New Chicken Tractor
Our chicks are finally big enough for some outside time during the day, but they're still too small to protect themselves from our cats. Since our cats were getting annoyed with us shooing them away, I decided it was time to build the chicken tractor KT had been asking for.
We opted on a small version, mainly because we had some scrap on hand from other projects. The final tractor is 4' X 2'4" X 2'2". The frame is made out of 2x2s and 2x4s. We had everything lying around except we didn't have enough 2x2s left. I also had to pick up some more screws. Not counting the previously purchased wood (scrap) we have I think $6 in it.
For shade we used some burlap sacks we got from a local coffee roaster, Red Rocks Roasters, for a gunny sack race.
This isn't a permanent chicken home, it's just for moving the chickens around the yard so they can help build up our soil. They've got a coop and a pen elsewhere in the yard.
Click on the image to see the larger version.
I think it turned out pretty well.
Anything broken on this site is my fault. Feel free to let me know!
The above mentioned chicken tractor has been a blessing. Our chicks have been able to stay outside all day, and they are taking dirt baths, eating bugs, and generally flapping their wings about. Its nice not to have them inside the entire day. Hopefully by next week they can be outside 24/7.
I want to start a small backyard brood with about 4 or so hens. I am not handy and don't want to build a coop tractor. The Green Egg no longer makes them and I would like to buy a used or new one locally. Do you know of anyone who might have a chicken tractor to sell? I would use it for a full time coop and I live near an arroyo so I need it to have predator control. We do get hawks and an occasional coyote in our yard.
Thanks.
I too would like a coop, and thanks to Mary Ann, I just found out about the Green Egg not constructing anymore. I live in Albuquerque (Taylor Ranch) and have the materials to build, but would rather someone else construct it-ha! Any ideas for me?
Thanks