Broiler tractor with wire bottom? Bear issues

[humblehillsfarm]

I had an immobile coop and run to raise meat birds in, but would like to raise enough meat birds to sell for meat to friends and family. Unfortunately raising them in an immobile coop with litter is not affordable if trying to make a profit, and a run can only handle so much poop. The issues with a chicken tractor though are pretty extensive. One, I’m a small person without a means to move the tractor except brute strength. Two, my 2 acre yard is very rolling. So most of the time a tractor would not sit flush with the ground. Third, we have bear. So in addition to being light enough for me to move, it needs to have an anchoring system, be heavy enough, or enclosed (secure) enough, to dissuade a bear. I’d like to have two to three structures large enough to hold up to eight birds at a time.

I figure keeping the structure short will save on weight, using 1x2s, as well. As for as predator issues, I thought about enclosing the bottom with 2x4 fencing may help. A smaller meat chick won’t fall through the hole but hopefully won’t hurt their feet. I’m worried about them tripping though so I also thought about 4x4 fencing. I also thought about adding a skirt around the coop to offset the fact that most of the time the coop won’t totally be flush with the ground.

Any thoughts or advice?

 

[Molpet]

Electric fence is about all that will stop a bear.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Electric fence is about all that will stop a bear.

And in my experience even that doesn’t always work. I have thought about a very simple solar system but ground rods aren’t very mobile

 

[RoosterML]

I do not recommend a wire bottom for tractors. You will likely crush feet while move the tractor. I 2nd electric fence for predators.

 

[3KillerBs]

And in my experience even that doesn’t always work. I have thought about a very simple solar system but ground rods aren’t very mobile

The Premier1 Solar Intellishock charger that I have with my electric netting grounds on a spike that doubles as it's mount -- you just drive it into the ground when you move the fence.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I do not recommend a wire bottom for tractors. You will likely crush feet while move the tractor. I 2nd electric fence for predators.

This makes sense. And I had ruled out smaller gauges because poop wouldn't fall through and chickens probably couldn't access grass well.

The Premier1 Solar Intellishock charger that I have with my electric netting grounds on a spike that doubles as it's mount -- you just drive it into the ground when you move the fence.

I checked out their website. Seems like a terrific product. Not sure I can afford that right off the bat, but if I could do a couple rounds of meat birds without predator issues and earn a little money off of them then I'd check them out. Even for the smallest system it says it could ward off bears.

I'm just trying to keep things as simple and affordable as possible. I already work full time with a decently long commute, so if any farm expansions cost more than they bring or take more time than the money is worth, it's not a feasible project.