The Perfect Portable Chicken Coop Design is the Chicken Coop Tractor

If you have to decided to raise chickens for fun or profit and you are short on available space the ideal solution may be the chicken coop tractor. Basically the tractor design is very simple but can take on a variety of different shapes and sizes. The design concept is simple just build a chicken coop without a floor and make it movable.

There are several different options when it comes to the movable part, you can have handles that extend beyond the pen and can be moved by two people. Another option is to copy the wheelbarrow design and place two wheels on the end of the pen with handles on the opposite end so when it is time to move it a single person can accomplish the task by themselves.

So you may be asking yourself why it has to be moved in the first place. Well chickens love to scratch in the grass for food and after a while the area they occupy will become over grazed, not to mention their waste matter will be there as well. However this is not a bad thing because it is a natural rich fertilizer for your yard!

Another reason a chicken coop tractor is a good idea is because if you are just starting out it is a good idea to start small and the tractor design is ideal for small groups of hens. Also you will not have to fear that predators will get to your flock because it is totally enclosed. Raising your chickens with this design is as close as you can get to a free range operation.

The chicken coop tractor design will have all the features of a large hen house with nesting areas and perches so your flock can get up off the ground, because they love to roost at night in a secure place.

As you move your pen around the property the original starting point will have time to recover so you can repeat the process over and over again. The more your flock can forage on their own the less you will need to feed them. So if you are raising hens for profit that could be a huge boost to the bottom line.

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Small Chicken House Design - A Couple Pointers

When you live in an area with limited space or are only planning on keeping a few birds then you should consider a small chicken house design. This type of design enables you to maximize your space to chicken ratio enabling even people with small yards to keep chickens happily.
A good rule of thumb when planning out how much space your chickens need is four square feet per bird. However there are many people who raise very happy birds with sometimes as little as three square feet per bird so if you can't quite muster the recommended space don't worry about it. It is also important to realize that this rule of thumb is for ground space not airspace. Your chickens can be very content with as little as eighteen inches of vertical room so if you are trying to conserve space then your coop does not need to be excessively tall.
Keep in mind the idea behind a chicken house while you are planning your design. It should be safe and warm for the chickens while still being easy for you to clean and collect the eggs. Since you cannot walk in to the smaller coop to clean and collect eggs, hinging the roof so that you can lift it up for these duties is a good idea.
A small coop changes temperatures at a faster rate then larger ones so it is important that you place it accordingly. If your small chicken house design has a run added to it then you don't have to change much. However if your hen house does not have a run and is not large it is important to place it in the shade and clean it often so it does not overheat or build up too much moisture.
These are the main factors to take into consideration when you are making your small chicken house design. Most of the other factors like protection from predators, feeding, and watering do not change much as your chicken coop gets smaller so you can use the same guidelines outlined for larger coops.
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Also check out my other articles for more information on coop building and general chicken care. My family and I have been taking care of chickens since I was a kid and I have a lot of useful knowledge to offer on the subject.

Portable and Small Chicken Coop - A Few Advantages

If you want healthy chickens along with fresh eggs, then you must provide your chickens with natural food, ample sunshine and lots of fresh air. All this can be done by constructing a mobile chicken coop for them. These are also commonly called chicken tractors. Discussed in this article are a few key advantages of keeping your chicken in a chicken tractor.
A mobile chicken coop allows your chicken a supplement diet along with exercise as they scratch the ground to search for bugs and worms to eat.
The walls and top as well as the base of a portable coop are all made of wire mesh. This allows fresh breeze to flow through, providing them with fresh air. These units may be constructed to have space for sunshine as well as shade so that the chickens are comfortable in all sorts of weather conditions.
Mobile chicken coops allow your chickens to live in a natural environment while they mesh protects them from predators such as foxes and rodents. You can make one large coop to house all the chickens and a smaller portable one that can have three or four chickens to experience the fresh air and environment turn by turn.
If you limited space in your yard, you can add an extra attachment to the portable coop that will be used for nesting and perch. With this solution, you will have three or four chickens in the yard and you will still have eggs.
Another advantage of portable chicken cops is that if your job requires regular relocation, these coops will prove to be an excellent investment. This is because they will provide all the basics which a regular chicken coop would offer.
Planning out and constructing a portable chicken coop is reasonably easier, simpler and inexpensive when compared to proper large units. Also, the time taken to build these is much more than the time it takes to build a portable one.
However, you must make sure that the mobile chicken coop you construct should follow all the requirements that are needed by chickens to remain healthy. Each chicken must have plenty of space to itself and ventilation, cleanliness and comfort are paramount when you are designing the coop. let the chickens roam around in you backyard regularly but be careful to keep an eye on them in case they are attacked by predators.
For more great tips and advice on building a small chicken coop, visit http://www.chickencoopadvice.com.

Why Build Small Chicken Coops?

