Are you looking for the best portable chicken coops, mobile chicken tractors, or DIY plans? If yes, this list will help you choose the right design for your backyard.
If you are a small-scale chicken keeper with just a few birds, these portable chicken coop ideas make it easy to build or buy a lightweight chicken tractor for your flock.
We’ve also included a guide to DIY chicken coop plans so you can build your own at home. By seeing the style and design of each coop image, you can quickly decide which option suits your chickens best.
Below, you’ll find our curated list of the 21 best chicken tractors with and without wheels — free, easy-to-follow plans to inspire your next backyard project.
What Is a Portable Chicken Coop or Tractor?
A portable chicken coop or chicken tractor is a small, movable chicken house designed to be carried or rolled from one place to another. Many people add wheels at the base so the coop can be moved effortlessly around the yard or garden.
Because of its rolling feature, people call these coops movable chicken coops, mobile chicken coops, or rolling chicken tractors. They’re typically built lighter so you can reposition them easily, using materials like PVC pipe, plywood, or light wood blocks.
Also read: DIY vs. Buying a Prefab Chicken Coop: What’s Right for You?
Pros of Portable Chicken Coop or Tractor
Here are some key benefits of keeping your flock in a portable chicken coop or mobile chicken tractor:
- It is best for small-scale chicken raisers with 1-15 chicken flocks in the backyard.
- Movable chicken coops are best for monitoring your chicken’s health and behavior because they don’t go far.
- Easy collection of eggs.
- Easy to feed and provide water to your chickens.
- If you are growing other vegetables in your garden, a portable chicken coop is best to keep your chickens away from digging and pecking your vegetables.
- Feeding, drinking, and playing areas become compact in a space, so it’s easy to handle them.
- It keeps your chicken flocks safe from predators like foxes, raccoons, stray dogs, possums, cats, etc.
Best 21 Portable Chicken Coops and Tractors (Free Plans & Ideas)
Below, you can see a list and pictures of the best portable chicken coop or tractor plans and ideas, which are lovely to see and easy to make at home:
1. Simple Portable Chicken Tractor
If you are a small-scale farmer, or you want to divide your chicken flocks into 6–8 chicken batches, then this is one of the best portable chicken coops or chicken tractors to build at home. You can easily keep 5–8 chickens inside this coop.
This simple DIY chicken tractor plan is best for non-flying chickens. A few chicken breeds like Minorca and Andalusian, which fly a lot, are not recommended for this type of chicken coop. It’s a good chicken tractor plan for small-sized chickens to try making at home.
This movable chicken coop is also a run for foraging and is easy to clean. It doesn’t contain wheels but is easy to carry due to its lightweight construction. This simple portable chicken tractor helps avoid predator attacks during your flock’s foraging.
2. Triangular Frame Portable Chicken Coop Run and Nesting Boxes
This portable triangular-frame chicken coop idea contains a pen, run, and nesting box. Moreover, you can open the nesting boxes to collect eggs easily.
Above, you can see a frame design portable chicken coop or chicken tractor. These types of chicken tractors are light and easy to move. You can make them with wood and metal, but we recommend wooden frames for less weight. Moreover, wood keeps the coop warm in the cold. This is good for 1–5 chickens.
On one side of this small chicken tractor, you can see a run area and another side house for roosting and nesting. Just throw treats for your chickens inside the run area, and they will love to peck. This chicken tractor has two small wheels on the back side, so you can easily move it to another place when your flocks become bored.
3. Simple Frame Style Portable Chicken Tractor With Wheel
Photo credit: Tim Farmer (YouTube)
It is the same as the triangular-frame design of a wooden portable chicken coop. You can attach one handle to move this mobile chicken tractor on one side, and on the other side of the coop, you can attach two wheels to make a true chicken tractor with wheels.
If you are prepared to construct a chicken coop with a wheel, purchase strong chicken tractor wheels. This chicken coop is portable for 3–5 chickens. The best thing about this coop is it has a nice long-run space, but it has no nesting boxes.
4. Rectangular Portable Chicken Coop on Wheel
Photo credit – farmagain
It’s one of the easy-to-make portable chicken coop or tractor ideas you can build within a few hours. This plan consists of a rectangular coop for chickens on one side and, on the other side, a 2-meter run area with a height of 2 feet. You can add feeders and drinkers in the run area.
You can make a door on the upper part of the coop, or you can lift the coop up to release the flocks. This is an easy-to-build DIY chicken tractor idea using wood blocks and hardware cloth.
5. Complete Wheels Rolling Portable Chicken Tractor
Photo credit – cochickencoops.com
This is one of the large portable chicken coop ideas. So, you need to add about 6–8 wheels to make it easy to move. You can make this chicken tractor using flat wood blocks and chicken wire.
