have time. Good Luck!

 

[Horsedoglover]

Well we are starting with chicks and I am in Colorado so it gets very cold here.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I would use the mama heating pad instead of a heat lamp search for MHP or mama heating pad or user Blooie (I think) You will find tons of info