Redoing our coop or adding.

[babyrnlc]

I have a question. Now we have a tractor that is 12 ft by 4 foot. There are two coops (one on top of the other) they are 4x4. We built an add on run that is 8ft by 12 ft. (2x4 frame) Currently we are moving both. We move the run every week and the coop every 3-4 days (It has two opening to attach to the run). This is getting to be a hassle.

We have 10 chickens including the chicks, but thinking one may be a roo. I am tired of moving both the tractor and the run, so I thought of building a coop on the existing run and just saving the tractor for chicks or sick bird etc. The coop will be raised up about 2 ft and will be 8ftx4ft. The run will still be 8ftx12. It will be a little short of the 10 and 4ft per chicken rule, if we keep all 10. BUT we will move it every week and they free range for an hour or two most days (this week has been cold so they havent, I have to sit outside because the dogs may escape). So the fact that it is a tractor, an extra extra large one lol, does that mean it would be ok for it to be just shy of the right size. We also have fairly mild winters. This last winter the chickens were out most days but maybe 2 or three that is including the two freak blizzards we got (we dont usually get blizzards and it usually snows 3-4 days a year)

I dont want to build this and then just have to redo it later. I am fairly certain 10 chickens will be our top (and we could always use the other tractor if we wanted more)

 

[patandchickens]

Are you considering building a coop literally ONTO the existing 8x12 run and having it still be portable? B/c that is not likely to be practical, from a structural perspective and a weight perspective. If you have a vehicle (like, literally a tractor!) to pull it with, you might (MIGHT) be able to make a portable 8x12 coop-and-pen unit, but you'd almost certainly have to start over from scratch to ensure it was built strongly enough and braced well enough to withstand movement. And it would be heeeeaaavy!

OTOH if you are talking about making a portable coop as a separate unit, and then it can dock onto the portable 8x12 pen with them just being moved separately, that would certainly work.

How much space is "okay" is a matter of personal choice, it depends on your goals/philosophy/priorities etc.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[babyrnlc]

Quote:
We have a portable 8x12 now. We put a dolly under it and move it, or if there are two people available we lift it and move it. Now it has a wire top, but we are going to use the plastic type roofing and put wheels on all 4 corners (like we did our 4x12 ft coop, which I move by myself) We put it at one end of the yard and then move it until we hit the end, and then push it back and start over. It is already built to withstand movement.

We have it attached to the 4x12 coop/run now, but I am tired of moving both of them. It would be easier to move just the one. It will only be adding a little more wood (like 6 2x4's ) and the plastic type roofing. The wood should be the same as the 4x12 (since it is a double decker, two coops one on top of the other)

Edited to add that now we have 8 nest boxes, we are only going to have 2 double boxes (since they all lay in one anyway), so that will be a little less weight. The OSB or ply wood should be the same as the other coop just side by side instead of on top of each other.