A lot of people breed poultry on a large scale, which means a lot of chickens. If you are housing a lot of chickens then you'll need a large coop. But then, there are still plenty of people that breed and keep chickens on a recreational basis, which is where small chicken coops are suited. The great thing about poultry houses is that although they can be purchased ready built, they are cheap and easy to make as a DIY project.
Of course, a lot of planning goes into the design and build of all kinds of poultry housing, including small chicken coops. For a start you'll need to ensure that you have enough space to keep them. Each chicken will require about 8-9 feet of space each, so house four chickens and you'll need to be providing them with a space to roam in the region of 35-40ft.
The quality of the build is absolutely essential. Small chicken coops are actually easier to build, so there should be no problem here. Ensure that the coop is completely secure; in other words, ensure that no predators will be able to gain access. You can do this by ensuring that all items in the coop are secure and only use the best materials. When building small chicken coops, remember to build it in such a way that it will keep the chickens dry, but also, is extremely well ventilated.
By ensuring that the chickens are safe and also happy in their environment, egg production is likely to be a lot higher. Failure to meet the above criteria could result in the chickens becoming extremely ill and possibly lead to their death.
Grant Draper
Find out more about Small Chicken Coops to How to Build a Chicken Coop

Small Chicken Coop Plans and Designs Ideal For a Simple Construction Project

Small chicken coop plans are mostly easy to build and require a minimum amount of money and time to finish. Here, we present some design ideas based on simple construction plans.
Plan 1
You're going to need chicken wire or wire mesh, wood and a tarp. The size of the wire mesh would depend on how small or big you want your coup to be. Old wire fences and scrap wood can be used if you don't want to spend too much money on materials.
Create a framing using wood. Your shape can be square or you can make it igloo-like. If it's the former, create a wood foundation and cover the open spaces with the wire mesh.
If it's to be an igloo-shaped coop, bend the wire mesh in the shape of an inverted letter U and anchor it on the ground with wood. Use a tarp to cover part of the coup, but with enough space to let the air in and out. Tarp covering allows for flexibility; you can cover a bigger area when it rains or remove it during good weather.
Plan 2
If you want a mobile coup, use a wagon-based construction design. You can use an old wagon or build one yourself. Wooden wagon with a handle and one wheel in front and two wheels at the back would be best.
The wood wagon would serve as the flooring. Use wire mesh to cover all four sides. You can also use it on the roof and just use tarp as top covering or install an aluminum or wooden roof.
Anchor the wagon on the ground so that it doesn't wobble or you can create locks for the three wheels. Anytime you want to move the coop from one place of the backyard to another, you just grab the handle and drag it to where you want it to go.
Plan 3
Some of the simplest coup designs make use of pre-built dog houses. They are either attached to a wire mesh to create duplex-like coops or are used as stand alone structures.
Inside the dog house, put perches, nests, water and feed containers and other necessities for the chickens. Use a wooden plank to provide a catwalk so that chickens can climb up to the elevated house or climb down to the ground.
These small chicken coop plans have simple designs and are quite easy to build. Construction details are not too complicated to follow and money would not be a problem since they do not require you to spend much.
You will find more Chicken Coop Ideas and consumer reports on the best chicken building guides available at http://www.diybuildchickencoop.com

Weekend DIY Project - Build a Small Chicken Coop

Whether you have a large flock of chickens or plan to keep only a few birds, it is always best to build them a chicken house. Even if you decide to keep only a few birds, you will still have to build a small chicken coop. The coop will provide shelter to your birds and keep them safe from predators. Building a small chicken house can be a do-it-yourself project for the weekend.
Chickens need 3-5 square feet of space each. If they get too crowded, they could easily get sick. Determine how big your chicken house should be, based on the number of birds you are going to raise. Decide on the design of your coop and make a drawing of the plan. You can also look for a simple chicken coop design on the internet.
Go over the plan and make sure it is easy enough to follow and has all the necessary elements that a chicken pen should have. Even if you are only planning to build a small chicken coop, there are essential elements that must be present.
Make sure your chicken house design includes a nesting area with boxes. Four to five birds can share one box. Provide a roosting pole where the birds can perch while they sleep. You should be able to clean out the coop easily, and it should also be easy to collect the eggs.
Assemble all the materials you need to make the chicken coop before you start building. Visit secondhand shops and see if they have materials that you can use for your coop. Make sure your materials are sturdy enough to keep predators out.
Don't forget to have all the tools you will need to build the chicken pen at hand. By having all your materials and tools ready, you will be able to finish your work quickly. A small chicken coop is something you can build over the weekend and is a very cheap alternative to buying a pre-made hen house.
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Small Chicken Coop Plans - A DIY Guide

Not everyone needs a massive, traditional hen house, and if you're looking to keep just a couple of chickens in your backyard there is absolutely no need to build one. The internet can provide you with an assortment of small chicken coop plans. This article explains the 2 most popular types, and helps you get started with building right away.
The A-Frame Chicken Coop
This is the most basic, common type of small chicken coop. Plans can be found in your local hardware store, or downloaded from the internet. The design consists of around 12 lengths of treated pine or cedar. Chicken wire is "wrapped" around the frame, which makes for a safe, secure coop. Of course, it's not quite as simple as that, but hopefully you get the drift.
Advantages of building this kind of chicken coop are that it's portable, reasonable attractive, and kid-proof. You can even attach a few bits of plywood to enclose one end, effectively making a separate nesting area. This will boost your egg yields significantly, as the chickens will be more relaxed when nesting.
The Chicken Ark
This model of chicken coop is becoming a lot more popular in recent years. It's only slightly more complex than the a-frame coop, but provides your flock with a lot of extra space. It generally utilizes 2 floors - downstairs for grazing, and upstairs for laying.
As previously stated, this design isn't too complex, but will require more lumber, chicken wire, and plywood. You'll also want to give it a paint, as there is much more exposed wood, which may not look too pretty.
Inexpensive Construction Materials
You'll be happy to hear that there are plenty of ways to minimize construction costs. Most small chicken coop plans will include some kind of guide on this as well. Be sure to ask neighbors for any scrap wood or wire they may have. Also think about any old furniture that can be broken down into pieces. Be creative!
To download some great small chicken coop plans, check out this Chicken Coop Plans website now.