Has anyone used hog panels for a chicken tractor?

[Moonwalker]

That's why I made mine with a door! The design you showed says if you want to completely close it in, make some sort of hinge on the top section becasue the gaps at the top of the side panels are the access. (meaning you have to lean in to get the feed and water dishes. I have to do that with my duck pen, but it is only 3ft high and the entire top opens in 2 sections. If I dont want to lean, I use a bungee cord to snag the feeders and the side of the water tub!
When I have moved mine, I have caught them and stuck them in a cage, but that is because they are still little and there are a lot of them. Once they get older, they will be able to stay out of the way when I move it.
One design I looked at said to make the bottom frame with the front and back boards ON TOP of the side pieces, leaving a 4" gap, so that when you move the tractor, "fewer broilers will get run over, they will just pop out the back" Hmmmm.... I think that was meant for people who have several of them and hook them to the tractor to move them! I pull mine slowly, a foot or so at a time and I think they will be able to move out of the way once they get a bit bigger.

 

[moenmitz]

Thanks for clearing that up- what I sorta thought, but I wasn't sure. Going to have to re-think this a bit. Since this is only going to be their "day" home, I dont want to have to lean over and pull out a bunch of chickens every night to put them in the barn. Have to make some sort of hinged panel in the side that they can run out of I think. Wish I had wider barn doors, then I could just pull the whole contraption inside the barn at night, problem solved. Maybe I will just cut a big hole in the side of the barn...

 

[Moonwalker]

Are the chickens just left loose in the barn at night? If so consider a SMALL door, possibly connected by a tunnel of some sort to your coop. Simple to cut a hole big enough for them to go through, and I would suggest a sliding hatch type door so you just pull it up to let them in/out and can close it securely at night.

 

[raindrop]

Quote:
Not sure if anyone answered your nest box question, but yes they would need nest boxes in the tractor. They lay eggs in the daytime, then sleep at night.

 

[moenmitz]

Ahh, thank you- I was thinking exactly the opposite, that they would lay at night. I thought I used to gather eggs in the morning when I was little for some reason...

Moonwalker-no they wont be loose in the barn, going to have several closed pens in there as the barn is always partly open to the outside so the goats can come and go. But I do think we could maybe do some sort of door like you suggested, going to think on it.

 

[Moonwalker]

LOL! Your memory is correct, you do gather eggs in the morning, but not because they lay at night, they just get up earlier than you do!

 

[Laura240sx]

Hello I am new to the site and chickens as well. I just got my first chickens last week and have spent the past 4 days building a chicken run. It is made from chain link fence. It is 20 feet long by 10 feet wide with a divider of fence down the middle. First of all is that enough room for three chickens and second is that safe for them? After reading the posting earlier I realized I now have to cover the entire pen with chicken wire to keep a predator from getting at them through the fence.
Oh yeah, these were free roaming chickens prior to me getting them. I have one chicken that looks very stressed about being in the run. Anything I can do to help with that? I feel really bad but I have dogs as well and to have them free isn't really an option.
Thank you,
Laura

 

[hiddenmagnolia]

I don't have pic of mine at the moment. It was finished in about five hours. Yes cow panel can be bent. I used the ones with the 4x4 openings. I drove some left over top rails from a dog kennel into the ground in a straight line on one side then measured 7 1/2' feet across from them. Then dragged the panels where one 5' end was touching the inside pipe on the far side. Then got on the other of the panel and pushed. The panel will bow up. Then set it inside of the opposite top rail. Just make sure that the rails are drove deep enough to hold. Do that for how many panel you want to put together. I use cable ties to hold them together until I could wire them together. Then used a left over kennel door as door to get in and out. I centered the door and wired a piece of panel on each side of door frame. Put a piece of panel across the back wired it together. Since it is 6' high I used a piece of top rail across the back to stiffen up the splice between the top and bottom wire on the back. After everything was wired it is very strong. Then used a 16x14 tarp over the top for sun and rain protection. By the way I am a women that is over 50 so if I can do it so can you. If you need help then ask some to help you . Once the panels start to bend upward It is pretty easy. If you where closer I would go help you.

If you want pic I can try to get some tomorrow.

 

[Moonwalker]

I did it even easier. I used fence staples to attach the panels to the side pieces with it flat on the ground, then tied a rop in the middle on one side, ran it through the other and started pulling. When it got where I wanted it, I just tied off the rop and then attached the other 2 frame pieces

 

[moenmitz]

Showed hubby the pics-we both think it will work and are looking forward to giving it a try. maybe this weekend, if the weatehr clears up. I have some time eyt, since I dont even get the first batch of chicks until mid-may, and then they will be inside for a few weeks. When we finish, I will post pictures. (unless it looks really bad in which case I will pretend we didn't do it...