This chicken tractor is best for plain areas because it is a little heavy to move. But adding some wheels makes it easy to roll. It has a big open coop with a long run. This coop is best for 5–6 chickens.
6. Curve With Rectangular Shape Base PVC Chicken Coop
Image Source: Atomic Zombie Extreme Machines
It is a curved-shaped PVC portable chicken coop with two wheels on the back and a bicycle design on the front. This is a large-size mobile chicken tractor with a run.
You can use 3–4 inch gap hardware cloth or chicken wire to make its netting in the run area. This movable chicken houseis best suited for 10–15 chicken flocks.
This is an easy-to-construct chicken tractor design you can build within a day. To make this portable chicken coop, you will need a curved plastic rooftop, PVC pipes for the structure, wheels, and the front part of an old cycle.
7. Dome Shape Mobile PVC Chicken Coop Idea
You can make this dome-shaped portable chicken coop if you have over 10–15 chickens. It is easy to achieve this plan if you devote time and passion.
This is a PVC chicken tractor. You require some PVC attachments and connect them in a triangular shape. You can use soft chicken wire with a 1-inch gap for netting the coop.
This DIY mobile chicken tractor is lightweight and best for 20–25 flocks. The cons of this design are that it has no nesting boxes for chicken flocks. It is only an open coop for keeping chickens out. Just put your feeder and waterer inside the dome.
It provides plenty of space for your chickens, and they also enjoy moving around in that area to forage. You could make a chicken coop by putting the dome-shaped coop over it, turning it into a run.
8. Small Chicken Coop With Planter, Clean Out Tray and Nesting Box
Image Credit: Ana-white
It is a small chicken coop idea with no wheels. Its small size makes it easy to move around. This plan is a great option for chickens with a small run space and looks like a real home.
The bottom part of the coop is an area intended for chickens’ enjoyment and free movement. You could try making this portable chicken tractor plan at home if you have a limited budget.
You can make the ceiling top portable, so you can easily change bedding and collect eggs from the nest. Likewise, it will be suitable for cleaning the coop. This chicken tractor is fully constructed of wood blocks and chicken wire netting.
9. Ogrmar Large Portable Chicken Coop
- 【Comfortable for Poultry】The cage keeps your...
- 【Spacious Space & User-friendly Design】58" chicken...
- 【Removable tray & Gridding Fences】There is...
- 【Shipping & Customer Service】We packed item as good...
- 【Sturdy Construction & Weatherproof】Constructed by...
Last update on 2025-10-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Ogrmar Portable Chicken Coop or tractor is best for making a coop for 2-4 chicken flocks.
It is possible to design it yourself at home using wood blocks. It’s one of the many easy chicken coop plans for beginners.
The coop design also includes a small running area. If you are building the coop yourself, you can add wheels to one side to help move it. You can also carry it from one place to another easily.
10. DIY Portable Chicken Coop Idea Made with a Trash Can and Grills
Image Credit – blossomsnblunders
We can make this portable chicken coop from a trash can and iron grills. It’s a wonderful DIY plan. You can make this chicken tractor easily at home. All the equipment and raw materials are easy to get in a local hardware store.
Here, the iron grills were attached with hardware cloth. The run is inside the triangular frame. You can add a PVC pipe to make a feeder and a water bottle as a drinker.
A small wooden block is fitted in the top part of the trash can coop for roosting. You can easily make this DIY chicken coop using all used items.
11. Rooftop Portable Chicken Coop Plan for 3 to 5 Hens
Image credit: ahomemadefromscratch.com
It is a portable chicken coop plan for 3–6 chickens. The entire base is a run area, and on the rooftop, there is a chicken house.
The roof of the chicken house is made of plastic-pattern asbestos sheets. Plastic sheets are lightweight, so they do not increase your coop weight. A 2 cm mesh hardware cloth can cover the run part.
In this chicken coop, there are two wheels on the backside. The coop will be easy to move if you add two handles on the front part. This design makes a great mobile chicken tractor for a small flock.
12. Rectangular Traditional PVC Chicken Coop Plan
Image credit: elevengables.com
If you don’t want to go tricky, this is a simple plan for making a chicken tractor at home. The structure of this poultry coop is made up of PVC pipes, which are joined using PVC cement or glue.
You can use ½ inch, 2 feet height hardware cloth or chicken wire for netting in the top and side of the coop. Attach the hardware cloth to the PVC structure with cable ties.
It is a DIY freestyle portable chicken coop for 15–20 chickens. If you need more space, you can make another one easily. The best thing about this portable chicken coop is that it is inexpensive and easy to make.
