Design and Care Considerations for Mobile Chicken Tractor
At 2:38 in
Mobile Chicken Coop Tractor design ideas; Introducing the young birds to the coop today
What happens here
The host discusses important considerations for caring for hatchling chicks. He emphasizes that chicks produce a lot of fine dust, making an outdoor or garage brooding location ideal to prevent allergens and mess inside the home. He then provides a tour of his homemade mobile chicken tractor, which is constructed from 2x4s and chicken wire, forming an 8-foot by 10-foot movable coop. The coop features handles for lifting, a rope for towing, and old skis attached to the ends for easy dragging across the terrain, making it very lightweight and easy to move daily for fresh forage. The roof is made of a rubber mat with a temporary plywood cover, which is moved when relocating the coop. A heat lamp is installed within the coop to provide warmth during cooler nights. The chicken wire provides predator protection, and weights can be added to the roof to prevent gaps. The coop also houses a chick waterer and chick feeder.
Goal: Understand optimal conditions and features for outdoor chick housing.
Tools and materials
- 2x4s — Framing the chicken tractor
- Chick Feeder — Supplying food to chicks in the coop
- Chick Waterer — Supplying water to chicks in the coop
- Chicken Wire — Enclosing the chicken tractor for safety and ventilation
- Heat Lamp — Providing supplemental heat for chicks on cool nights
- Metal Handles — For lifting and maneuvering the chicken tractor
- Mobile Chicken Tractor Homemade — Outdoor housing for chicks, allowing them to forage
- Old Skis — Attached to the bottom for easy sliding and movement of the coop
- Plywood — Temporary roof for the chicken tractor
- Rope — Towing the mobile chicken tractor