MY CHICKEN HOUSE TRACTOR

The epitome of a low-tech agriculture solution, our coop on wheels gives your birds constant access to fresh food, while fertilizing the soil and controlling pests.

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The idea is you move My Chicken House Tractor across your acreage (or backyard) every other day, or every few days, so your flock constantly has fresh vegetation to forage in. Chickens like to eat the tender tips of grass and weeds, and they especially relish bugs, slugs, and snails – which helps make a dent in the pest population on your property. As you move the tractor around, they leave their nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich manure behind them.

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It’s called a chicken “tractor” because the scratching action of the birds quickly denudes the ground and loosens the top inch or so of earth. It’s one way to get rid of a lawn or a weed patch in preparation for planting a garden. But,if you just want the birds to perform pest control and fertilize your lawn or pasture without turning it into a dirt patch, make sure to move the tractor every three to four days so they don’t work any one area down to bare earth.

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My Chicken House tractors are comprised of a few basic components: an enclosed nesting area, a chicken “run” covered with wire mesh to exclude predators, and a frame with wheels so you can pull it around. All fabricated with USA steel by our certified welders!

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Nesting Area

This is where your birds will lay their eggs and sleep at night. Typically resembling a small shed, the nesting area needs to be weather tight and predator-proof with a door or hatch to access eggs from the outside of the chicken tractor (and give it a weekly cleaning) and a smaller hatch on the opposite side that allows the chickens to move back and forth from the chicken run. The access points should be latched to prevent predators from sneaking in at night.

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Inside you need a minimum of one 12-by-12 inch straw-filled nest box for every four birds, and 2 square feet of floor space per bird. The nest boxes are typically elevated off the floor of the structure, so part of the floor space allocation can be below the nest boxes. An elevated roosting bar is also a must so the birds can fulfill their instinctual need to sleep off the ground. Plan for at least 8 inches of roosting bar per bird.

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Hang a small watering device inside the nesting area to keep them hydrated through the night. A feeder is optional, but it’s a good idea if you are not an early riser – chickens are up before dawn and ready to start eating!  It’s also wise to include small window openings around the top of the structure for ventilation. Cover these with chicken wire for predator protection, and install a hatch or shutters that can be closed in the wintertime to keep your birds warm.

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Chicken Run

This is where the birds will roam around during the day. The chicken run is open on the bottom for the birds to forage, but completely enclosed with chicken wire on the top and sides for predator protection. Plan on at least 4 to 5 square feet per bird in the run. The nesting structure is often elevated above chicken run, so the birds can forage underneath. If this is the case, you’ll need a ramp (a piece of 2Á—6 lumber is perfect) to provide access to the nesting area – screw thin strips of wood every 6 inches along the top of the ramp to provide traction in wet weather.

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Elevating the nesting structure also creates a shaded area on one side of the chicken tractor, which is essential and hot weather. You may also wish to provide additional shade by building a roof over some or all of the run (or just strapping shade cloth or a tarp over it), especially if you live in a hot climate. The run should also have an access point for humans so you can close the small chicken door leaning into the nest structure at night – without a solid floor, the run is vulnerable to nocturnal predators trying to dig under the sides. An additional watering device and feeder are optional inside the run if you already have them inside the nesting structure.

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Frame

Our Chicken House run and nesting area are fabricated with carbon steel frame and built around a single steel frame coop, rectangular, which provides a structure to attach the chicken wire to. My Chicken House base of the frame consists of a pair of steel tubing which act like skis to slide the chicken tractor across the grass. My Chicken House has wheels so you can jack up the chicken tractor facing the direction in which the chicken tractor will be pulled – makes it easier to roll across the ground.  

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A heavy-duty rope, cable, or chain is attached to the front end of the frame for pulling, either by hand, or for larger models, with a four-wheeler,  lawn mower or small tractor.  My Chicken House has one long steel handle that is mounted to the front of the frame and being able to move it around like a giant wheelbarrow. Steel sheeting is screwed to roof and side wall frame. Inside the coop is wooden pine plywood is screwed into steel frame.  The outside chicken yard is protected by steel netting screwed to the steel side walls.  

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Wheels

Wheels are optional on the smallest chicken tractors, but are necessary on larger models. Depending on the size of your chicken tractor, use the replacement wheels sold for lawnmowers (smallest), wheelbarrows (medium-sized), or garden carts (larger) at most hardware stores; our heaviest chicken tractors will require a tire made for a small tractor, trailer, or vehicle.

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One option is to mount wheels on all four corners, though this results in the frame being lifted off the ground; these wheels would jacket up and down as seen in our photo below. 

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A more common approach is to use only two wheels, mounted at the heavy end of the frame where the nest structure is, with the opposite end of the frame resting on the ground. That way when you lift the front end the frame up to move it you’ll have good clearance on that end for maneuvering, while the wheels support the rear, heavier end just off the ground (much like a wheelbarrow or garden cart). Our enterprising chicken tractor designers have come up with ways to adjust the wheel height: “up” for the parked position and “down” when it is time to move it.

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