chicken coop on a trailer

[bmb1881]

Hi everybody~
I'm new to this site & new to raising chickens.
My husband & got 6 chickens 1 rooster & (i think 5 hens) (1 died yesterday

) We are trying to come up with a chicken coop design. Last month my brother-in-law brought the chickens & built my husband & I a dog run & dog house.
it sort of sucks, my husband & would have liked it better for something better to be built for the chickens.

I'm trying to decide on a design for the chicken coop. I keep looking online for ideas, there aren't a ton of free plans for chicken coops. I saw some pictures online of chicken coops people have built. Which some I like, it's sort of hard to decide there are so many.

my husband & I were thinking it might be cool to have a chicken coop/house on a trailer. So Last week my husband & I bought a flat bed (I think) utility trailer- about 16 ft x 4ft or 5ft.

we were going to built the shelter on part of the trailer & the remaining will be for the chicken run.
What's is the best way to build a shelter? how do you keep the chickens warm? we live in southern california. I'm not sure how the chickens will survive in so. california. Or will they be ok?
I wanted to have the coop with a removable floor, any suggestions on the best way to do this? What is the best type of floor to have, so it's easy to clean?
Also I read that it's better to have plastic or metal nesting beds (easier to clean). I'm wondering how many nesting boxes I should have? do all the chickens nest in 1 box?
I guess it's better to have a slanted roof on the nesting boxes? (this way they don't sleep there).
The laying chickens are supposed to be laying eggs in november, what's the best way to separate the rooster from the other ones?

our house is yellow so we were going to make the shelter walls with paneling (same color as the house).
i also wanted to put some windows to look inside the shelter.

I'm not really sure what else right now.

anybody who has experience, suggestions would be helpful.
thanks,
Bonnie

 

[Stacykins]

Trailer coops are awesome. I have one. It is even road worthy, having working tail lights on the back of the coop. The trailer was built from scratch, as opposed to purchased, though. Didn't build it from a plan, kinda went like "we have these materials, turn it into a coop!"

You are right, a slanted roof over the nest boxes come in handy, especially because my chooks LOVE roosting in the rafters.

As for a removable floor, maybe check out plans for ice fishing shacks/shanties? They often have solid floors that are removable.

Chickens will definitely survive well in Southern California. Mediterranean breeds are more designed for hot weather, for example. Chickens are hugely versatile.

 

[bmb1881]

stacy,
Thanks for sharing your chicken coop. I showed the pictures to my husband he said "It's beautiful". You did a great job, Do you have a fenced area for your chickens to walk around? or do you just let them roam around the yard?

 

[NovaAman]

I wish I had one like that! LOL

welome to byc

Don't do metal nesting boxes, do plastic totes for nest boxes, even 5 gal paint pails, nailed to the wall with half the lid still on, kinda like a lip so the hay and eggs don't fall out. Super easy to clean that way.

Use hay, or pine shavings, or sand on the floor. Pine works nice. I use that, easy to clean up too. Hay can get stinky fast if you don't have good ventilation.

 

[SteveBaz]

THATS AWSOME!!!!!

 

[Stacykins]

Thanks! Hopefully it gives you an idea that A: trailer coop is very possible and B: a visual idea of one so it can help with your plan. Wish I could provide blueprints, but like I said, just kinda got slapped together! The paint job is nice on the outside, but on the inside we were just wanting to finish the project so it isn't as nice. Ah well, chooks don't mind drip marks!

I do have a 25x25 run for them made of hardware cloth and covered with netting. I let them free range, but I like having a run to keep them secure if for some reason I choose not to free range (like if I have a chicken sitter, nosey predator, poop control, etc.). The actual coop's dimensions are 6x10ft. I am going to pull up the run and move them to a new location next spring. It took them about all spring and summer to wear the grass out in their run, so they get a fresh spot next year! Bonus of mobile coop!

I know there is another member on here who turned large hay wagons into mobile coops for their birds. Very gorgeous, but I can't find the thread with the pictures.

 

[7L Farm]

Nice coop Stacy!

 

[jbourget]

I have three trailer coops, ill post pics when i get home on monday! cool coop i have one on a 5x8 trailer from tractor supply, then a big 12x8 old haywagon coop made from rough cut pine boards then one out of an old pop up trailer camper LOL glad im not the onlyone who puts the wheels to good use!!!

 

[zzGypsy]

A trailer coop is exactly what I've been planning too... we're on leased property and I'm tired of building things I can't take with me. I figure if I build it on a road worthy trailer, and make it solid, we'll just haul it to our new place once we buy.

looking forward to seeing the additional trailer coop photos - I'm trailer shopping and haven't decided what my minimum size is yet. and keeping an eye on craigslist for a cheap and functional trailer.