Thread: Aussie Chicken Tractor - My First Sketchup

Pretty good for a 1st time!

Thanks. There are actually about 5 files showing detail for the roosting box, roof truss and assembly and frame itself. I wouldn't mind a critique if someone with more SketchUp experience would like the challenge. I started with Visio scale plan drawings. It was great to see it all come together.

A great chook tractor, but it may be a bit heavy for SWMBO to drag around. A perch for the night could added under the roof line to. I have the traditional egg box on my chook house, and they are great. Yours makes the tractor look just fine.

Thanks for that. As the run doesn't rise much above your knees, even the kids will be able to drag it around. The box assembly is 15mm marine ply. The rest, apart from the skids is 50mm timber.

I added the perch...

Of course, they must have a perch. My chookhouse has the same egg box as yours, and it allows rain to get in where the hinged gap is. I curved a sheet of colourbond, and fitted that over the top of the egg box lid. I had to recess it, but I think I now have it seald against the weather. If not, I will try something soft like the impreganted sponge rubber used for sealing off under corrugated iron roofs, or a length of the salt damp plastic fixed on and sealed with silicone. Yours looks great by the way.

Is there easy access to clear out their droppings ? Mine is more triangular and I have one side that opens fully so I can get a shovel in. Otherwise, ok with me

Nice Sketchup drawing! My first tries were terrible.

Do you have bantams or large fowl? How many do you want to house in this?

I would like to suggest that you replace the floor with 1/2" x 1" welded wire and allow the dropping to fall to the ground. Run a support or two under it and it should support your birds just fine. If you have standard-sized birds, you could use a heavy gauge 1" x 1" wire.

I have a question regarding the dimensions. Looking at the placement of the perch, I am concerned that the birds will have a little trouble getting up and down from it because of what looks to be a small amount of room on either side of it.

can we have the .skp file?

Cheers,
BantyMom



PS: Is it OK to post up similar concepts in the same thread? Would it be helpful? I have about a half a dozen chicken tractors, each one solving some problem I found in the previous one, and I drew up Sketchup docs of some of them, but I don't want to post them in this thread if that would be rude.

Email me at [email protected] and I'll send you the .skp files.

Originally Posted by GourmetSaint

Where's the link to look at it????????????????

Only 4 years to reply. I think BantyMom might have given up. In fact she hasn't visited since 2009.

Email me.
Better late than never.

ctractor_frame2.jpgroof_assembled2.jpgctBox2.jpgct Box2.jpg

Originally Posted by GourmetSaint

....Better late than never.

This is true.