Show Me Your Tractors!!

[CoyoteMagic]

I'm going to have to stop free-ranging my flock as we have a coyote running around. Hubby spotted him last evening when he went to lock up the girls run.

Let's see pics that you have. Plans would be helpful too!

 

[6mutts]

heres what we built...

we originally had the bottom enclosed with chicken wire, until the neighbors dog got TWO of my flocks, then we moved it and enclosed it with a fenced type thing---this is what it looks like now

 

[WestKnollAmy]

We have 3 that may work for you.

I built one that allows them a bit of room underneath the coop. It is 6x8 on the bottom and the coop part is 3x6 with plenty of room inside. This is on the thread "I am not a builder" if you want to see how I constructed it. It now has wheels.

I built another small one that I can push around the farm by myself. It is much smaller with only one pair of breeding birds in it but safe since I lock them up in it every night.

And DH built one that we have to put wheels on every time we move it but it is 10x10 and big enough for lots of birds, though we only have a few breeding Araucanas in it right now. It is really sturdy but I don't like it because I am afraid something will dig under it and get them. There is no where to lock them safely up at night in it and we have to use tarps to keep the wind and rain off of them in the winter. It just needs some tweaking. We have materials and plans to built four more of these at one time to put in our pastures.

I have many more photos of this one and have plans to organize the photos for a thread on here about this one.

 

[stephen_tx]

I don't have any actual plans for this because I built it as I went along, but if you want to build one let me know and I'll give the dimensions and see if I can put a rough drawing for you.

Stephen_TX

 

[G Wiz Ranch]

stephen_tx - That is a great design. I have a friend that wants to get started with a couple of chickens, and your coop is exactly what we had in mind. Nice work.

 

[campbellhatchery]

Free pallets for a tractor

- I want to build my coops as cheap as possible, using pallets like this

 

[Cowboy Joe]

Great tractors! I'm working on the drawings for a tractor I plan to build shortly. Some good ideas here so it's back to the drawing board. I'll post some pics once I get it built.

 

[Anny]

I like how colorful most peoples tractors are, it's really cute.

 

[stephen_tx]

Quote:
I think that if I was to build it again I would make the following changes:
1. Raise the nesting boxes higher so the girls don't kick litter into them.
2. Use 2X2" for the coop itself instead of the 2X4" to make it lighter.
3. Don't make a shingled wood roof, instead make a slanted corrugated one. Also to make it lighter.
4. Extend the bottom base sides in the front and back so I could attach the wheels outside the run to allow the wheels to pivot up or down so there won't be a need for the edging when we have small pullets, when the tractor is not being moved.

Stephen_TX

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I know I want to build my next one a bit different also. As I build them I think of ways they can be more efficient but once they are done I realize they really aren't so great after all. I keep working on it.

I want one to be light for me to move without the truck and yet big enough to house about 6-10 birds. That is difficult for me because I also take into consideration we have lots of strong predators out here. So I get the "Catch 22."

I guess anything worth having is going to be a lot of work.