Building a Chicken Tractor

[baymule]

Chickens are in their new house! We worked all morning, knocked off at 12:30 because some friends came over. We went back to work after they left at 2:30. The evening sun was shining in on them so I stapled a Feed bag over the door.

We put radiant heat barrier under the tin on the roof to help keep it cooler.

 

[CrealCritter]

Those chickens are mighty big already

 

[baymule]

Those chickens are mighty big already

Yup, I'm a bad chicken mommy. I follow my usual behavior pattern, get something and then figure out what to do with it. I seriously overbuilt this, it ain't a tractor, it's a full fledged coop. I'll drag it to a suitable spot and make it a coop after these go to freezer camp.

 

[baymule]

Today we dragged it forward. I drilled 5/8 holes in the 4x4’s, inserted 7/16x6” bolts. We wrapped a chain around the bolts and hooked onto the tractor. DH slowly pulled it while I was on the inside “sweeping” the chickens forward with a broom to keep them from harm. They all wanted to stay in the back corners. LOL

Since I hadn’t done it yet and it’s going to rain, I caulked nail holes in the tin. DH watered in the sheet of poop left behind.

 

[Mini Horses]

Should be able to grow grass with all that fertilizer!

Your tractor is certainly a full coop! Geesh!

(My chickens must NEVER see this!!!)

 

[baymule]

Should be able to grow grass with all that fertilizer!

Your tractor is certainly a full coop! Geesh!

(My chickens must NEVER see this!!!)

Yeah, I more than over did it. I'll drag it where I want it and make it a coop. Back to the drawing board for a chicken tractor.....but the chickens are happy.

 

[CrealCritter]

Today we dragged it forward. I drilled 5/8 holes in the 4x4’s, inserted 7/16x6” bolts. We wrapped a chain around the bolts and hooked onto the tractor. DH slowly pulled it while I was on the inside “sweeping” the chickens forward with a broom to keep them from harm. They all wanted to stay in the back corners. LOL

Since I hadn’t done it yet and it’s going to rain, I caulked nail holes in the tin. DH watered in the sheet of poop left behind.

View attachment 7037

"Sheet of poop" that's a great explaination. The life of a Cornish.cross, poop, eat, poop, drink, poop, lay around, poop, and poop some more.

 

[baymule]

That is some VERY poor ground right there. Do you see those pitiful bits of green? In a few places, the clover, fescue and rye grasses I planted are maybe 6-8 inches high. Very few spots. Look across the driveway to the green pasture there. We have run hogs in it and the growth is lush, over knee deep. Going to start grazing it. We drive in and out, turning our heads, saying PIGS----NO PIGS.

I don't want pigs in this pasture. The sheep barn is in this pasture and I would hate for pigs to have access to the sheep. If pigs got one of my sheep, it would be a dead pig right then and there. So, no pigs. What we hope to accomplish by using the chicken tractor is fertilizing the pasture. Going to mulch with spent hay from around the hay ring also.

I am delighted with the sheet of poop.

 

[Chic Rustler]

that's one fine chicken tractor. Makes me want one

 

[Chic Rustler]

that's one fine chicken tractor. Makes me want one