Building a Chicken RV

We have kept chickens for several years now. Not only do they produce an almost endless supply of eggs for our consumption, but they also make some of the best garden fertilizer you can get.

But we are surrounded not just by country on all sides, but Forested country. This means our poor flock of chickens have a larger assortment of predators than your average bird, and this last year was the worst we have experienced. Between the coyotes, a bobcat or two, racoons, and even the neighbor's dog, we lost 25 of our 26 laying hens over the course of about 6 months. Our one remaining hen, who still faithfully gifts us with a single egg a day must have the Gift of Escape.

Obviously it is time to do something about the play-yard on the forest side of the barn. And no longer can I harbor visions of a chicken utopia, letting my little flock roam free.

Our solution? A so-called Chicken RV, also known as a Chicken Tractor... a play-yard with attached house that can be pulled about with a tractor, allowing for the chickens to browse and graze on grass and bugs and worms, with a fresh patch of ground every few days. The result will hopefully be happy "free-ranging" chickens that will also be kept safe on all sides from wild and not-so-wild predators.

Matt has spent quite some time browsing online for ideas, and of course has come up with his own design (Innovators-R-Us), which will house our new and quickly-growing flock of chicks (easily doubled in size since these photos were taken)...


In between rain showers last weekend, the framework was built...

the nesting/sleeping-house-on-stilts was begun...

and a tin roof was put in place...

We are hopeful that our forecasted sunny weekend will allow for the completion, and that my next post will be all about move-in day!