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.

Thinking about raising your own chickens for fun or profit? Great idea! Learn how to build your own chicken shelters with a good set of chicken coop plans!
http://www.mysheddesigns.com/coops/

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.
Interested in building your own coops! Check out this excellent book!
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.