Is it possible to make a "moveable" run on wheels big enough?

[lakeontariochicks]

25 chicks..... probably 10 of them (definitely 5) will be gone at the end of summer.
Our landlord/next door neighbor is excited about us having chickens, he grew up in this house and had them as a kid, but still I am nervous about the chickens getting into his prized flower bed! Or, worse, heading for the huge garden across our busy road. We plan on free-range for as long as it's possible, but I am thinking ahead to if/when we have to have them in a run.
I was thinking about a 10'x12' run, enclosed all around with fencing, but I want it to be moveable. I would like to be able to have them go into my garden when needed, into the rose garden in the fall, etc. I am thinking I could put the 4 corners on wheels so that I can move it myself, but will it be too high off the ground? Would the chickens try to squeeze under if they could? Is there a way to make it, so that all I have to do is slip the wheels on and go?
Thanks for any help!

 

[Domestic_goddess]

I would do a search for coops/tractors.....cause I know i've seen a few like your talking about. What size are you thinking? For 25 chickens your going to need alot of space. I just built a second coop that is 6x6 and 5' tall with plans for a run 6x12 for 16 chickens, they will also free range. We built it with out a bottom so it just layes on the ground, we wanted it move-able some what, so we can take it if we move. I saw a run made out the pvc pipe on BYC some where, that's what I'm going to do...so it can be detachable and light weight.

Here's the like for the pvc pipe runs/coops, this might be a good idea for you.....and what I'm basing my run design on!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=13602

Edited to add link.

 

[kipepeo]

this is not as big as you want but thought you could see how they did the wheels so that there were 4 wheels to move it and then it sits on the ground

http://eggcartn.com/index.htm

 

[patandchickens]

You *can* make a 10x12 day tractor (although that is really about the size limit, and you can't do it with winterizeable housing included in it).

I would suggest going to the "Meat Birds Etc" section of this forum and browsing for tractor designs, they're the posts that'll have the large designs like you're looking for.

Your two basic choices are a 2' high rectangular style, or a 'hoop house' style made out of stock panels or pvc-and-wire.

Make sure your ground is flat enough for this to work, though -- very uneven bumpy ground will cause your bottom rails to sit too high off the ground in many places, leaving gaps that predators can get in or chickens can get out. A *little* unevenness is not so much of a problem with small tractors, but with really long sides like this, it maximizes the problem. In principle you can fill in with bricks (vs chicken escape, anyhow) or have an apron that is flexible enough to pin down to the ground all around, but in practice those will make a large tractor a giant pain in the neck to actually *use* each day. It would be worth taking some 10' or 12' lumber out there, laying it on the ground in various places, and SEEING how much gappage you will get, before committing to building something.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[CityChook]

Quote:
Do you have an ATV to move it? 10x12 is going to be pretty big. Seems like it's going to be heavy.
BTW, chickens LOVE prized flower gardens. The more money you've spent, the more they'll destroy. Be careful.