Mini-van-coop-fire evacuation-mobile, PREDATOR BREAK IN!

[canesisters]

WOW! I am SO impressed! And you did it so fast!!!!!! It looks awesome.

Couple of questions though.

"I built two platforms to elevate the feed and water, but may have to figure out how to add a poop board or poop sling to decrease the ease of cleaning."

1. Why would you want to make cleaning harder !?!?!!?!?

And, 2. Is the big yellow paddle to 'encourage' them to stay in the van while you close the back door???


It really looks great. You should be VERY proud!

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Yeah, I did that twice in the post, once when I stated that I reinforced the windows to make it EASIER to push in from the outside and then thought about putting in poop boards/slings to make it more DIFFICULT to clean. I noticed both when I re-read it, and edited it out, but both slips would reinforce my husbands observations that sometimes it looks like I go out of my way to find projects that make life more difficult for myself...like buying chickens in the first place, or adopting a anatolian shepherd puppy.

 

[NovaAman]

wheels... on the tail end of the tractor so you can pull it easier...? like the gate wheels.

 

[NovaAman]

And I like it!

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

2. Is the big yellow paddle to 'encourage' them to stay in the van while you close the back door???

Ha! No, that is the leftover scrap from one of the "how do I fill that gap" experiments...but now that you mention it, it would be an effective chicken "encouraging device".

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

OK, yesterday afternoon made a "poop hammock" and installed it under the of the higher of the two roosts. I made a sling with two pieces of PVC pipe, wrapped with that sticky plastic stuff I used to line the van. As usual I was making stuff up as I went along, and I think it will work pretty well and be relatively easy to take out and hose off when the time comes...hopefully will go back in fairly easily too. By then I was out of PVC pipe and had to freshen up to go teach my Zumba class, so I decided to use a simple poop board for the lower roost. It isn't as wide as the hammock, but that may be better anyway, because I don't want to take up all the space in the mobile-coop.







Today I put the finishing touches on the attachment between the tractor and the van and built a trough feeder.

Now it's time to start up the van and take it on it's maiden voyage to greener pastures. I feel like I should break a bottle of champagne across her bow, but perhaps I'll save the champagne to celebrate if it doesn't fall apart. Wish me luck!

 

[ONSTAD1]

Good Luck! May the chicken gods shine upon you.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Well so much for those "finishing touches on the attachment between the tractor and the van". I moved the combo about 30 yards down the drive and off onto the meadow. I was almost in the position I had planned on parking when I heard a crunch and the tractor separated from the van. I backed the van up until it was up against the tractor and spent some time fixing where stuff had shifted, mainly replacing half a dozen zip ties that held the tarp in place. I think it's pretty secure, but it isn't going anywhere until I reinforce and reattach the tractor to the trailer hitch. (plus there is a split forming in the 2"X4" that you might be able to see right above the little red rooster at the end of the feed trough)

Oh, and because the tractor isn't sitting perfectly level, the tractor door is a bit torqued, and I need to mess with the corners so that they don't either stick or sag.

I had chosen to wait to move the birds to their camp-site until after it was in place, rather than loading them into the van and driving it down, so I then had to make 5 more trips back to the garage and carry them in a dog crate, 6-8 at a time and place them in the tractor. I'm trying not to get too attached, but I had to spend time each trip watching them explore and check out their surroundings.



22 in place, 13 to go.



All in all, it isn't a bad place to be a chicken! I know folks who would drive half way across the country for such a nice camping spot!

We'll see how the transfer into the back of the van goes this evening.

Till then, help me pick a name. "Meals on Wheels", "The Freedom Ranger", "Hennebago" ? Other thoughts?

 

[ONSTAD1]

Waddle wagon?

 

[7 Biddies]

Eggmobile?

Chicken Conveyor?

Breakfast Buggy?

Chevrolayer?


I personally like "Hennebago".