I am procrastinating on my dissertation… therefore, I decided to write a blog post on the cost of making the chicken tractor, as requested. This isn’t a design plan, because I don’t think this design would be worth replicating in its current state. Since I am at a summer camp, and only need a functional space for 8 weeks, it serves what it needs to do.

This is the coop with a door.

A couple issues in my design:

1. This was a temporary tractor designed to finish out growth of hens, NOT meant to be an egg producing hen box (though, with a couple of coop adaptations, that could be possible.
2. It isn’t quite tall enough, but I elevated to coop for protection from predators (and to provide shade).
3. I used 2×4’s for the base. A full 8 foot, and 40 inches wide. There were three middle struts (seen below), I would put the one under the chicken coop as a 2×2, just so chickens wouldn’t be crushed if it suddenly dropped.
4. I would paint the inside of the coop and seal it as well. Or put down something to make cleaning even easier.
5. The 1/4″ plywood requires shorter screws then I had.

Hutch base attached showing center strut

Materials-

• 5 – 2’x4′ – $2.64 each
• 1 sheet of 1/4″ plywood – $23.47
• 5 – 2’x2′ – $1.64
• 2 – 1’x4′ – $2.07
•  2 – strap hinges- $3.27 (2 pack)
• 2- 2.5″ hinges for the door –  $2.77 (2 pack)
• 2- 1.5″ hinges for the coop door – $2.27 (2 pack)
• box of screws (I used 2″ screws) – (had these already) – $4.99
• 3′ high 1/2″ x 1/2″ hardware cloth – $46.00
• 3 barrel bolts for attaching top door and coop door – $2.97
• 4 -Flat L brackets – $2.97 (4 Pack)
• 4 – Brace L brackets (for a strut holding the base of the plywood up) – $2.49 (4 pack)

Tools

• Staple Gun
• Drill
• Saw (a nice one that cuts angles)

Total Price:  $122.68

It is ok for growing out, but once 10 weeks set in, it is difficult for them to get inside.