Here's my tractor/coop design - suggestions wanted!

[snow5164]

I had a community nest box once, it was an old crate on its side , we had Icelandic’s at the time( nasty birds), they would lay 3 across , it really was a sight to see

 

[aart]

I thought that you had decided against a tractor/portable coop because of the unevenness of the ground?

 

[kwhites634]

View attachment 1447480 View attachment 1447480 View attachment 1447477 View attachment 1447477 Ok, been reading BYC, looked at 100+ coops here - thanks to all who have taken the time and effort to post photos and explain their designs. Hard to imagine getting into chickens without all of you at BYC! Mahalo!

I've come up with a design that I think will work for our first coop.

I need some advice on the height of the roost and the nest boxes, and any other suggestions on the rest of the coop, as we are newbies to the Wonderful World of Chickens.

We are in Hawai'i at 1200 ft. elevation where the temperature is mild, year round bugs, going to free range as much as possible as #1 benefit is bug control, but want them to be pets (Terri wants to cuddle chickens!) and provide a few eggs in exchange for free housing.

We want a tractor - want to move around the yard so we don't kill the grass, and we can disassemble and move it, as we are renting our house on 5 acres now.

We plan to get some older birds from a neighbor to start. We have heard to keep them penned up for a week, so they get used to the coop and us. Then we plan to let them out early morning, and lock them up before it gets dark.

We want to put an auto door and wheels on it - I'll look for large diameter wheels and want to make them easy to raise/lower. Ground here is all sloped and uneven, lots of lava rocks protruding from the yard in places.

I have 1/2" hardware cloth for the sides, and metal roofing. I plan to rat proof the coop - have stainless steel wool and caulk for any holes, will use 1/2" HC for anti dig ground cover around the outside bottom View attachment 1447477 View attachment 1447478 edge.

Basic design is 8'x8'x7' hi at the peak. High enough to walk into. Nest boxes will stick out the sides, so the girls have the whole 8'x8' floor.

I chose the gambrel roof design as I understand the chickens prefer to roost in a somewhat enclosed area. I considered a hoop coop, but it got voted out as I was going to use a tarp to cover part of it - and the similarity to our homeless camps here caused objections!

I plan to build next boxes out of some 1/4" or so plywood - have them stick out of the side of the coop. 16"x 16"x 16" or so, and want the bottoms to be up off the ground (uneven ground) - plan to build two sections of three nest, have them bolt on to the coop. Guess I need a hinged back door for egg gathering. Would like to put the bottoms 6" or more off the ground - guess I need a ramp into each one.

I am thinking of putting in two poles for roost at 3' hi - as shown in my drawings. I thought about putting a third pole 1 1/2' hi so they can hop from pole to pole - or do I need ramps? I wanted the roost to be up in the covered attic so they feel secure at night. Any help here is really appreciated.

You don't need an individual ramp for each nest; put a perch across the front, spanning all 3 nests. Actually, at only 6" off the ground, they can hop in & out easily without any aids.

I sure wouldn't want to try to move the finished building around the yard, wheels or no wheels, without a riding mower or ATV

 

[k2panman]

Thanks for the photos of your hoop coop snow5164. It gives me more ideas... JT, I agree on the PVC being a flimsy coop. The cattle panels are easy, but they are heavy - over 40 lbs per panel. Remembering from back in the day when I was working on experimental aircraft, wood was always one of the strongest and lightest materials we could use. PVC really is just easy - easy to make joints, as long as you can use standard fittings. So looking at snow5164's coop, I'm thinking I'll look at using a wood frame, but try to make a hoop style as the curved panels are strong.

And yes, I think we'll start with a group of 3 nest boxes - can always add another 3 later if we have more girls.

 

[snow5164]

I’m glad we could help , sorry you have to do more thinking .... have fun though

 

[snow5164]

 

[k2panman]

I'm going to stay away from PVC for the frame. Although convenient and easy to cut and assemble, it really doesn't have much strength for it's weight or cost. I can build with wood. We get borate treated lumber here - I'll use that. I'm going to work on something of a hoop coop with a wood frame. I'll post it here when I get it drawn.

I'll also plan on building just three nest boxes - with the ability to add 3 more later.

Any other suggestions are welcome!

 

[aart]

I'm going to stay away from PVC for the frame. Although convenient and easy to cut and assemble, it really doesn't have much strength for it's weight or cost. I can build with wood. We get borate treated lumber here - I'll use that. I'm going to work on something of a hoop coop with a wood frame. I'll post it here when I get it drawn.

I'll also plan on building just three nest boxes - with the ability to add 3 more later.

Any other suggestions are welcome!

How much strength do you need, with few predators?
Are you still planning on a mobile coop?
Thought that was out due to not much flat ground?

 

[k2panman]

Whew. I've been drawing different designs, and I either get a design that is too heavy, or a design that will take a lot of time to construct. I don't want to put too much time into construction, as I've got too many things to do now that I'm retired.

So I'm back to the hoop coop, but I want to use wood for the frame. I'll need to bend some hoops into a 6 ft. radius - actually I want it 8 ft. wide and about 6 ft. tall. I'll need 20 ft or more of material for each hoop. Anyone out there bent wood into something like this? I am trying to keep it simple - I don't think a steam box for 10' lumber is something i want to fool with. Maybe rip some 1x2s or 1x3s in half, then glue them back together. Maybe there's an easier way?

 

[aart]

I'll need to bend some hoops into a 6 ft. radius - actually I want it 8 ft. wide and about 6 ft. tall.

That's about what you'll get with a 16' livestock panel.

Maybe you didn't see these Q's I posed?

How much strength do you need, with few predators?
Are you still planning on a mobile coop?
Thought that was out due to not much flat ground?