Breeding tractors

[Dogface208]

Not sure if this belongs in this group or in another, but does anyone use tractors for breeding pairs/trios? I have a lot of space and want to provide them with the healthiest forage/cut down on my cleaning time during breeding season. I'm thinking it'd be the easiest solution for keeping a lot of breeding duck and chicken groups, but I don't know if it would stress them out too much being moved every day or so? Thanks for your input.

 

[B-Goock]

I've been thinking of doing something like that. Making them wheelbarrow style was my thought.

 

[Dogface208]

Yes! Something that would be easily moveable by hand. 4'x8' max dimensions for a trio/quad at most.

 

[B-Goock]

A covered roof on it. Small coop on one end. Hardware cloth floor for grass yet predator proof.
And be able to flip it up on its end for storage in a shed.
What height were you thinking? 3' may be tight for roo to do his thing.

 

[Dogface208]

Giving more thought to it, I would make two types. For ducks I would make a walk in style with a folded cattle panel so I dont ruin my back. For chickens you could just do a rectangle, but I hadn't thought about the cock needing height to do his business... maybe bent PVC pipes to cut down on weight but give them 4' of headroom since nesting boxes could open up on the outside. You could also have a split level with 4' - 5' to maximize foraging space.

 

[Dogface208]

Something like this would be absolutely perfect for chickens, just shorter in length probably. I'd hardware cloth the bottom so I wouldnt have to worry about running over any birds or mess with retractable wheels.

 

[B-Goock]

Giving more thought to it, I would make two types. For ducks I would make a walk in style with a folded cattle panel so I dont ruin my back. For chickens you could just do a rectangle, but I hadn't thought about the cock needing height to do his business... maybe bent PVC pipes to cut down on weight but give them 4' of headroom since nesting boxes could open up on the outside. You could also have a split level with 4' - 5' to maximize foraging space.

My old set up for breed pens was a double decker set up. Run below the coop. Access door to each. About 5' x 5'. Run was about 40" headroom.

Once breeding was done the hens go back into the General population and the breeding pen was the roos home. Otherwise all they did was fight.

 

[Dogface208]

My old set up for breed pens was a double decker set up. Run below the coop. Access door to each. About 5' x 5'. Run was about 40" headroom.

Once breeding was done the hens go back into the General population and the breeding pen was the roos home. Otherwise all they did was fight.

Did you keep each cock separate or house a few together in bachelor pens? These would double as great chick brooders if you covered the sides in plastic to cut drafts.

 

[B-Goock]

Did you keep each cock separate or house a few together in bachelor pens? These would double as great chick brooders if you covered the sides in plastic to cut drafts.

They were built as part of the coop. It was a chicken mansion. Haha
Certain roos I could keep together but breeding no. No way to know which eggs were fertilized by what roo.

 

[Dogface208]

Cool, I'm excited to start drafting plans/materials and figuring out how many I need. Thanks for bouncing ideas with me.