Need Ideas - Affordable Small Flock Eggmobile

[shedinator]

I want to run 20-40 layers on grass, in a miniaturized version of the Salatin eggmobile. I looked at Justin Rhodes' ChickShaw and love the design, but for such a simple construction (6'x6'x2' box, wire mesh floor, corrugated walls, egg crate nest boxes, on 2 wheels) I was surprised to see his parts list add up to almost $800! I'm also not totally sure a completely open bottom is the best idea here in Connecticut.

Anyone running a mini-eggmobile in a colder climate want to share your design?

 

[Wezdin]

6'x6'x2' seems way too small for 20-40 chickens.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

6'x6'x2' seems way too small for 20-40 chickens.

x2... NEVER BELIVE the chicken min and max they tell you.

 

[shedinator]

6'x6'x2' seems way too small for 20-40 chickens.

Are you familiar with the eggmobile concept? Those dimensions are for a mobile container whose only purposes are roosting and laying - the chickens spend their time outside in a larger area, which rotates from time to time. Joel Salatin's eggmobile runs on the same concept, and he's got 400 layers in a 240 square foot trailer. Justin Rhodes has been using his Chickshaw and its predecessor for several years and his birds look pretty darn good, too. I'm not looking for proof of concept here, just wanted to see if anyone had a modified design for my climate.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Are you familiar with the eggmobile concept? Those dimensions are for a mobile container whose only purposes are roosting and laying - the chickens spend their time outside in a larger area, which rotates from time to time. Joel Salatin's eggmobile runs on the same concept, and he's got 400 layers in a 240 square foot trailer. Justin Rhodes has been using his Chickshaw and its predecessor for several years and his birds look pretty darn good, too. I'm not looking for proof of concept here, just wanted to see if anyone had a modified design for my climate.

can you post pics? you are supposed to have 4sf of coop space for each bird.

 

[Wezdin]

Are you familiar with the eggmobile concept? Those dimensions are for a mobile container whose only purposes are roosting and laying - the chickens spend their time outside in a larger area, which rotates from time to time. Joel Salatin's eggmobile runs on the same concept, and he's got 400 layers in a 240 square foot trailer. Justin Rhodes has been using his Chickshaw and its predecessor for several years and his birds look pretty darn good, too. I'm not looking for proof of concept here, just wanted to see if anyone had a modified design for my climate.

Sorry, I thought you meant a chicken tractor.

 

[shedinator]

can you post pics? you are supposed to have 4sf of coop space for each bird.

 

[shedinator]

Sorry, I thought you meant a chicken tractor.

Oh, no. I've got tractors. The tractor I tried to build for my egg layers is now their stationary coop because it's too dang heavy to move. Hence this thread

 

[Molpet]

those are in places that don't get feet of snow and the birds can go out in the winter. I Have cattle panel hoop coops and 6 birds in an 8x8 is great in the winter... but I end up with 12 and it's crowded on snowy days

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

I personally don't think chickens would be happy in a coop that won't stay warm (hence the wire walls) have you thought about predators???