New tractor design questions

[patandchickens]

Before you get all concerned, does SLC really get enough rain to worry about coop roof pitch? And is the ground you're going to put this on really all that totally level? (Well, maybe it is)

If you are particularly worried about rainwater pooling, which from my impression of the central basin of Utah I would not think it would be a concern more than a couple days a year, you could very easily build the top at a slight angle. Or even with a slight crown where the house part meets the run part -- that material *will* bend lengthwise over a broad radius.

Pat

 

[elmo]

One more thing: how are you deterring predators from digging under the edge of the coop?

 

[jrossetti]

Quote:
Not rain so much, but snow, yes, which I think is a bigger concern in this regard because it is heavier. I've sketched out a slanted roof modification:

Not completed this idea yet, but I still plan on having hinged vent panels on both sides under the roof, it'll just be a bit more of a cutting job. I think this could provide more shade in the summer, and shedding the snow in the winter (or at least enough so it's easy to push it off with a broom).

I've also reduced the width of the tractor back to 3' wide as elmo brought up a good point about the overhang. Since the corrugated PVC comes in 2' widths, I can make it just under 4' wide, and that's a good 6" overhand over both sides, which makes more sense to me. Since I moved the nesting box outside the henhouse, I feel I can probably squeak by with this. If I decide that won't work, I'll widen it back to 4', and just buy a third section of roofing (just trying to figure out the cheapest way to make this work well).

While 3'x7' provides enough ground space to keep the chickens healthy, finding that balance between size/weight/luxury(for the chickens) is a tough nut to crack. One part of me says "give up and build an a-frame" and another part of me says "you hate a-frames, tough it out and build something you like!"

Quote:
No clue. I've seen a variety of solutions here on the forums, but don't see one that I really like. I suppose I could put some of the hardware cloth with the really big holes, across the bottom, or even poultry netting, but I hadn't wanted to tackle that problem yet.

 

[jrossetti]

Here it is, my final revision.

Slanted roof to shed rain and snow, some overhang for added protection from the sun and elements, outside perch, changed the two upper side panels so they're fixed (no longer hinged for ventilation, it's probably not needed since I've got 2 open walls up on top).

Anyone have any experience using that watering system by Edstrom with the little bird cups? I'm thinking of installing that later on to replace a waterer, just fastening the reservoir to the back of the henhouse somewhere.

I think this design is ready for production.

 

[elmo]

About predators digging under your frame, one thing you could do is lock your chickens inside the box part of the coop at night (when predator risk is highest). Although, now that I look at your design, it looks like the front wall of your coop is going to be completely open. Is that right?

The other way to go is to add a hardware cloth apron out from the frame to lie on the ground. That's what I have. It's not stapled down to the ground, of course, since I move the tractor around, but it does help close the gaps between the ground and my frame whenever my tractor is somewhere that isn't perfectly level. I just go around with my foot and bend the wire down into contact with the ground.

My own winter coop is almost done; I'm trying to finish it up this weekend. Right now I'm futzing with pop door designs.

 

[4estgump]

J.

I have 1 Roo, and 2 Hens RIR. Here is a couple pics, might help. I have a picture record of the building as it went along. I have less than $ 150.00 in it. I built it with a frame work on the back side where i could put 3 laying boxes on it when the chickens got closer to laying. I installed them just a couple weeks ago. If you need to contact me please do so.
4estgump

 

[jrossetti]

Quote:
Naw, that inside wall will be covered using hardware cloth, and I'll hang a panel in front of the mesh in the winter when I feel they need it.

Do you ever have a problem with predators who actually dig under the frame to get inside? How wide is the apron? And what's a pop door?

 

[elmo]

Quote:
I let my chickens use their tractor only during daylight hours, and so far, the only problem we've had is a cat glaring at them from outside the tractor. I don't worry that the cat could dig in, but I would worry if I didn't have the apron that the cat might find a gap big enough to be able to squeeze under the frame.

I certainly have heard about people losing chickens to predators that dig under the edge of the run. Usually you either need to bury wire or use an apron (18-24 inches wide). With a tractor, though, you can't bury the wire, and tacking down the apron would be a pain when you move the tractor.

A pop door is the chicken sized door the birds use to access the run from their coop. If you want to close your chickens up at night in the coop part of your tractor, you'll need one of those in that hardware cloth covered inside wall you described.

 

[patandchickens]

Well, a tractor is inherently less predator-proof than a fixed coop can be; and they really work best when located in an area that is already fairly well defended. I would lock the chickens in the house part at night, for sure.

An apron is not actually that difficult to use with a tractor. My original tractor had a fixed 6" apron, which would not deter something really determined but it's a lot better than nothing, and that didn't make it hard to move. For a wider apron (1-1.5') you can do a hinged design that flips up when you want to move the tractor. I can't remember who all has this on their tractors but I know there are several.

You do want to pin the edges of the apron down when you get the tractor where it's going, but that needn't be that difficult -- I used a couple-few bricks, but tent pegs would work as well. The idea is just to keep the edge from *easily* being detected or flipped up by a casually-inspecting predator.

jrossetti, you will have more cross-purlins supporting the roofing, yes? That plastic stuff needs a support every 2' maximum (16" is safer if you sometimes get big dumps of snow)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[MimiChick]

I actually stapled chicken wire to the bottom of my tractor. The grass comes up through it and the chickens have no problem with it. It won't be effective against small rodents (field mice and chipmunks) or snakes, but it's pretty good to keep a burrowing/digging dog or coon out. That being said, I lock the girls in thier roost box at night anyway.