Chicken tractors are not all created equal. This is our second attempt at a mobile tractor to raise chickens in and has its advantages over the last one. Our previous tractor was so light that winds over 20mph would lift it off the ground and send it flying. We tried to weigh it down in a few different ways but it ended up broken, snapped in half.

A true tractor tragedy.

As you can see our new design is triangular and gives both shade and shelter from rain. The triangular shape and wood construction keep this chicken shelter firmly on the ground. It has two runners on the base so that it is movable and an open floor so that chickens can graze the new grass each time it is transported. At first we used the PVC pipe you can see in the picture to roll the tractor along, but found that if we moved even a little too quickly chickens got their legs caught underneath the roller(they're not the brightest of birds). Instead we now use a two-wheeled cart to lift one side slightly, and then gently slide the whole thing to the next grassy area.

The door of the tractor swings out and runs the entire length of the structure and is hung on three heavy hinges. It has a handle, to avoid crunched fingers, and a hook latch to keep it from banging in the wind. The door side of the tractor is angled just enough to make feeding and watering easy. In the last tractor we had to practically take the thing apart to get into it.

The roost is a 1x2 strung across the frame. Nothing fancy just enough to keep their feet off the ground at night.

The next thing we need to do is design a door-stay to keep the door open while we are feeding and watering. As you can see we are temporarily using a shovel to prop the door open. This works but is a little unhandy.

For those that are interested in building one for themselves here is a list of tools and materials you will need:

Tools

1      Hammer

1      Circular Saw

1      Plane(Sand paper can be used instead)

1      Screw Gun w/Square or Phillips bit

1      Tape Measure

1      Pencil

1      Extra Pair of Hands(If you can get them) :)

Materials

22    1"x12"x14' Boards(Weather hardy) We used old bleacher boards.

1      1"x2"x12' Board(For the Roost)

30'    Chicken Wire fencing.

5lbs  Galvanized Deck Screws(Phillips or Square head work best).

2lbs  1" Galvanized Fencing Staples

3      Large Gate Hinges Galvanized

1      Door Handle Galvanized

1      Hook Latch Galvanized

Although this design is much heavier than the previous one, the upside is that it will last for years to come.

We raised our first batch of broilers in it this Summer and plan on another come Spring.

Enjoy!