Chicken Tractor Thread!!

[chick-a- doodle]

I have 4 tractors, and I run them in the pasture. You can probably manage your tractor in the area you described, but, it will take some doing on your part, and cooperation from Mother Nature. First, though, you have to decide if you enjoy moving the tractor every 2-3 days. With 4 tractors, it can be a hassle, and I often wonder if I should go with a stationary coop and run! I imagine when that day comes, I will do raised and covered beds throughout a very large run and a coop to accommodate 20 chickens. The plant beds will give greens without the chickens digging up the ground, making it bare. And, a stationary coop and run will give the security I need against the predators common to my area. [Free ranging is not an option!] Until I decide to go with a stationary coop and run, the tractors are working fine with our ability being that we can move them and still willing to do that task. So, this is only my opinion, and experience in running tractors in a small area over the winter in TN. I don't know what area you are from, but, my winter experience last year in moving a tractor (I only had one last winter) covers about the same area you described. Our first winter, I ran the tractor in my yard, which was primarily bermuda and blue grass. This held up very well during the winter and recovered nicely, even in the winter, and looked great in the summer. Only problem is moles, which, has nothing to do with the chickens! I moved them every 2-3 days in the winter, and if it was extremely wet, I might move them after 1 day so they wouldn't have to stand in the mud they would create if I left them longer! The following spring, I sowed orchard grass in a larger area surrounding my house, that pastured cattle all winter. I vowed not to run the chickens in my yard again. I sowed this in February and March. After a good spring, I moved the chickens into the pasture, where there is also a little red clover. [I had some white clover in the yard...I dislike because it is so aggressive, but, I think it is good chicken fodder!] Anyway, this winter, I have been running the chickens on the orchard grass pasture that I sowed in the spring. It was a very dry fall, so, it did not stay as green as my yard, but, the base is still good for chicken tractors. I have, as I said earlier, expanded to 4 tractors and more chickens since the first winter! Finally....the key, beside sowing good perennial grass, is moving them every 2-3 days, or sooner if they are hard on an area, or if there is a lot of rain. Check with the state extension office in your state and see what grasses are perennial for your area, if you want to sow "as you go". When I move the tractors, I sprinkle orchard grass seed in the area that was used. By the time the tractors get back around to it, there is fresh grass growing in that spot. I use a shaker that is a recycled oregano leave spice bottle. It has big holes and the seeds come out at just the right amount. [I am awful at broadcasting by hand, so, the shaker gives me better control at not over-seeding.] Sorry for the long post.

 

[chick-a- doodle]

so I thought having a chicken tractor would be GOOD for my lawn (fertilizer, aeration, etc). It's been TERRIBLE. Hardly any grass left (it wasn't great to begin with, to be fair). 

I'm thinking my yard is just too small -- going back over the same area too frequently, not letting it recover. 

I have 4 layers in a 8'x4' tractor. My yard is 50' wide by, maybe 25 feet deep. It's pretty irregular shape and not very even, i'm estimating the usable portion.  

thoughts? Should I go with a stationary set up and just have one part of my yard be a mess? Or am I misdiagnosing the problem?

I just replied to this. It has been so long since I used this forum, that I forgot to quote you. My reply should be directly above this one or up a bit.

 

[pdiddy]

thanks so much! really appreciate the thoughts and the link.

 

[GreenWillow]

How is this tractor working out for you a year down the line?? Your plans are the best I've seen for layers!

 

[newkfarm]

My husband and I are new to the chicken tractor world and have been learning from our first one. We just put the girls and roo in it two days ago and so far so good. This will be used for meat chickens once we finish the bigger coop and run.

This was before they were left in it unsupervised. We have added 2x3 fencing to reinforce it from predators, aka the dogs.

We are moving it daily with so many inside, but they seem happy and are slowing down on the amount of feed they use.

@patnewk76

 

[chick-a- doodle]

I have 4 tractors, and I run them in the pasture. You can probably manage your tractor in the area you described, but, it will take some doing on your part, and cooperation from Mother Nature. First, though, you have to decide if you enjoy moving the tractor every 2-3 days. With 4 tractors, it can be a hassle, and I often wonder if I should go with a stationary coop and run! I imagine when that day comes, I will do raised and covered beds throughout a very large run and a coop to accommodate 20 chickens. The plant beds will give greens without the chickens digging up the ground, making it bare. And, a stationary coop and run will give the security I need against the predators common to my area. [Free ranging is not an option!] Until I decide to go with a stationary coop and run, the tractors are working fine with our ability being that we can move them and still willing to do that task. So, this is only my opinion, and experience in running tractors in a small area over the winter in TN. I don't know what area you are from, but, my winter experience last year in moving a tractor (I only had one last winter) covers about the same area you described. Our first winter, I ran the tractor in my yard, which was primarily bermuda and blue grass. This held up very well during the winter and recovered nicely, even in the winter, and looked great in the summer. Only problem is moles, which, has nothing to do with the chickens! I moved them every 2-3 days in the winter, and if it was extremely wet, I might move them after 1 day so they wouldn't have to stand in the mud they would create if I left them longer! The following spring, I sowed orchard grass in a larger area surrounding my house, that pastured cattle all winter. I vowed not to run the chickens in my yard again. I sowed this in February and March. After a good spring, I moved the chickens into the pasture, where there is also a little red clover. [I had some white clover in the yard...I dislike because it is so aggressive, but, I think it is good chicken fodder!] Anyway, this winter, I have been running the chickens on the orchard grass pasture that I sowed in the spring. It was a very dry fall, so, it did not stay as green as my yard, but, the base is still good for chicken tractors. I have, as I said earlier, expanded to 4 tractors and more chickens since the first winter! Finally....the key, beside sowing good perennial grass, is moving them every 2-3 days, or sooner if they are hard on an area, or if there is a lot of rain. Check with the state extension office in your state and see what grasses are perennial for your area, if you want to sow "as you go". When I move the tractors, I sprinkle orchard grass seed in the area that was used. By the time the tractors get back around to it, there is fresh grass growing in that spot. I use a shaker that is a recycled oregano leave spice bottle. It has big holes and the seeds come out at just the right amount. [I am awful at broadcasting by hand, so, the shaker gives me better control at not over-seeding.] Sorry for the long post.

Here is a picture of my favorite and most functional designed chicken tractor. Since the "line of four tractors in the pasture" were made, I have sold all but the A-frame. A stationary hen house and run were built, and I now have one flock, not four! I kept the A-frame as a grow-out pen or sick bay.