Ok, we free range our chickens and have a large coop...

[MetallicBlue]

Larry, I wanted a tractor too. My inital goal was to have a tractor and fencing so that I could quarter off the garden and let the girls do the weeding and rid me of bugs, but with 15 chickens the tractor would be crazy heavy. I ended up with a coop and run. Best of luck to you.

 

[DallasCriftins]

A tractor - a big one!

6M x 3M poly tunnel - frame only
like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6mx3mx2m-...874?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item484c4cfb9a

they also do a 4m x 2M frame for £29 I have one it was probably one of the best buys last year.

cover it in chicken wire or whatever
A simple axle with a couple of cheap removable wheel barrow or sack barrow type wheels at the front corners will do

combine that with a portable coop or shed on skids inside and you are done
should be big enough for loads of Chickens and dead easy to move about

We can pull this 8' x 8' metal shed around on skids by hand in our field and it is a lot heavier than a Poly Tunnel frame

 

[missnu01]

That is a really good idea. I was thinking of buying a 10x12 metal shed to use as a coop...but now I am torn because I think I can just build one cheaper than I can buy a metal one...but I also know that I am not sure I personally want to build something so large as I don't like using power tools, and my husband is no good with handy work...if I need power in said building, that is where he comes in...but as for a carpenter, he is not...One of my friends might be persuaded to cut all the pieces for me, in which case I would be able to build the wood one...I'll figure it out soon.

 

[katoranger]

Power tools are not scary. A metal building like the one above will be much lighter than a similar size wood building. The metal used is really thin.

 

[missnu01]

Well I don't want to move the coop once we build it...and I fear that metal will be too cold in winter and too warm in summer...I am also trying to be the most cost effective possible...I already have tin for roofing and a little bit of the lumber I would need to build a wood one. I want to make an 8x8 or 2. I was thinking of making 2 8x8s that share a wall but are separate..I'm not sure if I will be able to talk my husband into funding that yet, so I might start with a single 8x8 and then add another one next spring...I want a lean to style..I would like to have a 10x12, but I know that an 8x8 would be easier with less cutting...

and power tools are scary if you are me..I tend to not pay enough attention...I am the person that tries to do things that are on my lap, or leave things plugged in when they shouldn't be..Or accidentally hitting buttons when it is not safe..Lol. For example, I have dabbled in doing tattoos, and have little specks and spots here and there where I pushed the foot pedal when I was sitting on the machine, or had it in my lap...at least that is just a tattoo needle, but what if it was a circular saw? One of my friends just last week cut off half of his right thumb and finger using a circular saw, so one more way I know I shouldn't use this tool ya know...Some people just aren't conscientious enough to use things like that, and I know I am one of them...I also fall down a lot and am clumsy.

 

[DallasCriftins]

The reason that shed is on skids is because it is relatively light and because the weak door runners had broken so I decided to put it to good use else where.
It was here on some paving slabs when we moved in so probably 15 years old they do at least stay in one piece!

I personally would never buy one myself the work to assembly one looks extremely long winded there are about a billion screws in this one!
so just getting at the runners meant major surgery removing most of the roof!

I would not recommend one for a coop as metal buildings unless well insulated suffer dreadfully from condensation.

We are trying a Ketter Apex plastic shed for our next coop project
They are simplicity to assemble held together with very clever plastic screw in pegs and some screws.

I also have a different plastic shed for the Ducks
Still made by Ketter though I believe

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

I didn't read through to see if anyone suggested this, but you could use a droppings board to reduce the amount of droppings in the coop. Basically, it is a board that is under where your chickens perch. It will collect all the waste from your chickens overnight. You just need to scrape it off. I'm hoping to get a new coop soon, what I want to do is get a board with a 2" rim and put it under the perch. Then, I could spread a layer of pine bedding, or even leaves, on it. That way the droppings won't stick and I just need to use a dust pan to remove the old bedding and droppings, then add fresh bedding.

 

[missnu01]

I would love to put up a poop board in all the coops, I need to block off the rafters in the main coop first though...but the new coop will definitely have a poop and roost board with a nice ladder step down. We are just going to build an 8x8 lean to type coop with no run, with 2 brood boxes, and 3 nest boxes built so we can access them from the outside.

 

[missnu01]

Ok...got my new coop figured out...We are going to build a wooden lean to type coop attached to the existing coop...I will make it as large as we can...but none of the dimensions can reach 12 ft...it can be 11ft tall and 11ft long, and 11 ft wide, but as soon as one part of it is 12ft you have to have a permit...so...I know 8x8 saves cutting...but as I said, I would like it to be as large as possible. And since now we can build one less wall I might be able to talk myself and my husband into cutting a little bit more. Perhaps 10x10...I don't know, we'll figure it out.