tractor advice

[1stMiracle]

I am trying to work with the materials I currently have on hand (save for the hardware cloth). I'm on a pretty tight budget, but I definitely want to meet the needs of my chicky babes.
I'd like to eventually house up to 10 hens. The tractor will be moved to fresh grass daily and the hens will be aloud to free range at least once a week.
So here's a basic design (bad scan). It only includes inner dimensions. I have not included doors, windows/vents, shade, etc. I want to get my dimensions nailed down first.


run--half pipe design = L-8' x W-5' x H-2.5' (at center of roof)
house = L-3' x W-5' x H-4' (roof tapered down to 3' in the back) ...This is not set in stone. It's just what I'm able to build with what I already have.
nest box housing (3 boxes inside) = L-1' x W-3' x H-1.5' (roof tapered down to 1')

I will rib the run with pvc and cover it with hardware cloth. The floor of the run will be 12 or 14 gauge welded wire to protect them from underneath, but still give access to the ground. The next box will be attached to the top front of the house.

My primary questions are:
1. How many hens will this reasonably accomodate?
2. I've heard the 3-4 square feet rule for coops. What about tractors? (It will be easier for me to extend/enlarge the run than the house at the moment, and so I could easily enclose part of the run--top and bottom--to increase indoor roosting space.)

 

[LoneOak]

You don't have to use expensive hardware cloth to cover it. 1" mesh standard chicken wire will work just fine and be much cheaper. I can't tell your dimensions exactly but if half of your curved ribs is 4ft or less a 4'x50' roll will probably be enough and you could make two runs lengthwise and connect it to your center rib and to the bottom which would work real slick.

4 hens should live in this size well. Look for an auto water system with nipples or cups to save space and keep your water clean, you can buy one complete or study a couple different models and build one of your own. Your already going to be good working with PVC so just figure how to run water in it and allow the birds to get it out.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Duplicate

 

[Hokum Coco]

You don't have to use expensive hardware cloth to cover it.

Not to disagree with Lone Oak. However if you have a predator problem or dogs in your neighbourhood you best go with your first instinct.

 

[jorey]

I agree with what loneoak said except and this isjustmy opinion do not use chicken wire. Great for keeping chickens in awful for keeping anything out. Please please please use hardware cloth if you have any kind of predator including dogs or cats of your own. As I said that is just my opinion.

 

[1stMiracle]

Though expensive, hardware cloth will be a must. We are moving the chickens from our enclosed back yard in the middle of a densely populated neighborhood, where our beagle and surprisingly our cat also, have guarded our little chickens well. Their new location will be in a distant neighbor's yard, which borders the woods, and where his neighbor's dogs have a daily routine of visiting the yard. I'm not going to take any chances there.

I'm actually considering something very similar to this design as well: http://www.bluemountaincoops.com/ark-chicken-tractor

Whatever design I go with, I will definitely be utilizing an automatic watering system. With the triangular prism design, I was looking at a length of at least 10 feet. So I thought of running a 2" pvc pipe just slightly angled along the inside of the crest, then down and into the coop with watering nipples attached. A 2" pipe that size would hold 2+ gallons of water. The top end could easily be fitted for attaching the hose for easy filling. Below is a quick sketch of the basic idea:


This one would actually use less hardware cloth and be more of an open air design. I would cover the top half of the coop like the one pictured in the link above, but not install a floor...except for the nest boxes. I would probably put two divided nest boxes on both ends. Anyone else in the Kansas City region utilizing open air designs?

 

[1stMiracle]

Not wanting to threadjack my own thread, but...
A quick note regarding an open air "coop". I just returned from visiting family in northwestern PA. I noticed that their chickens were roosting in a large pine tree near the house. Apparently, they also overwintered in its branches instead of in their other options, including a plush, well heated dairy barn (rising heat from the cattle beneath). They said it was one of the toughest winters they've had in several years. But all their chickens made it.