TanksHill...Roll on!!

[TanksHill]

Thanks you guys. This is not my first pen I have built. I am just trying to get it built the best I can for the least amount of money.

I need it to be pretty secure. Even with the new fence around my orchard I need to consider coyotes.

We don't have much wind down hill. Unless they are hot summer winds coming in from the south east. The tractor is going out in my orchard on natural slope. Another thing to take into consideration. The hill faces east.

BB I thought about us using some hooks and using the same corrugated panels or even some plywood. Then closing in one end, over the wire. So they would be removable if needed.

Right now I don't even have any birds to put in it. Unless I move my bourbon red trio up into the orchard. I do really want to raise some meaties soon.

I wanted to build in panels so when(not if) we move I can take it with. That went out the window when I wrapped it with wire.

I think I am going to get a couple corrugated panels for the roof. Lay them flat where the rafters currently are.

I was looking at the space right of the door. I thought maybe I could build a small plywood box and screw it in about 8 inches off the ground. That way the smaller, and fatter birds could get in it.

Really the construction on this was easy. Just lots of screws. It really amazed me how I had no scraps. I started with 10, 7' 8" ft 2 x 4's and had one left. It is 66 inches wide. The pieces I cut off the width I used for the door. The other two were cut in half again and used for the door bracing. The uprights were perfect cut in half, 46inches. Then if you added the top and bottom rail width you had the 48 inches necessary to staple on the wire.

I did originally intend the door to be on the other end. But this is fine. I will work it out.

Today is laundry and trailer stuff. So I probably won't get to the home depot until Monday.

I really want to be on the Nov 17 bird order. Dh wants to leave for Thanksgiving. I surely cant take 25 stinky meat birds with me. I need to work on that one.

Back out to work.

gina

 

[FarmerDenise]

I have been dealing with a similar issue of putting a roof on my goat pen. I want to keep it light weight, so I can move it. I notice a big election panel on a neighbors fence. It looks like it is made of a plastic material. I plan on asking if I can have it. They are supposed to be removed by the people putting them up a few days after an election. This one has been up since spring. I think it will make a great roof.
You might check your neighborhood and maybe even call whoever put them up, just a thought.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

WOW! your tractor is fabulous!!!

great work!

I surely cant take 25 stinky meat birds with me.

hee hee hee well you could try stuffing them in your bra...

ha!

 

[TanksHill]

Sorry it's already full!!!!!

 

[Denim Deb]

I wish there was a warning on that post! I almost ended up w/rice all over my screen!

 

[Beekissed]

Gina, I think your chicken tractor is a palace also!! It is beautiful and I love it that you didn't spend much to build it.

I've been thinking about your roof.

Option #1. Fiberglass panels would be lightweight, don't cost much and you could build up the front of your coop to provide the necessary slant...and you could have them overhang a little to provide more shade and rain protection.

Option #2. Cattle panels are entirely reusable, so if you ever deconstruct this, you can repurpose them. You could use a few to form a gentle arch over your pen and use a heavy tarp over that to provide shade and shelter. You could even let the tarp extend a little on the sides to provide more shade. This would shed water better than a flat surface.

I just built a temporary sheep shelter out of cattle panels in just this way, except my sides were cattle panels also. I used a cargo net I had lying around to keep the tarp flush with the panel...we have some pretty high winds here in the mountains and it barely ruffles in wind. Pretty much the whole thing is built from cattle panels, zip ties, tarping and cargo netting.

 

[TanksHill]

Thanks Bee.

I do have a couple cattle panels but I like to use them in the veggie garden. My big coop has green fiberglass corrugated panels. I kinda like the idea of them matching. I thought about slanting them just enough from side to side to collect the water into a trough or drinking bucket. I am not sure how much they cost. I will need to check. I don't have a tarp available so either way I'm going to need to buy something. I have been scouting CL for cheap ideas. I do have more wire and even netting. I am aiming for 1/2 solid 1/2 wire. For shade. My dh was chatting with his dad about adding wheels and this and that. I had to tell him to back away from my tractor!!


g

I have an interesting story to relate about my in laws. They take my kids to church on Sun mornings. I will tell you all tomorrow.

 

[lorihadams]

Put a tarp on the back side for the meaties.....take a piece of rebar and bend it in half and stake it in the ground over and through to hold it down on the sides if wind is an issue.We screwed 2x2s over the edges of the tarp on all sides to keep it from pulling off. Here's mine. We painted the 2x2s black to match the tarp so it would be more aesthetically pleasing to my husband....he's so prissy.

I think your's is fabulous!!! I would love to do something like that for turkeys....it would make a good isolation pen too.

 

[TanksHill]

Lori, is that a light hanging in your meatie tractor?

 

[TanksHill]

Ok so I am really excited. I posted an add for corrugated panels on CL. I got a response today, 1 day later. A man has 12, 6 ft green and 7, 9ft panels for me.. All for 20 bucks!!!!! He says they have been in the attic for like 30 years. But never used and in great condition.

I am so blessed!!!!

I am going to pick them up in the morning!!!