Are chicken tractors predator proof?

[Folly's place]

If you get up at dawn every day, and are home to refresh with unfrozen water two or three more times each day, you don't need a water heater. Otherwise, plan on electricity and water heaters!!!
My chicken tractor is in use only for meat birds, in spring/ summer, very close to my house and fenced dog yard. It gets moved a bit every couple of days, and has worked for us. As a permanent coop, no way would it be safe from digging predators. They would have the time to scope it out and dig under.
A hardware cloth floor would add weight, and cause injuries to the bird's feet when you tried to move it.
There are good permanent hoop coop designs shown on the forum, so look them up.
A run made from cattle panels, attached to a safe coop, would work. Making it tall enough to comfortable work in could be tricky too.
Mary

 

[BarnGems]

They can take in what they need in drinking during the time the water is available as long as its available at the same time every day and they can depend on you to make sure it's there. They will not die if they go for 12 or 14 hours without water, seeing as they don't drink at night and still manage to be alive the next day. Need is the key here, so this shouldn't be more complicated than is necessary. Figure out what works for you on a daily basis and the chickens will be fine. Upkeep on hens/chickens is not a full time job and nor should it be.

Running an extension cord is not a safe proposition, as a fire is more of a danger than providing less water access. If your chickens can't go 12 hours without drinking I guess go buy that water heater. No one here is growing prime show poultry. If you are you're in the wrong place for sure.

Understand that doesn't mean you don't need to care for them daily by providing water but seriously who has time for that "three more times each day"?

Oh yes, also it takes a dedicated dog less than 2 minutes to dig under a tractor with no bottom. Unless you do something to deter dogs they will just dig right in. Electric fence or fencing on the bottom. Neglect a possible avenue for predators and learn the lesson in the deaths of your birds. Why give them the opportunity if you can prevent it?

 

[thecreekhouse]

I believe that my chicken tractor is as predator proof as any coop.

Here it is:

Tour my Tennessee coop (semi permanent tractor) and run

Having said this, I believe that even people who really work hard to create a safe, predator-proof coop and run (of any type) sometimes get hit out of the blue by a predator loss where the critter got to the chickens in some way that just wasn’t anticipated.