Mobile chicken coop

[Sunny Slope]

There are lots of designs for "chicken tractors" or mobile coops out there. I built one about a year ago that has a couple of unique features that make it easy to work with. One is retractable wheels for easy moving, and the other is an automatic opening door to the roost/laying area for those mornings when I might be late getting outside. Thought this design might inspire others, so I've written it up with photos and videos here: http://sunnyslopeorchard.blogspot.com/2013/12/our-mobile-chicken-coop.html

 

[Hinotori]

Very nice!

I'm going to have to build a small tractor or two for my large fowl broodies. Silkies get to stay with their flock, since their flock helps raise chicks. That silkie rooster will be dying of old age.

 

[k15n1]

Looks good. And the automatic door opener is very clever.

I'm gearing up to build a coop. It'll be a tractor-movable building And I'm thinking of using Paul Weaton's suggestion of multiple paddocks and a relatively stationary coop.

 

[hqueen13]

What kind of terrain does your tractor navigate? I'm trying to come up with some options for a tractor to use in the horse pasture, which is rolling hills, so there is a fair amount of slope to it in places. I'm trying to figure out how the run will work on ground that isn't always going to be perfectly level.

 

[Sunny Slope]

What kind of terrain does your tractor navigate? I'm trying to come up with some options for a tractor to use in the horse pasture, which is rolling hills, so there is a fair amount of slope to it in places. I'm trying to figure out how the run will work on ground that isn't always going to be perfectly level.

Our property is also hillside, and my coop has a maximum ground clearance of about 4". So when moving over uneven ground I pick the smoothest path, and when going up or down slopes I use a helper to push/pull. Of course the lifting mechanism could be changed to lift higher, but you don't want the chickens to escape! Putting it on skids and just dragging with a small tractor or riding mower might be easier on steep hills.

 

[hqueen13]

Thanks for the thoughts!

 

[perchie.girl]

LOL.... Its like Chick TV for your dog.... love the design. would never work for me... Whole different set of probs...