My coop/tractor project (Pic Heavy)

[crzychickenlady]

I just used a good plywood, reinforced with 2x4's cos plywood can warp and bow, I think you can see in one of the pics, the door without the 2x4's and you can see that is is bowed out in the middle.
Exterior paint is what I used, I did about 3 coats. It works as a seal and makes it easier to clean. My neighbor gave me a 5 gallon bucket, but you can sometimes find it really cheap at a restore place or maybe returns on color at Lowes.

 

[MissJenny]

Norm Abrams (New Yankee Workshop) has a work table project that features collapsible wheels. Here is the link http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct.php?0207 This project might be adaptable to your coop/tractor.

For now, if you need to get it up off the ground, you can hoist it up on a couple of bricks, flat pavers or stepping stones (low enough so chicks can't crawl underneath and get stuck -- it is not easy out-thinking a chicken.

Jenny

 

[ourlittleflock]

I know this is off the subject - but cute frizzles!!

 

[crzychickenlady]

Some of those frizzles will need homes soon!

 

[crzychickenlady]

Thanks you guys! I worked my tail off! It's not exactly the way I want it and I will be adding and redoing a few things over the course of the summer and early fall. I plan on insulating and adding slider windows on the inside using plexi, I may move the nest box to the outside to give more room (haven't decided yet). I also want to make a feeder and waterer out of pvc, so I can hang them on the walls to make more space and less mess.

I had my brother come over so we could brainstorm how to add wheels to it and i think we have come up with a plan! He builds choppers and works with metal framing and welding and such.
I don't want the coop part sitting on the ground the way it is and adding legs to it now will prolly compromise the stability. We came up with a solution (maybe).

We are going to try to do a frame that stands about a foot tall and use metal....not sure what it's called, but it's like hollow 2x4's, he can do the welding and cutting and we can attach the wheels to that.
Then he suggested installing some long "handles" made from 2x4's that will go out on the end facing the run. Then we make the run detachable with big bolts and put wheels on it as well. This (in theory) will make both coop and run part easily movable.

Any thoughts?

 

[4theloveofhens]

Quote:
Seriously?? I will DEFINITELY "examine" the dumpsters at our petsmart... I had no idea, and I may need a cheap way to get run fencing...

 

[crzychickenlady]

Totally check it out!! I had a friend that used to work there a long time ago and she said that anything that was returned, damaged or not, went in the trash! I found SO much stuff in their dumpster! I even found 3 of those self cleaning litter boxes in there, they had disabled them, but we fixed them!
Cat toys, dog toys, fish tank supplies, dog kennels, I even found some insulating panels in there one time! It's like a gold mine!!

 

[cook_kaka_ook]

good Job! Just a suggestion though, incline the top of the nesting box to deter the chickens from roosting on it. With the way it is now, you'll be cleaning poops on top of that box.