semi-portable chicken coop

Bkpigs · May 1, 2011

Trying to decide on a size for a semi-portable chicken coop. It won't be moved alot, just if/when we get our farm. Was thinking 8X8 or 12X12 and be tall enough inside for me (6 foot 7 inches) to walk in. It will probably need to be 12X12 just for stability. Any how, does anyone have a good place for chicken coop designs? I have built several in barns and know what a chicken needs and some of their wants. However, I would like to get some new ideas and some off the wall ideas that I haven't seen. Thanks a bunch!!

JD2ACWD · May 1, 2011

www.backyardchickens.com

U.P. john · May 1, 2011

How many chickens do you plan on raising? I built my coop out of an old camper trailer. I think it's 8x20. Pulled out the sink, cabinets, refridgerator, etc. and built roosts and nesting boxes inside. 20 chickens fit in there without crowding.

Leroy · May 1, 2011

Why 12 x 12 for staibility? Many 8' wide buildings standing with no stability problems and any at 8' will be easier to move than something 10' or 12'. I would go with 8 x 16 as it would be easy to have put on a rollback bed truck to move and you can easly get 6x6 treated poles for runners. Just make sure you install a good sollid place on each end for a chain to drag it with and sled runner the runner sills. A 8 x 8' = 64 sq ft, 12 x 12' = 144 sq ft, and 8 x 16 is in between at 128 sq ft. If you are thinking 8 x 8 you are not thinking many chickens but if you want to go as large is sq ft as the 12 x 12 then go with an 8' x 18' or a 8' x 20' building as the poles are avaible in those lengths as well. And that rollback truck bed or a flat bed trailer will haul those sizes as well and if you do not need a total of that much size put a partition in and use the rest for something else. If you go with the 8' wide no problem with moving BUT NOW IF YOU GO WITH A 12' square building then you are looking at expencive wide load permits from the DMV.

Bkpigs · May 1, 2011

You're right 8 foot wide would be the best. Now I just need to do some more day dreamin' to decide on the right length.

Thanks everyone for the ideas!

JDyer · May 1, 2011

Here is mine, built it a few years ago, its 8' x 16' x about 6.5' tall, made from 3/4" galvanized pipe with cattle panels to keep the cows out and chicken wire to keep the birds in. Feeder and waterer hang from the roof, 4 hole nest box, man door and a chicken door. I move it about once a month and let the chickens out AFTER they lay each day. Cost me about $500 and three saturdays to weld and build. I use my tractor to move it, but you could move it with a 4 wheeler or riding mower. Ive never had an escapee or a break-in. Johnny

msb · May 1, 2011

They are called chicken tractors around here. Don't ask me. I would rather call them portable pullet pens. Pun intended.

Jim in Ma. · May 1, 2011

At a CSA farm near me, The guy built 2 on old wagon frames - About 8' X 16' and moves them with his tractor. He uses electirc/plastic fence for a pen for them.
If I get a chance I'll take some photos.

Jon Hagen · May 1, 2011

Was a story in Farm Show magazine about a guy raising free range, grass fed chickens.
He used an old school bus( favorite starting point for many Farm Show projects

. He removed the seat upholstry, leaving the frames for roosts,installed a chicken ramp to fit from ground to rear door opening.

At night the guy locked them up in the field or fired up the bus and gave the gals a ride home.

Dave Sherburne NY · May 1, 2011

I built one years ago 8X12. When I wanted it moved, one guy told me$400 The local mennonite shed builders told me $100 for the first hour $50 for each hour thereafter. I had to put extra 3x6 runners under it so it would go on his trailer. I jacked up one end, put a chain all the way around it. and when he showed up he had it loaded in ten minutes and sitting in my daughter's yard 20 minutes later and 6 miles away . Never even took the chickens out of it. Go to one of those places and measure how far apart they put the runners and start building from there.

Paul from MI · May 1, 2011

My Dad was a full time poultry farmer from the 20's until about 1962. He had about 2000 layers on the floor(before cages) and raised his own replacements from day-old chicks. He used about 12 portable coops on pasture for the replacement flock every year. We moved the coops three times each year, pulling them around the farm with our old Allis B(which I still have). The coops were basically an A-frame design built on 2x10 oak runners and were about 10' x 14'. They had a sheet metal roof and a heavy wire mesh floor. He kept around 150 chickens in each one. They were transferred to the coops at about 10 weeks and kept there until about 20 weeks old and laying pretty well. In the early fall we moved them into the laying house for the winter and the coops sat empty until the next year. I might be able to sketch one from memory, but it's been 50 years ago. email is open.

dhermesc · May 2, 2011

I built mine 7'X7' and it about the right size for 20 chickens, it would probably hold more but I see no need to stress them. I have an old IH 350 with a 33 loader that I move it around with, put the loader on one side and wrap a light chain around the coop to keep it from slipping off. The coop sits on 1' legs and moving it is a breeze.

semi-portable chicken coop

Bkpigs

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JD2ACWD

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U.P. john

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Leroy

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Bkpigs

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JDyer

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msb

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Jim in Ma.

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Jon Hagen

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Dave Sherburne NY

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Paul from MI

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dhermesc

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