Max and I are amazed at the chicken tractor Josh built!
A chicken tractor is a moveable coop and run that allows you to move chickens around to fresh grazing areas while keeping them safe and out of trouble. An added bonus in that they fertilize the land they are grazing.
Josh knows a great deal about welding.
Even Q knows to not look at the light.
I originally wanted a coop built out of PVC.
But - I have been married to Josh long enough to know that my Pintrest finds are never as awesome as what he can actually come up with.
The base frame is 10ft/10ft.
Poor Josh - always getting talked in to projects.
Which generally include him having to build something for the farm.
He was smart enough to weld on a pivot point that allows the tractor to lift and move the coop when it needs to go further than just getting pulled to a new near by spot.
I seriously don't know how he thinks of these things.
It took us over a hour to catch these bad babies.
They knew something was up and where not having it.
Finally, we had to get a fishing net to get them.
But, now they are all moved in to their three seasons room.
The plan is to have them in here from late spring till fall.
Then they can free range away for the rest of the time.
Let's take a tractor tour...
There is a small door to get in that allows us to get out eggs and add water/feed.
Josh built the latch out of some door frame he had laying around.
The door has a spring on it so it closes by itself, in case some kiddos forget to shut it.
Wash basins from Lowes are set in a frame for nest boxes.
I will add some straw soon, but Max already drew on them to make them comfy for the ladies.
I did invest in a larger waterer so I could be sure the chicken didn't run out.
The metal siding is left over from when Josh's barn was built.
Josh added a perch down the middle so they would have a place to roost.
Cost:
Pipes 23 X $6.50 = $150
Nest boxes = $7.50
Waterer = $35
Total cost was < $200
And the ladies are happy, happy, happy.
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