How to Build a Chicken Tractor

Reader Contribution by Anna Hess And Mark Hamilton
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Chicken tractors (or chicken arks, as they’re known elsewhere) are small coop-and-run combos that make it easy for you to integrate chickens into a vegetable garden or yard.  Although you can buy pre-made chicken tractors, kits, and plans, all of these options are pricey, so many homesteaders will choose to build their own.  Here are some factors to consider as you design your flock’s new home.

Weight.  Making the chicken tractor too heavy is the number one reason homemade chicken tractors fail.  My father once built a chicken tractor so solid that it was too hard for one person to move, so the tractor sat in one spot for the next year.  Chicken tractors keep your hens happy only if they are pulled to a fresh patch of lawn daily, so pay attention to the weight of your framing material.  We usually use cedar branches or two-by-two lumber, but this tractor is built around the aluminum framing from a recycled awning.  Use your imagination!

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