If you built your chicken coop...
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I'm very intereste to know as well. I'm going to build a chicken tractor type thing and every idea I have seems pricy to me. I want to be able to move them around the yard but they can't run free because of our dog.
What do you guys think about this tractor?
For me in the south shade is the biggest issue, rather than warmth, and I already have UV blocking shade screen to use for the top instead of tarps. I think I would put lawnmower wheels on mine because I don't have a lawn tractor and I would like to be able to drag it by hand. I would also use hardware cloth, at least along the bottom because of cats (or other predators) who like to stick their paws through. We intend to have a chainlink fence around the backyard soon, so nothing BIG will be coming in. I expect cats mostly.
What do you guys think about this tractor?
For me in the south shade is the biggest issue, rather than warmth, and I already have UV blocking shade screen to use for the top instead of tarps. I think I would put lawnmower wheels on mine because I don't have a lawn tractor and I would like to be able to drag it by hand. I would also use hardware cloth, at least along the bottom because of cats (or other predators) who like to stick their paws through. We intend to have a chainlink fence around the backyard soon, so nothing BIG will be coming in. I expect cats mostly.
I figured out what components I needed and then dh figured out a plan he could build. I can't remember $$ - I think around $300. Ours is big though. We have 13 chickens and could probably house another 12 in this coop. It's not walk in, but nearly so. We also put an awning off the front that doubles as a goat shelter. The goats love the awning, but the kids do get in the coop through the chicken door. (And today dumped my eggs!)
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For our chicken tractor, we built a heavy bottom rectangle frame and then bent PVC pipe- like for a hoop house, and attached it (3 hoops) to the bottom frame. I have to go look, but I think it's screwed on (dh did that part). We put chicken wire over that and built a wood frame on one end inside the hoop shape (attached to the bottom wood) with a hinged door. The back has wheels and the front an eye bolt with an old car seat strap so you can drag the whole thing easily.
We had some of the lumber, hardware and chicken wire, so I'm not sure how much we spent.
We attached a tarp over half with twine for shade and rain protection.
One thing I like is the wheels are set high so when you drag it you can't catch a hen's leg and break it. I can safely drag it with hens inside.
I use it for chicks, new hens in quarantine or sick hens I'm isolating.
We had some of the lumber, hardware and chicken wire, so I'm not sure how much we spent.
We attached a tarp over half with twine for shade and rain protection.
One thing I like is the wheels are set high so when you drag it you can't catch a hen's leg and break it. I can safely drag it with hens inside.
I use it for chicks, new hens in quarantine or sick hens I'm isolating.
I immagine the PVC pipe would make the whole thing lighter (as does the tarp instead of wood weatherproofing) but how do you think it stands up to the sun? How long has it lasted/do you expect it to last?
I know tarps break down pretty fast, but at least that's easy to re-apply when you need to.
I know tarps break down pretty fast, but at least that's easy to re-apply when you need to.
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You bring up a good point about the sun. I don't know how the PVC will stand up to sun- we rarely see the sun here
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. Things rotting away is the biggest problem, so we used treated wood and PVC.
In a dry climate, maybe wood would be better.
In a dry climate, maybe wood would be better.
We built ours out of skids, so I designed the thing to be easiest to build with the 40"X48" block. Almost everything was scrounged/free. We did spend $200 for: a little lumber, some hinges, screws, roofing, posts and fencing. Winter is the biggest problem here, so it's a solid little house with insulation.
It took weeks to build with not a little fighting
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Now I'm thinking I'd like another breed of chicken, but I don't think I'm going to get another coop anytime soon. Maybe a few tractors would be ok for the summer....
It took weeks to build with not a little fighting
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We're about to unertake this... fun (how much can we swear at each other anyway?)
We are using part of our 20 foot long lean-to style woodshed as a walk in chicken coop. It will be about 10 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 8 feet tall. The framing and roof are already complete and in place, and we have a TON of scrap lumber, plywood, etc around the property to use to enclose it. There will be two standard size doors hung so we have easy access, as well as to help with cross ventilation in summer months. Total cost? Maybe $50 for random stuff (hinges/screws/etc.) There will be 2 sides with 2 levels each of nestboxes/perches- a total of 18 nestboxes and perches for our 12 chickens. That said, what we are putting together is WAY beyond what they 'need' and into the realm of 'luxury chicken villa' but only because it's what's already available on the property for space/material.
Check around with local builders/contractors/lumberyards to see if you can get some scrap lumber- often it's cheaper to see what you have for material to start with and go from there.
Our 'chicken tractor' will be a large dog pen my dog doesn't like using, with some extra hardware cloth moved around the yard/garden as necessary. Again, this is more space than they need, but it's the material available.
We are using part of our 20 foot long lean-to style woodshed as a walk in chicken coop. It will be about 10 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 8 feet tall. The framing and roof are already complete and in place, and we have a TON of scrap lumber, plywood, etc around the property to use to enclose it. There will be two standard size doors hung so we have easy access, as well as to help with cross ventilation in summer months. Total cost? Maybe $50 for random stuff (hinges/screws/etc.) There will be 2 sides with 2 levels each of nestboxes/perches- a total of 18 nestboxes and perches for our 12 chickens. That said, what we are putting together is WAY beyond what they 'need' and into the realm of 'luxury chicken villa' but only because it's what's already available on the property for space/material.
Check around with local builders/contractors/lumberyards to see if you can get some scrap lumber- often it's cheaper to see what you have for material to start with and go from there.
Our 'chicken tractor' will be a large dog pen my dog doesn't like using, with some extra hardware cloth moved around the yard/garden as necessary. Again, this is more space than they need, but it's the material available.
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