Is my tractor too small for 8 chickens

[jeepguy982001]

yea i'd put 2 really wide doors on the back. they wouldn't have to be very tall just tall enough so you can get a rake or shovel in to work. since your coop is 14 ft long i'd do 5-6 ft wide doors. put the hinges near the base of your coop and make them idk 2 1/2-3 ft tall. also forgot to say the coop i seen with the chicken door in the bottom put hinges on the ramp and had string tied to the front so when you pulled the string up the ramp acts like a door to close it off hope that makes since.

 

[mlrod1914]

Berkley, MA. The little town no one has ever heard of.

 

[mlrod1914]

Yes. That is wonderful advice! I like the idea of the doors opening with the hinge on the bottom. I'm going to do that.

Question: Why would they make the ramp so that you could pull it closed? Just curious.

 

[9014josh]

ok i know where that is, cool. i like the idea of your coop, wish i had found this site before i started mine!

 

[jeepguy982001]

so that way you can close the chickens in at night and let them out it the morning.pretty much they are using the ramp like a door.

 

[donrae]

It looks like a nice start on a good tractor, but not for near that many birds. Minimum rule of thumb is 4 square feet each bird in the coop, and 10 square feet each bird in the run.

Now, you can fudge those numbers, of course, depending on your set up. But, at 9 square feet, I'm thinking 8 full grown hens won't physically fit into that coop to sleep. They need over a foot of roosting space each, and your entire coop can't be roost, so that's a big issue right there.

Free ranging can sure help flex those numbers, but unless you're set up to free range all the time, you've got to consider some things that might keep the birds confined.....
Bad weather. Where you live, the birds aren't likely going to be out and about a lot in the winter, and winter can last several months.
Vacations. If you're ever going to leave your home overnight, you'll probably want the birds secured while you're gone. Same for any unexpected travel. The last thing you want to be worried about if you have an unexpected death in the family or health crisis is what to do with the chickens.
Predators. Always an issue. Stray dogs are probably number one, closely followed by raccoons. You'll have both in your AO.

So, I'd either plan to have half as many birds (and still enlarge the coop somehow) or re-work your plan for more space. Overcrowding is the most common cause of behavioral issues in birds. It can be as mild as some bullying/pecking/low production, all the way up to lessened resistance to disease and parasites to cannibalism

 

[mlrod1914]

I though I did my research, but I have learned so much since I started reading this site. My little chicks are in the brooder right now. They still have 5 weeks before they go out into their new coop, so I'll need to make sure I get this project wrapped up by then.

Better to start something and have to redo it a little then never start. Right?

 

[jeepguy982001]

I though I did my research, but I have learned so much since I started reading this site. My little chicks are in the brooder right now. They still have 5 weeks before they go out into their new coop, so I'll need to make sure I get this project wrapped up by then.

Better to start something and have to redo it a little then never start. Right?

very true. also in case your like me when i work on something i'm on step 1 thinking of step 5. So to save your back make sure you raise it before adding all the walls and such. trust me my back knows from experience. luckily mine coop isn't near as big and i was only half finished.

 

[mlrod1914]

If I have the whole thing wrapped in hardware cloth and bury the mesh 12" in the ground all the way around, then they should be fine correct? or will I still need to close them in? is this to protect against predators?

 

[mlrod1914]

The top of the roof is at chest height. Why do you thing I should raise it up? To make it easier to clean out? Sorry about all the questions. But your giving me great advice. I want to take advantage of your experience.