Minimum height for chicken tractor

[Krugerrand]

I'm working on building a small tractor/isolation coop to use as a quarantine coop if we add to the flock (or if otherwise needed). @U_Stormcrow put together this drawing in another thread started by @Sunshine_Amy

I running with this idea a little bit ... but have it reversed. I want to use the arched piece for the high end and flat sides for the run. I'm trying to figure out, what would be the minimum height for the low/run section?

Thank you!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm working on building a small tractor/isolation coop to use as a quarantine coop if we add to the flock (or if otherwise needed). @U_Stormcrow put together this drawing in another thread started by @Sunshine_Amy
View attachment 3080507

I running with this idea a little bit ... but have it reversed. I want to use the arched piece for the high end and flat sides for the run. I'm trying to figure out, what would be the minimum height for the low/run section?

Thank you!

Well the easy thing to do would be to set it at the height of the cattle panels - which is likely 48" or 50". That's PLENTY of clearance for any chicken. Unfortunately, you can't just angle grind a cattle panel in half. Mine have (I think) 6" squares, except at the top and bottom edge, so if I took my 48" tall panel, removed 6" from the middle to cut it in half, I'd be left with two 21" +/- height panels. That may be a bit short. Maybe you can play with that a bit by mounting the panel "higher" relative to the ground on the 2x4 or 2x6 framing, but I don't raise Cx or other typically tractored birds, don't know what "minimum" height is.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm working on building a small tractor/isolation coop to use as a quarantine coop if we add to the flock (or if otherwise needed). @U_Stormcrow put together this drawing in another thread started by @Sunshine_Amy
View attachment 3080507

I running with this idea a little bit ... but have it reversed. I want to use the arched piece for the high end and flat sides for the run. I'm trying to figure out, what would be the minimum height for the low/run section?

Thank you!

That would depend on how tall the chickens are.

I'd want 2 feet because I think my taller girls would rub their combs on the wire if it were only 18".

 

[Krugerrand]

Here's a rough interpretation of what I'm thinking:

If I can use the hoops for the high end, I can get away with tarps instead of having to build a roof. The key to that will be setting the hoop sides in some so that side wall will be open towards the top to allow ventilation. I think i can build that with more cattle panel cut to fit covered with hardware cloth and also covered with a tarp.

I'm thinking of first attaching the rails to the hardware covered cattle panel and then bending it into place and holding it together at the sides. by attaching the high rails first, the space between the high and low rail will be straight.

The goal will be for this to hold 2 bantams. But, I'd like for it to be able to hold my red sex-links, if needed.

I've been playing with some scrap pieces to figure out the lengths of cattle panel I need to get the heights/widths I need.

My 18"bolt cutters from Harbor Freight make cutting cattle panel super easy.
https://www.harborfreight.com/18-in-bolt-cutters-60683.html

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Here's a rough interpretation of what I'm thinking:

If I can use the hoops for the high end, I can get away with tarps instead of having to build a roof. The key to that will be setting the hoop sides in some so that side wall will be open towards the top to allow ventilation. I think i can build that with more cattle panel cut to fit covered with hardware cloth and also covered with a tarp.

I'm thinking of first attaching the rails to the hardware covered cattle panel and then bending it into place and holding it together at the sides. by attaching the high rails first, the space between the high and low rail will be straight.

The goal will be for this to hold 2 bantams. But, I'd like for it to be able to hold my red sex-links, if needed.

View attachment 3080756

I've been playing with some scrap pieces to figure out the lengths of cattle panel I need to get the heights/widths I need.

My 18"bolt cutters from Harbor Freight make cutting cattle panel super easy.
https://www.harborfreight.com/18-in-bolt-cutters-60683.html

I prefer an angle grinder ($20 at Harbor Freight), but if the bolt cutters work for you...

Please make a new thread with the build, whether you are satisfied with it or not, so we can learn from your efforts.

 

[Sunshine_Amy]

Thanks for tagging me on this, @Krugerrand. I'll be interested to see where this goes.

 

[DavidReaves]

Here's a rough interpretation of what I'm thinking:

If I can use the hoops for the high end, I can get away with tarps instead of having to build a roof. The key to that will be setting the hoop sides in some so that side wall will be open towards the top to allow ventilation. I think i can build that with more cattle panel cut to fit covered with hardware cloth and also covered with a tarp.

I'm thinking of first attaching the rails to the hardware covered cattle panel and then bending it into place and holding it together at the sides. by attaching the high rails first, the space between the high and low rail will be straight.

The goal will be for this to hold 2 bantams. But, I'd like for it to be able to hold my red sex-links, if needed.

View attachment 3080756

I've been playing with some scrap pieces to figure out the lengths of cattle panel I need to get the heights/widths I need.

My 18"bolt cutters from Harbor Freight make cutting cattle panel super easy.
https://www.harborfreight.com/18-in-bolt-cutters-60683.html

Tractor supply also sells a 60" x 16' panel that has 4-inch squares. I used some recently to make porch railing. It will cut in half to make 28" high lengths (sacrificing on 4" section of the grid) if you want to use it for the flat direction. It also arches very nicely. If you use a full panel, it will make an 80-inch tall arch. You could arch some conduit to hold the tarps off the interior wire, too.

I also prefer bolt cutters...my 24" cutters are much faster than a cut-off wheel, though the cut is smoother with a wheel.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Tractor supply also sells a 60" x 16' panel that has 4-inch squares. I used some recently to make porch railing. It will cut in half to make 28" high lengths (sacrificing on 4" section of the grid) if you want to use it for the flat direction. It also arches very nicely. If you use a full panel, it will make an 80-inch tall arch. You could arch some conduit to hold the tarps off the interior wire, too.

I also prefer bolt cutters...my 24" cutters are much faster than a cut-off wheel, though the cut is smoother with a wheel.

I'm not normally a name brand guy, but I've recently had to cut a lot of #5 rebar - enough that I was buying 10 packs of wheels for my angle grinder and tried a few different names. The spider brand wheel is FAST! Also lasts a while - long enough to help balance the fact that one Spyder was more expensive than a 10 pack of some of the others.

 

[NatJ]

The goal will be for this to hold 2 bantams. But, I'd like for it to be able to hold my red sex-links, if needed.

For the birds you name, I would make the low part at least 2 feet high.
If you want to include a rooster roost, I would probably put it 2 feet up, with at least 1 foot of space between the roost and the top (bantams) or maybe 2 feet (sexlinks.)

Personally, I would not bother with having two different heights. I would just arch the whole thing, and probably aim for 3 feet high in the middle.

 

[DavidReaves]

I'm not normally a name brand guy, but I've recently had to cut a lot of #5 rebar - enough that I was buying 10 packs of wheels for my angle grinder and tried a few different names. The spider brand wheel is FAST! Also lasts a while - long enough to help balance the fact that one Spyder was more expensive than a 10 pack of some of the others.

I have two different sizes of cut-off/grinders. I'll give the Spyder a try.