- Jun 14, 2009
- 1,735
- 32
- 161
I jumped back into this chicken thing whole hog. Thanks goes out to my grand daughter for the insperation.
Been thinking a while what I was going to do with my mini-flock when they out grow the brooder. Coop or tractor or free range?
Coop- don't have that many chickens, a coop would be expensive, and not fit into what I have in mind.
Free range- that's a non starter. to many feral cats, lose dogs and skunks, coons, possums, foxes, minks and hawks.
That leaves tractor.
First thing I did was settle on size. Not to small because I want my hens to be happy. Not to big because of wieght, if it's to heavy to move, kind of defeats the purpose.
So I settled on 12' long X 3' wide X 3 1/2' tall.
Here is the material unloaded out of the truck. For goodness sakes they don't give that stuff away any more. I was planning on scrounging material but my wife said it needed to look half way decent. Well sometimes new material has nothing to do with it.
Here is the bottom frame completed ready for wire. Wire? Did I hear him say wire? Yes, you did. Thought this one over long and hard too. Way to many burrowing preditors around not to have wire on the bottom. I chose 1"X2" welded galv for my bottom. I really wanted 2"X 4" but I would have had to buy a 50' roll, I only needed 12'. I attached the wire with galvanized staples.
Okay here is the ruff frame completed. Plans are to have doors one on each end. Doors measure 18"X 36", just big enough for me to get my poor aching broke up body through. The far end will have a small enclosure say maybe 3' X 32". But that's a picture for tomorrow.
My plan was to have it completed today, as good plans happen, it didn't work out. Had to run some errands for my Mom and Dad, 84 and 83 years old repectively. Dad still get around okay, needs a little help with the physical stuff. Mom, well mom is in the midst of the long good bye, Bless her heart.
Any way more pictures tomorrow. I will have the house pretty much done and wire on it. Next will be to add an automatic, gravity feed waterer along with feeders.
Been thinking a while what I was going to do with my mini-flock when they out grow the brooder. Coop or tractor or free range?
Coop- don't have that many chickens, a coop would be expensive, and not fit into what I have in mind.
Free range- that's a non starter. to many feral cats, lose dogs and skunks, coons, possums, foxes, minks and hawks.
That leaves tractor.
First thing I did was settle on size. Not to small because I want my hens to be happy. Not to big because of wieght, if it's to heavy to move, kind of defeats the purpose.
So I settled on 12' long X 3' wide X 3 1/2' tall.
Here is the material unloaded out of the truck. For goodness sakes they don't give that stuff away any more. I was planning on scrounging material but my wife said it needed to look half way decent. Well sometimes new material has nothing to do with it.
Here is the bottom frame completed ready for wire. Wire? Did I hear him say wire? Yes, you did. Thought this one over long and hard too. Way to many burrowing preditors around not to have wire on the bottom. I chose 1"X2" welded galv for my bottom. I really wanted 2"X 4" but I would have had to buy a 50' roll, I only needed 12'. I attached the wire with galvanized staples.
Okay here is the ruff frame completed. Plans are to have doors one on each end. Doors measure 18"X 36", just big enough for me to get my poor aching broke up body through. The far end will have a small enclosure say maybe 3' X 32". But that's a picture for tomorrow.
My plan was to have it completed today, as good plans happen, it didn't work out. Had to run some errands for my Mom and Dad, 84 and 83 years old repectively. Dad still get around okay, needs a little help with the physical stuff. Mom, well mom is in the midst of the long good bye, Bless her heart.
Any way more pictures tomorrow. I will have the house pretty much done and wire on it. Next will be to add an automatic, gravity feed waterer along with feeders.
