ISO Easy mobile day tractor

[clothespin]

My 8 hens have a nice permanent coop with a big pen. But, we'd like for them to be able to go out into the bigger yard during the day. I need a design that can meet up with the pen so I can shoo the hens into the tractor easily and then be easy enough to move through the yard to get them into position for the day (or a few hours).

The main reason for wanting to do this is we've been over run by millions of 1/2 long grasshoppers! It's free food and the hens would be doing us a favor in the process.

Most of the designs that I see are for full time use. I just want occasional use. It does need to be sturdy enough to keep our dogs out though. I can't let the hens free range because of the dogs and also a heavy predator load in the area.

Thoughts and ideas? Links to builds would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I'm trying to come up with something myself. I don't have a grasshopper problem, it's more of a hawk problem. When I was at Home Depot the other day I noticed these temporary type fence posts that you push into the ground (and easy to remove) and you can put the cheap pvc netting on to make a little corral. I was thinking of giving this a try. Of course I would have to hang out with them to scare the hawks away but it would give my chickens a break. Hopefully we'll both get some good suggestions. A traditional chicken tractor is out of the question for me because I'm not so young anymore and moving it around would be too much for me to handle.

 

[paintedChix]

I have used a rabbit cage attached to a puppy Xpen. But that's more as permanent grow out pens. You could do different variations on that theme, however.

Pics of mine - first the rabbit cages covered in loomed haystring w/ either cardboard or feed bags between the looming and the pen - creating shade/weather protection.



pics of cage with just a sheet over it, then 2 with a wire topping -



I plan on putting the puppy Xpen on a wood base to pull it around - will be easier, I think. If I do that squared off, there will be an open section on the side as well as the back. Plan on build a gate on the side and I attach them to the rabbit cages on the open back.

You can also build a miniature hoop coop as a tractor - using one panel to make it... I will have to look up the dimensions. But here are two YouTube links that will show you what they are/how to build.

chicken coop - $50 & 1 hr build

2 coops - 4 hours - <$100

There is also John Suscovich's tractor, Justin Rhodes' tractors and a variety of others. Search through the tractors on this site, too. LOTS of ideas!