Total noob here, planning to start my tractor on Saturday. I thought I'd lay out the overview and hope you all could tell me if I'm doing ok so far:
Tractor overall: 16'l X 6'w X 6'h with a corrugated galvanized steel roof. Roof pitch and total inside height tbd. I don't want to have to hunch over when tending chix or cleaning the run.
Coop within the tractor 6'l X 6'w X 3'h leaving 3' of clearance below for added ground access.
Nest box will hang outside the coop. I'm planning on four nests.
Tractor will be lifted by three boat trailer jacks and towed with a lawn tractor or real tractor, if necessary.
All pressure treated materials: 2 X 4 & 2 X 6 framing with plywood coop.
2" X 4" Wire sides, end and bottom (we have and abundance of predators)
1/2" X 1/2" Wire 3' up sides
1/2" X 1/2" Wire summer coop floor with a plywood cover for winter.
I have eleven chicks on order with a goal of having a final flock size of 8. I won't go into the brooder setup details here. Based on my reading, there may be some mortality or I may get an accidental cockerel. If all eleven work out, I've made arrangements with a seasoned chicken person with excess space to take anyone contributing to crowding. If they seem healthy and happy I'll keep all eleven.
There will be very little free ranging due to the proximity of neighbors and abundance of airborne and ground based predators. However, I do have a wooded area I plan to fence in for brief supervised evening foraging forays.
Please let me know your thoughts on the tractor. Thanks
Tractor overall: 16'l X 6'w X 6'h with a corrugated galvanized steel roof. Roof pitch and total inside height tbd. I don't want to have to hunch over when tending chix or cleaning the run.
Coop within the tractor 6'l X 6'w X 3'h leaving 3' of clearance below for added ground access.
Nest box will hang outside the coop. I'm planning on four nests.
Tractor will be lifted by three boat trailer jacks and towed with a lawn tractor or real tractor, if necessary.
All pressure treated materials: 2 X 4 & 2 X 6 framing with plywood coop.
2" X 4" Wire sides, end and bottom (we have and abundance of predators)
1/2" X 1/2" Wire 3' up sides
1/2" X 1/2" Wire summer coop floor with a plywood cover for winter.
I have eleven chicks on order with a goal of having a final flock size of 8. I won't go into the brooder setup details here. Based on my reading, there may be some mortality or I may get an accidental cockerel. If all eleven work out, I've made arrangements with a seasoned chicken person with excess space to take anyone contributing to crowding. If they seem healthy and happy I'll keep all eleven.
There will be very little free ranging due to the proximity of neighbors and abundance of airborne and ground based predators. However, I do have a wooded area I plan to fence in for brief supervised evening foraging forays.
Please let me know your thoughts on the tractor. Thanks