[Stereo]

I've already had one go at building a Joel Salatin / Polyface style chicken tractor and it's been OK but for one I used 1x2 batten which is not man enough and the whole thing is too flimsy. So here is the second version. This is designed to house up to 24 birds from 6 to 9 weeks before they move into a bigger version. The 'house' (on the right of the picture) is 4'x4' and the run side is 6'x4'.

The idea is to have the 'house' enclosed and there will be roosts in there with 2x2" weldmesh underneath so that they can roost and do their business through the mesh but can't access the floor in this part. In the run they will have the grass floor and it can be moved daily or whenever necessary to keep them on fresh grass. Plan is to drag it along once a day to fresh grass. It's currently screwed together but the plan is to bolt it in panels so it can be flat stacked when not in use.

More pics to follow.

[Kimbo]

  I love it. Brilliant idea.
Is that an OK size for 24 youngsters? (novice question!) I have clearly been way out when  thinking of what my chicks will move into after the first 3 weeks. I daftly thought 12 chicks ( and that's on a 100% hatch  ) would need half a stable!! Ive so much to learn! I hope the RSPCA doesn't have my address 

[Kimbo]

Stereo, just explain the floor in your house part again please.
 Wont their feet go through a 2" X2" mesh? Will there be a solid floor of some sort under the mesh? How will you get into the house part to clean it?
Sorry to be asking so many questions

[Stereo]

I'm learning here too so it will be an experiment based on my previous experience.

The house part is deffo enough space to sleep 24 6-9 week birds on roosts. I'm basing this on a 100% hatch from my Octagons and in reality, it will be less birds. My broader concern is how long 6' x 4' of grass will last 24 growers. But I will only know that by experimenting and it may mean 3 moves a day or one move every 3 days.....

The roosts will be 2x1 batten on their sides and with the edges planed off. I have found that this age of bird likes this profile to roost on through nothing other than trial and error so will go with that. The 2x2 mesh will be stapled below this. The purpose of this is to stop the birds getting down onto the floor of the house bit and getting mangled when I drag the brooder along. I want them in there, safe and roosting when I move it. In my previous attempt, I got a bird caught up in the dragging and although he is fine now, I nearly had to cull him there and then. Not nice.  If they do get their legs though the mesh, they will still be way off the deck so no harm while dragging. I can't see a 6 week grower getting through a 2x2" hole. Also means they are not treading in the droppings they lay down of a night. That's going into the soil as pure fert.

Also, at night, I want them to be roosting, not on the deck. This is important training for later and some say it should start from 10 days.

More pics should clarify things. I'll add some with the birds in too, maybe tomorrow if I get it finished.

[lord flynn]

really good idea 


as for grass lasting, I have a large cloche/small polytunnel covered in weld mesh that I use as a broody run/growers as its secure (just about moveable by me, has a wire skirt and pop hole of hutch/house fits snugly through wooden framed hole in end). Its 10ft x 4ft x 3ft.  I've not had more than 15 in it and once they are 6-9 weeks I move it every other day-ish. If they are in with a broody then more often as she digs up the garden too much otherwise. [size=78%]Once they get too big, they go into a pen made up of aviary panels which is 4-6m long and 2m wide and moved weekly. [/size]
I also add perches in with my chicks from about 2 weeks of age. Mine are all light breeds though.

[Stereo]

Thanks, I'm thinking 20 odd will take care of 6x4 in a day. I'm really building to the maximum as I incubate in 24's but never had more than 20 hatch, usually 18 or so. I'm also looking at re-designing my broody coops. Currently they are about 18" wide and 6' long which is not big enough once they start growing a bit. I was thinking of making an 8x4 box about 2' deep with 1" weldmesh on the floor to stop bigger rats and at one end a 1' square house and next to it a 3x1' dust bath area under cover. The rest could be mesh.

[lord flynn]

I adapted a hutch I bought off Gumtree this year. Its 4ft x 2'6ft x 2ft. Left half the interior partition in and it has two doors-one solid and one mesh. Its big enough that they can have food and water inside and I let them into the run when I get up. Its worked well-better than my traditional broody ark-the only down side its that its a proper, heavy 'dad built' hutch and a bugger for me to move on my own!But they aren't dependent on me getting up so they can eat-useful when its light early.

[Bex]

I'm planning on somethinng similar to this for my quail so I'll be very interested in watching your progress.

 

[Stereo]

Finally an update. Birds are in. Problem is it was built for up to 9 weeks so they are now due to come out again! Anyway. Pics hopefully attached. Chap at the timber yard persuaded me to go with OSB instead of ply and I was talked into it. Mistake I think but it will do for this year. Still yet to add in a suspended rail for a drinker so I can move it without shifting the drinker if it's fine. Feeder will hang from the roof.

Later I intend to treat it with a nice green wood treatment to preserve and let it blend in. Also probably fit some sort of lightweight profile roofing over the 'lids'.  Perhaps the OSB lid on the run area could be replaced with clear poly profile sheets altogether as it's quite heavy as it is.

Better than my last attempt but I can already see improvements. The idea is that the birds will be in the roost area when it's moved to avoid trapped legs etc. The 2x2 mesh will stop them falling through to the floor but still allow most poo through.

[chrismahon]

We have built something similar Stereo. Four units which each take 10 chicks at 6 to 12 weeks. We went to a local breeder and were shown her setup asking what she thought were problem features in her units and then designed something better. Each unit can be lifted complete and moved. We have 8" of cladding around the sides of the run to stop wind blowing the chicks around and the rest is 12mm weld mesh with plastic sheet over the top to shield them from rain. There are no perches in the coop part.

[Stereo]

Update. It's working well. I already have made some mental improvements for the next one (mods for this one). The lid into the grass area is too big and heavy. It will be split into 2 and I will use plastic sheet for the roof as Chris mentions. OSB is too heavy generally and future models will be mesh all around and the 'bedroom' will be clad in the lightest ply I can get. So they are safe from anything chewing through but the machine is light.

I've used it for 24 birds from 6 weeks, taking out the cockerels at 9 weeks. They get to go in an open air pen which is more risky but I feel it's only fair to give them a good life, short though it is. The pullets will stay in until 12-15 weeks so they are big enough to avoid the buzzard. With 10-12 pullets, it's really not crowded.

Really nice to be able to move them to a fresh nip of grass as often as I like. Takes 10 seconds. What is interesting is the effect they have on the grass. Hopefully there is an image attached. It's the one on the right of the picture and the strip of dark green running up to it is where it's just been. Now on the return journey. One day of chickens gives the grass an almighty boost.