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How to build light chicken tractors if your building skills are at the elementary stage!

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mirycreek

mirycreek
Golden Member
Golden Member

Thought some of you might be interested in a way to put together something for a hen and chicks or a trio or some bantams to live in for the summertime.
I think Sue posted the link to these brackets way back when through Lee Valley.
How to build light chicken tractors if your building skills are at the elementary stage! P6065410
These brackets are sold in sets of 3 pieces. I used 3 sets to build these 6 ft long tractors. One for each end and one in the middle so 3 ft apart. You could make your sturdier by putting a bracket every two feet but I like mine light and I had originally bought 6 sets thinking I would make a huge one but realized two small ones are more handy.
This is a view of the top triangle type bracket. There are also two that go on the bottom to hold the sides in place.
The instructions told me to make 45 degree angle cuts but i found that if you just cut them a tad shorter they work just fine with straight cuts.
I asked the hardware store to cut 1 x 4s to make me some 1 x 2s.
I used 1 x 3s for the bottom struts though.
How to build light chicken tractors if your building skills are at the elementary stage! P6065512
1 roll(25 ') of 1/2" hardware cloth covers 1 of these almost perfectly. I put plywood scraps on both sides of 1 end for the "coop"end.
On the right you can see the start of my reinforcement for the door I put in the side on hinges.
These are very light to move, which means you move them often and the bonus is that they are very stable and didnt flip over even in these crazy winds we get.
Here is a pic of the first one I made in use, I will take a final pic of the second one one day here, I made some modifications to it (as always happens when you make two of something!)

How to build light chicken tractors if your building skills are at the elementary stage! P6065513
This one had handles at the sides instead of the top and I made a door in the wire end. Also, I had put wood all along the top but found chickens always squish up against the edges so had to add the feed bag protection right down to the edge.

http://www.feathers-farm.webs.com

Hidden River

Hidden River
Golden Member
Golden Member

Very nice Miry. I bought those brackets as well (after you pointed me in the right direction) and I have one almost complete. Just need a bit more free time (maybe summer will bring that to me, if we ever get a summer).

http://www.hiddenriverranch.weebly.com

Schipperkesue

Schipperkesue
Golden Member
Golden Member

I made three of these last year. The brackets worked great. I think you could make it even lighter with tarping or coroplast...but then would you have created a giant kite?

mirycreek

mirycreek
Golden Member
Golden Member

I think the wood/wire combo works best because it gives shade part and also air flow and you might be right about the kite problem Sue! I used plywood scraps that were laying around so excuse the unsquareness of it all (and the "window" in the door!)
Heres a pic of my most recent one painted up, it is full of chicks at the moment so I will snap a pic of that too!
How to build light chicken tractors if your building skills are at the elementary stage! 20210
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How to build light chicken tractors if your building skills are at the elementary stage! 19910
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How to build light chicken tractors if your building skills are at the elementary stage! Img_0211
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Last edited by mirycreek on Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:48 am; edited 1 time in total

http://www.feathers-farm.webs.com

5How to build light chicken tractors if your building skills are at the elementary stage! Empty Chicken tractors Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:05 am

islandgal99

islandgal99
Addicted Member
Addicted Member

Very nice!

http://www.matadorfarm.ca

Llee's Llamas

Llee's Llamas
Member
Member

Where can you get these brackets??

Schipperkesue

Schipperkesue
Golden Member
Golden Member

Llee's Llamas wrote:Where can you get these brackets??

Lee Valley Tools

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