Stationary vs portable coop

[Thatchickenchick]

Hi, guys, so I have 5 baby chicks right now and I’m really stressed about coop/run situation when they’re older. I currently live in a duplex where the 2.5 acres of back yard space is shared. The neighbors are okay with chickens but don’t want me to free range them which is totally understand. I don’t really want to build a stationary coop and run because I feel like that’s unsanitary… I’m thinking about buying a coop and run on wheels so I can sort of rotate them around my side of the lawn, but wondering if that’s a good idea? Will the chickens have behavioral issues if they’re in a portable coop and run? Also, do you think the grass will be torn up even with rotating the coop?

 

[nuthatched]

A tractor will just tear up/burn the grass out in a large area.
I wouldn't worry about unsanitary, just clean the run regularly.

 

[sunshinesnuggles]

Chickens aren't bothered by being in a portable coop to my knowledge, but they are generally much less predator proof than stationary coops (although you may not have many predators near you since it sounds like you live in a fairly populated area). The grass in your run will likely take some visible damage, it depends on how often you're moving it and how much space you have to go through. Portable coops are usually pretty small as well, just something to think about with five chickens.
But as a stationary coop owner, and this is just my opinion of course, as long as you're cleaning it frequently it's perfectly sanitary, and I've never had a problem with my birds (or with my neighbors!) because of odor or bacteria in my coop.

 

[Chicken_Mamma1979]

A tractor will just tear up/burn the grass out in a large area.
I wouldn't worry about unsanitary, just clean the run regularly.

Hi, I built a fairly large chicken tractor about 7ft tall and about 10 feet long that I will move around my yard every 3-4 days a week with a chunnel out to another coop/run that they can go into and be safe in the back yard that is also mobile. The goal is not to have them stationary during the summer at all and to have them moving around the yard and free range as much as possible that way without attracting too much attention from predators, which we don't have much on the side of town I'm on, but it's not unheard of. I have seen a coyote once and cougar have been spotted on the upside of town about 5 miles from my house, but I've never seem them on my side of town, however, I do live in the mountains, so, again, not unheard of. I do have a pretty sturdy fenced in yard. I am also building a stationary coop for the winter with a completely enclosed run for them that will be 60ft long and 7ft tall with a huge insulated coop. I only have 4 chickens at the moment, hoping to add about 2 to 3 more. Am I still looking at the same burnout rate for my grass, how will this affect my yard, do you have any ideas?