# Chicken Tractor Size for 15 Chicks?



## volleypc (Jul 25, 2010)

Hello, I am working on the design for a chicken tractor. My setup will be a run the full length of the tractor, with the house on the end (open underneath). I am planning on it being 4 foot wide. Can anyone give me an estimate on the length it should be to handle 15 chicks? Also how many nest boxes should I have? I will be moving it daily, every two days max. The chicks are Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth Rocks.

Thanks.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

8 ft is going to be about the maximum you will want to build it, simply because it will get too heavy and bulky to move. That would be 32SF or enough room for about 8 hens. You could put 15 chicks in it, but you'd want to build a second tractor before they get too very big and put half in each tractor.


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## volleypc (Jul 25, 2010)

I keep seeing the 4 ft^2 per bird, but what about for the house size? I understand 4/bird for the entire run and coop, but I want to make sure I do not make the house to small for the birds. How much area do they need for roosting?


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

If the run is covered and you have something solid around three sides at one end, for 8 birds, 3 roosts the width of the tractor is good. They could crowd onto two, but the lower pecking order birds will end up on the ground as some hens will not let anybody roost close to them.

Remember, the more elaborate it is, the heavier it will be, and the less inclined you will be to move it often enough.

Two nests should be adequate for 8 birds.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/tractors.html
Some pix for ideas. I would not want to move some of these. Others are too flimsy. Some are real nice.


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## greenSearcher (Mar 23, 2007)

If you want to stay with a single tractor, I suggest building it so that the run can be detached from the coop and moving them in two trips. My current tractor is 4X10 with a 4x4 elevated coop/3 nest boxes. I have had up to 12 young chickens in it, though the comfort level is at 10 adults.
I was going to move it every other day, which lasted about 10 days, (about the time the neighbors horse made my yard full of divots). When I move it now, I attach chains to the end and pull it with the JD yard tractor. It weighs a good 300 lbs. The second generation tractors, construction starts next week, it will have a detachable run, and I will use 2x2s for all the framing except the base and corner verticals which will be 2x4. Wheels will be on axles running through the frame, bolt mounted wheels had severe camber problems and would stick in the mud. Wheels large enough to move this size tractor were $17 ea if I remember right.
I am using a total of 4 tractors so I can segregate the chickens for breeding purposes. I will have 40 +/- come next spring.
Good luck on your project


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