My spring chicks/ chicken tractor

[mbailey78]

Moved my newest flock members to their larger temporary enclosure. They are about 6 weeks old. Still having pretty cold nights in NY and we have some snow coming soon so they need their heat lamps (secured well and have hardware cloth covering them). Will add some more toys soon, swing etc. I use this mobile enclosure for meat birds when they are younger (they are with the rest of the flock when old enough) and for when I raised turkeys. The turkeys got to free range when I was home. Also use the enclosure at other times when I need to confine birds once in a while and as an extra area for cover in the yard for the rest of the flock. I believe I got the plans/ idea on this site for the enclosure, built it a few years ago. I really like it but need to add some cross bracing.

 

[cavemanrich]

Nice tractor.. I would suggest adding additional roost bars. I do see one pvc pipe serving such. You can use tree branches with bark on them for good roosts, and secure chicken grips. You can also wrap some carpeting around your existing pvc pipe.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[mbailey78]

Nice tractor.. I would suggest adding additional roost bars. I do see one pvc pipe serving such. You can use tree branches with bark on them for good roosts, and secure chicken grips. You can also wrap some carpeting around your existing pvc pipe.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Thank you! We originally built it for the turkeys. The one PVC perch worked well for them during the day and they went to the coop at night. There is a built in option for a second perch. I considered wrapping it but haven’t since no adults are in it overnight and I’m not planning on having turkeys for meat again. The only ones I keep in it overnight are the chicks. I put hardware cloth frames all along the bottom on the outside for predator protection.The adults always go back to the coop to roost. The chicks like the ladders I add while they are in there. I am thinking about securing them permanently in there to fold down. Even the meat birds spend the night in the coop once they are big enough to run around during the day with my other birds.