Large chicken tractor

[Alabama ee]

We built one chicken tractor, but I was thinking of buliding a bigger one. The one that we have now fits about 8 hens. I wanted something that would
house 12. HOwever, still be easy enough to move by hand. This is such a creative group! Do any of you jave any ideas?

 

[BeccaOH]

I swear by the hoop house. I have both a large one I can walk into made from the cattle panels and a smaller version with plastic conduit pipe hoops that I have to crutch to get into. Love them both.

See: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=172799

 

[Alabama ee]

Quote:
That is nice. HOw does it handle the wind? Here in Al we sometimes get a bit of wind.

 

[patman75]

I have seen setups with the coop on a trailer and the run that is detachable if you want to tractor for a lot of birds.

 

[BooBear]

If you have a riding lawn mower you could build on that could be pulled around the yard with it.

 

[SlowMoneyFarm]

Regarding hoop houses and wind - it'll handle it. I'm in AL - in a triangle where F4/F5 tornadoes hit all around us. The hoop house stands, tarps intact. It's 3 panels, a solid west wall to hold it 8' apart, wired to the panels and to the back fenceline. (I have a video of it but can't post anything to show.) I put a layer of clear plastic then tarp on top - and it's in the ground with tent stakes up the sides. It forms a U, which we closed off the open end to attach a 10x10 or so yard. Tarp is wired to the cattle panels leaving one space at the bottom, which allows birds to come in and out as they want...surprisingly even the male Muscovy wiggles through the holes. The 'open' side on the other 'wall' is lined with netting which keeps the birds from getting out.

I had a similar one in Flagstaff AZ that handled 60 mile an hour winds and snow.

 

[brandislee]

Quote:
Yeah, this is a great idea- I actually do this sometimes... except that my setup includes a plastic doghouse, and my chickens always manage to get stuck between the doghouse and the back of the tractor when I pull it with the mower (since they're scared of the mower) so I just suck it up and move the dang thing by hand most days.