Fold-Out Wheels Added To Chicken Coop
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In their retirement, Oliver and Gloria Maier liked the idea of raising “free range” chickens to supply eggs for their kitchen table. So they bought a chicken coop kit called the Chicken Chalet (www.urbanchicken.com). The coop measures 3 by 8 ft. and houses 4 to 6 chickens.
The Maiers, in their 80’s, didn’t want to lift and move the coop by hand from place to place. So they added 10-in. wheels on one end and a handle made from 3/4-in. galvanized pipe on the other end. The wheels mount on a 1/2-in. rebar axle that goes all the way across and goes through holes drilled near the end of a 2 by 2 wooden arm on each side. The arms pivot on a bolt on the other end which is attached to 2 by 2 vertical boards added to the coop.
The Maiers also added a 1-in. angle iron on both sides across the bottom to make the coop more rigid.
When not in use, the wheels normally are in a free-float position out in front. One person can move the coop, but it’s easier with 2 – one person to raise the end with the wheels while the other rotates the wheels back under until the coop rests on the axle. The weight of the coop keeps the axle against the angle iron pieces.
“It’s much easier to move than picking up the coop and moving it by hand,” says Maier. “Some commercial chicken coops of this size have a set of stationary wheels out in front like a wheelbarrow. But this way, with the wheels partly under the coop, about one third of the coop’s weight is on the wheels making it much easier to move.
“I bought the wheels at Tractor Supply Company on sale for $5 apiece and used scrap pieces of angle iron, pipe, and rebar that I had laying around.”
Gloria wanted the coop to look more decorative so she painted the roof to match the trim of another outbuilding.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Oliver Maier, 306 Village West Drive, San Marcos, Texas 78666 (ph 512 353-7432 or 512 754-3435; gm08@txstate.edu).
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Fold-Out Wheels Added To Chicken Coop LIVESTOCK Poultry In their retirement Oliver and Gloria Maier liked the idea of raising “free range” chickens to supply eggs for their kitchen table So they bought a chicken coop kit called the Chicken Chalet www urbanchicken com The coop measures 3 by 8 ft and houses 4 to 6 chickens The Maiers in their 80’s didn’t want to lift and move the coop by hand from place to place So they added 10-in wheels on one end and a handle made from 3/4-in galvanized pipe on the other end The wheels mount on a 1/2-in rebar axle that goes all the way across and goes through holes drilled near the end of a 2 by 2 wooden arm on each side The arms pivot on a bolt on the other end which is attached to 2 by 2 vertical boards added to the coop The Maiers also added a 1-in angle iron on both sides across the bottom to make the coop more rigid When not in use the wheels normally are in a free-float position out in front One person can move the coop but it’s easier with 2 – one person to raise the end with the wheels while the other rotates the wheels back under until the coop rests on the axle The weight of the coop keeps the axle against the angle iron pieces “It’s much easier to move than picking up the coop and moving it by hand ” says Maier “Some commercial chicken coops of this size have a set of stationary wheels out in front like a wheelbarrow But this way with the wheels partly under the coop about one third of the coop’s weight is on the wheels making it much easier to move “I bought the wheels at Tractor Supply Company on sale for $5 apiece and used scrap pieces of angle iron pipe and rebar that I had laying around ” Gloria wanted the coop to look more decorative so she painted the roof to match the trim of another outbuilding Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Oliver Maier 306 Village West Drive San Marcos Texas 78666 ph 512 353-7432 or 512 754-3435; gm08@txstate edu
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