Newbie Needs Advice for Building a Chicken Tractor/Coop

[CreativeCowgirl]

HI, I am new to chickens and just ordered 25 chicks. I have a chicken tractor that a friend built for me that measures 12' by 4'. I realize that this obviously won't be big enough for 25 chickens once they start to grow up, so I have started brainstorming for building another coop/tractor. I was planning on building one similar to the one I already have, but maybe a bit bigger. How much more space will I need for 25 grown chickens? Here's a pic of the first one:

It has a door on the opposite side where I can get in, and on the back of the indoors section there is a half door that I can open to give them new feed and water, and a small roost inside from a 2x4. The indoor section is only 4' x 4'. Also, whenever weather permits, they will probably have an area of the yard where I can let them out, so they won't be in there 24 x7. Any advice /suggestions on how much space I need or how I could make this design better would be appreciated. I am really not very good or experienced at building things, so simpler is better! Thanks!

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

It is recommended that chickens have 4 sq feet of space in the coop and 10 sq feet of space in the run. You can have less space per bird in the run since they will get to go out at times, maybe 7 sq feet per bird. That would still take an awfully large tractor. It would be best to make more than one tractor to get the combined space you need if you want the tractor to be mobile. In a 4' by 4' indoor section, you could put 4 full grown chickens in it, maybe 5 if you are lucky, but that is it. The space your chickens will need is really something you must find out on your own. No one can tell you exactly how much space you will need. The best way is to start out with a small number of chickens in a larger space and to keep adding chickens as it permits.

 

[jillscoop]

Good luck with your chicks, you'll love having chickens.
I'm sure you know you'll need to keep them warm and inside under a chick light for the first few weeks.
At about a month old you can transistion them to the tractor. Leave them in the tractor for 8 weeks after that so that they become accustom to their home and are too big to become an easy kitty or hawk meal. After that just prop the door open every morning, they'll eat the bugs, fertilize your lawn, and be healthier & happier. As long as they spend a couple months growing up in the tractor as kids, they will know to return to it automatically each night, and you'll just close the door at dusk. Your tractor is adequate for 25 birds to sleep in, providing you add boards to roost and let them out each morning. Use the tiny coop just for nesting boxes. If the top of your tractor is mesh you will need to put a tarp over the top if it looks like rain. Depending apon how cold winter gets in your area, you'll need to give them more shelter at night in the winter (barn, garage, large coop or shed), if you have very mild winters (zone 8 +), you could just tarp the tractor.
Enjoy your chicks!

 

[CreativeCowgirl]

I was planning to keep them in the sheltered portion of the chicken tractor while they are young (with a heat lamp) because unfortunately I am not allowed to keep them inside. I have another thread about that here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/692252/outdoor-housing-for-new-baby-chicks I suppose I will just put something over their little door so they stay in that one area until they are a bit older.

I am also planning on fencing off a portion of my yard so they can have a bit of free range but won't get attacked by my dog.

 

[Mass Mike]

Howdy Cowgirl....looking at the pic of your tractor coop, it doesn't appear that there is any locking door between the run and the coop. You are definitly going to want to add a door that can be locked to keep them secure at night. (you'll want something that you can open and close from outside of the tractor so you don't have to squat down and get in the run every day to open and close it.) A tractor coop with no door = a free midnight snack for any determined predators.

Additionally....for 25 chickens...a more permenant coop would be advisable rather than another tractor.

good luck!