This is a short blog about my experience building a chicken tractor. It is loosely based on the free plans from this Mother Earth News article. I won’t reiterate the details of the frame etc., because it has been covered quite well in the article. What I do want to add is my own modifications, and experience building the tractor, which I think adds value.
For those new to the idea, the concept is simple: build a movable mini coop structure with no floor. This allows you to move the chickens around your yard, while aerating and fertilizing the soil. The chickens get to forage and eat bugs, which produces much better eggs. And you get an excellent lawn, or future garden bed.
My son helped with the construction. It always takes longer to build things with my little helper around, but the extra time is worth the investment.
Carpenter in Training
The neighbor’s dog comes by to check out our progress. Building the frame on a flat concrete surface helps ensure that things are level. It’s basically an A-frame with 3 triangles connected by 8 foot long beams. The footprint is 8′ x 4′. I dedicated 3 feet to the enclosure and 5 feet to their “yard” space.
Checking the frame
We decided to paint it John Deere green, an idea I got from this extensive gallery of chicken tractors.
Painting
Almost finished
Modifications to note:
- We decided not to put wheels–to get ones that could effectively roll over our bumpy terrain would require that they be bigger and more costly than I wanted. The end handles on this tractor make it easy to move with two people or even one person (by waddling sideways, one end at a time.) With one person, the shelter end of the tractor is a little on the heavy side, but I wanted that weight to ensure protection against the more aggressive predators. The wheel designs I’ve seen also leave an unwelcome gap between the shelter bottom and the ground.
- I added a rear double nesting box (you want to have at least two so there’s no fighting) with a lid that can be accessed by my son. That will be his responsibility. (See the first egg collection.) You’ll want to have straw or some other bedding material that you can change every other day. Yes, the hens will poop in the nesting boxes. We fastened the bottom of the nesting box by putting a crossbeam inside just under the lid hinge area. We also put a crossbeam at the bottom of the box, to reinforce it and add a lip to retain straw. These box beams are screwed directly into the bottom piece of the tractor A-frame, and an additional middle cross-beam on the A-frame (see inside picture below.)
Note the glove for cleaning out straw and poop
Lengthwise box crossbeams (top and bottom) under lid hinge
Cross piece for fastening nesting box
Inside roost
- There are 3 openings to the tractor. I highly recommend all three for their specialized uses: the front door to give them yard access, the side top door, which allows refilling food and giving scraps without being mobbed, and the nesting box lid.
Yard/water door: hinges at bottom and latches at top
Side door allows easy feeding access without getting mobbed
All said and done, the materials cost about $150 dollars, and it took a weekend to build. If you can get some chicken wire for cheap, the cost can be reduced substantially. I sprang for the half inch square wire, which is heavier than standard chicken wire. (We’ve got some pretty excitable dogs free roaming the area.)
Finished Tractor
