Matthew Bauer, 9, raises Rhode Island Red chickens that earned him two blue ribbons at the county fair last year. Along the way, the St. Charles, Mo., 4-H’er learned a lesson about making creative use of materials on hand.

“Matthew wanted to separate his Rhode Island Reds from the rest of the flock so he could tame them down,” his father, Doug Bauer, explains.

Matthew only needed space for three hens so the old cab from a 5020 Deere tractor was plenty big enough to house them. Along with scrap 10-ft. timbers, some wire, and tires off a flail mower frame, the Bauers built a mobile coop that rolls easily enough to move to a new spot every day.

Bauer installed screen in the cab windows so they could be opened on hot days, and a roost across the fenders. With access through the cab door, Matthew had plenty of room in the chicken tractor to spend time with the chickens so they were used to being handled.

The work paid off with blue ribbons. Matthew put legs bands on his chickens before putting them back with the rest of the flock this fall. He plans on putting the same hens in the chicken tractor this summer to show them again at the fair.

Bauer admits he enjoyed working on the project with his son and had the opportunity to teach him something many FARM SHOW readers can appreciate.

His father taught him how to make something from nothing, Bauer says, and the project was a practical way to pass that lesson on to his son.