Making a new coop

[ChickenMomma91]

Alright so after having chickens for three years I've finally came to the conclusion that my coop is way too big. The hen house itself is 4wx6lx5h and the chicken yard has been barren for the past two years and has lost soil due to erosion no matter how much straw I put in to try and preserve it. Before much longer the girls will be able to slip out from under the fence.

Solution? We're looking to build a chicken coop tractor kinda like the one pictured below. But I can't seem to find FREE plans. I've googled and used pinterest but I must be missing it or something. Has anyone built one like this or know where I can get free plans?

 

[Mini Horses]

Well, no. But looks pretty simple and I think you could ballpark it without much trouble if you have ever built anything at all. I'd jump on it as a project because I regularly put together such huts, various sizes...for chickens and pigs and goats. Sometimes the barn can't be moved and I need smaller, or temporary, etc.

How many chickens do you have? Does your current coop have a floor? Is it too heavy to be lifted and wheels added? It's 4X6 & 5' high...as I read it. It could be pulled with a riding mower and portable fence used. Maybe even cut the height first. I'm thinking to use something you have but depending on build, may be easier to start fresh.

Sorry not much help -- but will push it up and someone else may have plans.

 

[ChickenMomma91]

@Mini Horses our yard is actually really small

 

[Mini Horses]

Suggestion -- make a frame with PVC pipe, light weight & inexpensive, cover with wire. Make a little hoop tunnel and set that between the coop door and the wire covered graze box. Move it every day or two. They can leave or enter the coop at will, you can move it all in very short time.

So rather than new coop, just the loafing/grazing portion, and a wire tunnel between that & coop.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Sorry, I don't have plans ( I rarely use exact plans or recipes). I also think that frame looks pretty easy to duplicate without printed out plans. (chickens won't know or care if things arent exactly like the plans on paper.)
Is there an option of just adding a door on the side or back of your current coop and adding a small fenced area on that side? It would be quick and easy with fewer materials needed. That would allow you to build up the current yard while they're busy in the new one.

 

[Beekissed]

Could you post a pic or two or three of your current setup?

And, the use of a varied deep litter can help your current run, though you need to build it deeply and of various materials to get it to work properly in restoring the integrity of the soils there. Straw isn't a great option, though it can be incorporated in small amounts here and there in the litter mass.

Tis the season to be collecting a lot of FREE deep litter material...it's falling off the trees as we type. Leaves are a great base for deep litter and don't cost a dime.

 

[Joel_BC]

Hi. Click on this, then see if you can use anything that comes up in the list.

https://www.google.ca/search?source...1j0i7i30k1j0i8i7i30k1j0i13i30k1.0.DQ2hYF5_PxM

 

[CrealCritter]

I need to get off my butt and make a CT for CCX. Oh well there is always next year.

 

[Mini Horses]

Thanks, Joel. These are what I am talking about. Portable and easy...........they are NOT for heavy predator areas but in your yard, great! I am all about using what I have and adapting. I use for broody hens/chicks, grow outs, controlled breeding, etc. Yeah they go into coops at night for lock up and mine generally free range every day with no pens.

 

[sumi]

There are many, many tractors here and some of the pages have plans included:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/category/tractor-coops.17/