Ideas and options for DIY or modifying bought chicken tractors/coops (plus what I eventually build).

[DemeterAD9]

Time to start brain storming for the arrival of some meat birds and all the little mutts I'll be hatching come the beginning of April! I am not great at DIY from scratch but I think I can handle modifying something that is already usable. That being said I know my dad can help me scrape something together so long as I put a bug in his ear about it. The plan is to raise the broilers until butchering at 8-10 weeks as well as house my extra cockerels and pullets until they are either sold or butchered, I'm guestimating there will be about 20-25 I hatch out.

What I need-
1. Predator and weather safe
2. Mobile by hand
3. Large enough for 10 broilers and likely another 20ish regular chickens (keeping in mind the broilers are only temporary).
4. Durable enough to reuse for several years.

While cost isn't a huge issue for me I'd like to keep the price of materials and everything else around 300$. I've been looking at relatively cheap enclosures on ebay that are not ideal but can likely be easily modified to suit my needs. I'm unsure of the size I'll need but I don't think ventilation will be an issue if it is more of that "hoop coop" idea and a tarp secured on all sides around the roosting area should cover the weather proofing.


These are some I think I could modify. Some hardware cloth around the perimeter and roosting area should prevent coons and possums reaching in. As for digging, I've seen some designs for skirts that could go around the bottom. I'm also thinking some motion activated screamers would work for the night time hours (they worked wonder in the garden). The biggest hurdle will be attaching wheels. I don't know how much it would all weigh and I'm not sure how well I would be able to pull it w/o the use of the lawn mower (which I will resort to using if needed). Of course perching would be added along with hangers for feeders and waterers.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2764326078...lp:2332490&itmmeta=01JHY0PGD7HFE2YG6A4925B2F5
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2968995588...lp:4481478&itmmeta=01JHY22ZTQHH2FC4Z06034PXJZ
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2962415066...lp:2332490&itmmeta=01JHY0PGCK49S8JS5M5TFWQ6SH

Once I sit my dad down and really get to thinking we may very well settle for the hoop coop tractor type made with live stock panels as that seems fairly simple. We have lots of left over wood from having some cotton wood trees rough sawn and scraps from building a pull barn so I don't think we'll need to buy any lumber. I've seen a few of the designs here like this one. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-hoop-coop-chicken-tractor.72211/ but I just don't know if that will be big enough for what I need.

Anyone have a rough idea of how big a space I'd need? It would be temporary housing likely with some free ranging involved so long as I can babysit them to keep them out of the garden.

 

[Debbie292d]

As far as space, it's recommended to have 4 square feet per chicken in a coop. A run should be 10-15 square feet per bird, the bigger, the better on both.

You have other great ideas. You mention screamers, and I'm not sure what those are but don't think I'd like it lol. Consider getting some solar motion lights. You can get some pretty ones these days, or some that'll light up half of your yard. We use several types and they along with two dogs and three cats keep the riff-raff away.

 

[DemeterAD9]

As far as space, it's recommended to have 4 square feet per chicken in a coop. A run should be 10-15 square feet per bird, the bigger, the better on both.

You have other great ideas. You mention screamers, and I'm not sure what those are but don't think I'd like it lol. Consider getting some solar motion lights. You can get some pretty ones these days, or some that'll light up half of your yard. We use several types and they along with two dogs and three cats keep the riff-raff away.

The screamers are motion activated and solar powered things that we can stick in the ground. If I recall there are two settings on the ones we already have, one with flashing lights and one that does an alarm. My only complaint about them is they can't tell the difference between a plant moving in the breeze and an animal! I'll have to look into other kinds and figure out what I want to use. Another thing to add to the list.

If I do a tractor/hoop coop it will likely not have a proper coop attached and just a sheltered roosting area, all the space will essentially be the run. 10 square ft per bird is doable in the 10x20ft enclosures I've been looking at. There's a good chance I'll end up separating the broilers from the others for those 8-10 weeks so they may be a bit cramped for a while. I may very well have a bit less than 10ft per bird but hopefully that is okay for their juvenile stages.

 

[Debbie292d]

The screamers are motion activated and solar powered things that we can stick in the ground. If I recall there are two settings on the ones we already have, one with flashing lights and one that does an alarm. My only complaint about them is they can't tell the difference between a plant moving in the breeze and an animal! I'll have to look into other kinds and figure out what I want to use. Another thing to add to the list.

If I do a tractor/hoop coop it will likely not have a proper coop attached and just a sheltered roosting area, all the space will essentially be the run. 10 square ft per bird is doable in the 10x20ft enclosures I've been looking at. There's a good chance I'll end up separating the broilers from the others for those 8-10 weeks so they may be a bit cramped for a while. I may very well have a bit less than 10ft per bird but hopefully that is okay for their juvenile stages.

For smaller birds, yup, they'd need less space. The 10-15 square feet minimum is for adults. Bantams/silkies, etc., would be the low end of that, whereas larger breeds the higher number. It's just advised to help prevent picking on each other. Overcrowding is the number one cause of feather picking. I'd get multiple feed/water stations, too, so they're not all crowding in the same area.

Now I know what you mean about the screamers. We got one type of one a long time ago that's in the closet. We have dogs so it didn't work. If they set off the solar motion lights, it doesn't matter.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Plans changed as motivation to get crafty tanked. Mobile chicken tractor is not likely to happen this year. My uncle was remodeling part of his pull barn and tore down the old dog kennels he had under a lean-to. The fence sections (10ft x6ft) are set up and connected to the original run on the other side of the coup. There are now two separate runs that can be connected simply by opening the original run's gate. 30ft long and 20ft wide which now includes under the coop. The old run was 18x32 so run size has essentially doubled! Good news for the adults seeing as they'll be shut in most the time during summer (unless they miraculously leave the garden and flowers alone). We'll be enclosing at least the original run as I know they can fly out of it but I don't think they can fly out of the 6ft section. I'll likely eat my words later.

Now I need to do some securing with 3ft tall chicken wire all around the new fence, I'll also have to fill in a few dips in the ground. Add a tarp over part to provide a bit of shelter and create some sort of mini-coop as it will house the juvenile birds (and meat birds) before integrating into the main flock. My dad is thinking to use the old unused hunting shack which is fairly sizable, moving it will be the problem though. I was thinking of throwing in the old rabbit hutch and do a bit of modifying on it. I'm sure they can sleep under the coop too. We'll see. All in all I don't think it will cost more than 300$ in materials.

Photos possibly to come later if I get around to it.