Mobile Chicken Coop

[dooleysm]

I've seen some posts here lately, on guinea hens and another on moving a structure, that have gotten me thinking, which is often a dangerous proposition.

I've wanted chickens for as long as I can remember. For eggs, for meat, for entertainment, for tick control, just for 'fun'. I want to start out with some mature chickens before raising (more likely killing) chicks.

I don't know if I'll like having chickens or how long the wife will put up with it, so I don't want to build a permanent coop until I know what I want and where I want it.

I have been thinking about building a coop that I can drag around to new locations (out of the sun, closer to water, out of sight, etc.) as I dream up better places for it. I have been thinking something along the lines of 3 parallel, horizontal posts (4x4 or 6x6), maybe 8 feet long and 6 feet wide. I am thinking I can brace them across the top with 2x4s. Then I'll frame up a 6ish foot tall coop, cover with metal and be ready for chickens.

I was thinking of some eye bolts on one end to chain to and drag where I please with my tractor. This is the reason for the 3 posts as the foundation. When dragging, they'll act as skids. I'm thinking I'll have to leave the metal siding up a bit from the ground on the front/back of the coop so it doesn't act as a blade when I'm dragging the coop. I could lay some bricks or cinderblocks along the outside edges to keep foxes, cats, etc. out.

Does this sound like a reasonable thing to do, from both an architectural and agricultural standpoint?

 

[MrSteve]

Everything sounds (the best I can see it in my head) good. Chickens (hens) are not a bad animals to have around. Now a rooster is a different story. IMO get 2 Hens and see how you like it, the breed I recommend is the "New Jersey Black Giant"

They are a great bird, can be handled (if you grow them from chicks) give a extra large egg and so on.

One thing about your pen you are thinking of making. I would say to put up a "small" electric fencer. Install wirer 4" from the ground and then again half way up along the sides. Also very very important, make sure you have a "mess" wire top as well.

 

[GregMVT]

You might want to do a google search on "chicken tractors" I will be getting my first chickens next month, but starting with 15 chicks. I am getting a breed called buff orpingtons mostly because they can deal with our cold winters and still lay eggs. There are a lot of sites out there that have information on different breeds. I found a lot of information at the chicken hatcheries site, places that sell chicks. You also might have a hard time finding hens in your area that of laying age and have to pay a premium price for them.

Greg

 

[JoeR]

I have my coop on 2x8 skids. When the droppings start to pile up, I just drag it to a new spot. You can attach some metal clips to the skids on both the back and front. This way you can grab a tow strap and pull it around as necessary.

Joe

 

[fenneran]

We have had a couple of different models of portable coops over the years. This is my latest, and so far, favorite.

One thing I did not like about the earlier models were that they were so low that the chickens were always on the ground. They like to roost and that design did not afford them any space to do that. Also, gathering eggs was a pain. This one give them some roosting room, and I can walk upright into the coop to get the eggs. I'd be glad to share more pics or specifics with anyone interested.

 

[dooleysm]

I'm very interested. My thinking is that I will enclose the whole coop in metal and put in some kind of removable "windows" covered in chicken wire in the summer and covered in metal in the winter. Maybe just a hinged cutout that can be shut whenever the weather dictates.

I was planning to leave the floor open to the ground, except for whatever bracing is needed to keep my 3 runners stable. The sides of the coop parallel to the runners would have the posts going down to the ground to keep unwanted visitors out. For the other 2 sides I was planning on laying a temporary line of bricks or cinderblocks to prevent unwanted access.

I plan to build it tall enough so that I won't have to completely crouch over to get around inside, maybe 6 feet on the high side down to 5 on the other?

The more I think about this, the more excited I get. Then I remember all the other projects on my list and wonder how I'm going to sneak this in without the wife noticing /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[fenneran]

I forgot to add. The idea of pulling it with the tractor has some downside. Sometimes when I'm moving the cage, one of hte birds decides to "linger" toward the back and gets a foot caught (normally, they are very happy to run foward with the cage as they get to eat new fresh grass). If I was on the tractor pulling it, I would probably not hear the squalking and run her over altogether. As it is, I can stop right away, back up a bit and let her loose.

You may not be able to tell from the picture, but mine has two 10' 2X4's stikcing out the front. I use this as a lever to lit the front up. With the little wheels in the backm it gives it enough clearence to roll right along. This design is a bit heavier than most folks like, but I was designing to solve a couple of problems: Fozes and my discomfort. It's heavy and secure enough that the foxes have never gotten a bird in this cage (yet). I like being able to stand up inside the coop to gather eggs, feed and water and just "visit" with the hens. They are so used to me coming in and out they don't try and escape or even pay much attention any more. The added weight is a small price to pay (for me) to have the plus of it being more like a "real" coop. plus, they get to eat fresh grass every day and the lawn gets a natural fertilizer to boot!

 

[fenneran]

Here is shot from the front. It is made from 2X4's, chicken wire and some metal roofing pieces I had laying around. The nesting boxes are about 3 feet off the ground and the roosting poles are near the top, giving some rain shelter.

 

[fenneran]

Final shot from the other angle.

 

[fenneran]

Those are pretty small images. Here is a link to the full-sized versions:
Coop1
Coop2
Coop3