13. Water Tank Design Chicken Coop DIY Idea
Image credit: recyclart.org
You can make this chicken coop from an old oil drum or water tank. It’s possible to make it from other waste materials in your backyard. This plan will save you money.
You can use wood blocks or plywood sheets to make the entrance part of this coop. This chicken coop is a little heavy, but you can easily make it mobile with four wheels. It provides no run space but works well as a temporary or supplemental mobile chicken house.
14. The Palace Chicken Coop
Image source: steamykitchen.com
If you design this portable chicken coop, it looks like a palace. There is enough room for your flocks to move in this chicken plan. You can build the house part on the top part, and the whole floor is the run part.
It provides adequate space for chickens. It is a little heavy, so moving with one person is hard. You may need 2–3 people to move it to another place.
You need some easy-to-get chicken coop-making kits like wood blocks, hardware cloth, and steel nails for making the coop structure. This chicken tractor plan suits 5–6 flocks, but you could add 1–2 more.
15. Tractor Design Portable Chicken Coop Idea
Image Source: BackyardChicken
It’s a small, portable chicken coop plan for you, which is made from wood. This design is most suitable for 2–3 chickens. You could replace the wood with plywood to make it lighter.
This coop looks like a real tractor. You can use hexagonal chicken wire to cover the small run area. You can color the coop with beautiful paints.
If you need the best paint for your chicken coop here is our complete guide on it. This DIY chicken tractor is both functional and attractive for a small backyard flock.
16. Elevated chicken coop portable size
Image source: myoutdoorplans.com
This elevated-design portable chicken coop plan has nesting boxes for 5–6 chickens. This chicken coop is easy to make, and you can have it done within 24–48 hours if you have all the coop-making kits ready.
These types of portable chicken tractors generally do not have a run. They’re mainly for roosting and egg-laying but are easy to clean and move around your yard.
17. Budget-Friendly Portable Chicken Tractor Plan
Image Source: thefrugalchicken.com
If you don’t want an extra budget, build this portable chicken coop. This plan is best for 5–10 flocks and is one of the easiest chicken tractor plans you can build within a few hours.
Although this design may be heavy, it can be moved easily by a couple of people. Your roosters and hens will like to live inside and forage outside, making it ideal for small-scale farmers.
18. The Feather Factory Chicken Coop
Image Source: backyardchickens.com
This is a beautiful chicken coop plan with a well-ventilated design. It has a full run on the base. Furthermore, the inner part is painted white, which looks great — though you’re free to choose any color you prefer.
It is best for 1–5 chickens. Consider building a proper space for roosting and nesting inside the chicken coop. This portable chicken tractor offers a clean, airy space for your flock.
Here is our best guide on chicken coop paints for selecting the best paint.
19. Chicken Barrow Coop Design
Image Sources: instructables.com
It is a curved design, beautifully shaped PVC chicken coop plan. The coop’s body structure comprises wood blocks, plywood pieces, and PVC pipes.
PVC pipes were bent to make the roof part of the run, and a 2-inch gap hardware cloth is used to make the run fencing. No wheels are needed for this coop because it is lightweight.
It is a temporary portable chicken coop for your chickens to roam in the daytime. You should keep them in a strong pen at night to prevent predator attacks. Covering the coop with tarpaulin sheets at night helps them remain warm and feel safe.
20. Temple Design Portable Chicken House
Image source: chickens.allotment-garden.org
This is one of the more beautiful portable chicken coop plans on this list. It looks like a temple.
The roosting and nesting area was constructed at the top of the coop, just below the hexagonal top. The chicken tractor is best for 5-6 large-size chickens.
Six sides of hardware cloth netting surround the coop. This temple chicken coop design provides your flocks with a good ventilation run area and is also gorgeous.
It is a heavy, portable chicken coop, so you may need one or more extra people to move it when needed.
21. Bkeees Chicken Tractor Plan or Idea
Image Source: Backyardchickens.com
It is one of the small, cute-design chicken tractor plans for 1–2 chickens. Your chickens will love this coop.
The feeders were placed in the run area, which is great for ventilation during feeding and drinking. You can also build a nesting box with an opening door on the back to collect the eggs.
This is a portable coop for chickens, which is made from wood and hardware cloth, and is easy to move for daily rotation.
Conclusion
Above, we have added a selection of free, beautiful, compact, well-designed, and portable chicken coops and chicken tractor plans. Most of the coops in this list are easy to build at home.
If you keep chicken coop tool kits on hand, it will be very easy to build any of the chicken coops listed above. Which one of these 21 movable chicken coops is compatible with your needs? We look forward to hearing from you in the comments section below.
Nice design. practicalto , if so wanted. BUT always a BUT) our problem is snakes up to 2 meters in length so the coop would have to have sides going into the ground? Maybe be like NR 6?