Lightweight materials and ideas please!

[ASchreffler]

We are building a new tractor for our 12 hens. My husband will be welding the frame and we are doing a hoop style so it is tall and has less material by using the cow panels. The house has me stumped though! It will be 6’x6’. We will have 4-5 nesting boxes. So here is where it can get heavy! All that plywood! I cannot figure in my head how to do windows being that it’s rounded walls…. Should we just leave it cow panel and chicken wire and tarp it? Also, I cannot see how to do the roosts and pull out tray so I can compost the droppings.

 

[casportpony]

Do you have a drawing of it?

 

[ASchreffler]

Do you have a drawing of it?

This is the base idea. We are welding the frame out of metal instead of wood. My husband is saying he’s going to do a square box instead to make it easier. I don’t know what material would be lighter than plywood though but could be cut for windows etc.

 

[casportpony]

How about some sort of plastic?

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC!

Cool that your husband has the skills and tools needed for welding so that you can circumvent some of the effect of sky-high lumber prices.

Why do you want so many nestboxes? 12 hens only really need 3 nestboxes since the usual formula is 4 hens per box.

Two lightweight nest box options I've seen are plastic milk crates and plastic buckets.

 

[ASchreffler]

Welcome to BYC!

Cool that your husband has the skills and tools needed for welding so that you can circumvent some of the effect of sky-high lumber prices.

Why do you want so many nestboxes? 12 hens only really need 3 nestboxes since the usual formula is 4 hens per box.

Two lightweight nest box options I've seen are plastic milk crates and plastic buckets.

Yes! The metal is much lighter too! And should last longer. Thank you for the box ideas, I guess we only need 3-4 then huh? I think I’ll do that milk crate idea and have it screwed on so it is off the floor, that way we just have one flat level. Our current one has a pull out tray below and then like a shelf holding some containers for nesting boxes and they always topple over.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes! The metal is much lighter too! And should last longer. Thank you for the box ideas, I guess we only need 3-4 then huh? I think I’ll do that milk crate idea and have it screwed on so it is off the floor, that way we just have one flat level. Our current one has a pull out tray below and then like a shelf holding some containers for nesting boxes and they always topple over.

You're welcome. I've got traditional wood, but it was something I'd seen so I hunted up example photos.

 

[NatJ]

Should we just leave it cow panel and chicken wire and tarp it?

I would do that, except I would probably use hardware cloth instead of chicken wire.
The hardware cloth keeps out the predators, the tarp keeps out the wind and rain, and the whole thing is as lightweight as you can get.

I cannot see how to do the roosts and pull out tray so I can compost the droppings.

You said this will be a chicken tractor, right? Meaning a moveable pen?
I would just let the droppings falls on the ground, and move the pen regularly.
This saves effort (regular cleaning) and weight (tray).

The house has me stumped though! It will be 6’x6’.

Is there a reason for the "house" part?
If the whole pen is predator proof, and has a roof (tarp), you can just put in roosts and the hens will be fine all summer.

Whether you need anything more substantial for winter would depend on your climate. In northern Virginia, I found a tarp on the top and three sides was enough through several different winters. Of course I had to secure the tarp so it could not flap or blow away, and replace it every year or so.

 

[aart]

The house has me stumped though! It will be 6’x6’.

The whole thing will be 6x6 or just the house part?

6x6 coop might be tight quarters for 12 birds.

I question whether the run will be predator proof,
but kinda hard to see from the screen shot.

Oh, and.... Welcome to BYC! @ASchreffler
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[saysfaa]

You wouldn't need as many as in the picture. And could do a curtain instead if the solid wall they show - to make a darkened spot for the nests. I've been reading that communal nests seem to be preferred, workable, or neither by breed to a surprising degree. Probably by individual hen too. Either way, it might be worth the time to try. If it works, you can save a noticeable amount of weight; if it doesn't, it shouldn't be too hard to refit with dividers.