Chicken tractor and predators?

Maceo Plume

Hatching
5 Years
Apr 9, 2014
2
0
7
Manitoba Canada
I have been raising chickens for eggs for the last 6 years. I am thinking about trying meat birds this summer but have a few questions/concerns. I am interested in free range meat birds that are pastured using a chicken tractor that is rotated around the yard. My concern is our yard isn't perfectly flat and worry about predators making their way into the pen. Are most meat birds moved to a coop at night or can they stay in the tractor if it is predator proof? How do you ensure the tractor is predator proof, especially with uneven ground?! (We are on the edge of a coulee and close to a river so predators we deal with are weasels, racoons, mink and marten.)

Any advice would be much appreciated!!
 
Of course removing the predators are the best bet. A simple cage trap can accomplish this in most cases. If squeamish about ending them, then simply relocate. Of course new ones move in to take the place of the removed ones so with time you get pretty efficient with catching them.

As for protection an electric fence attached to the tractor may be the best method. Nothing quite deters the mean little critters like sparks and smoke shooting from their hide. :D You can also buy the smaller sized barbed wire and make a deterrent towards the bottom of the tractor.
 
With the predators being smaller, it would probably have to be hardware cloth to protect them. I was worried about predators digging up the tractor (also rain, flooding etc) so I added a raised area to the tractor where they can sleep. The floor is made from hardware cloth, so even if something digs up under the run, they couldn't get to the chickens in their sleeping area at night.

 
Thanks for the tips. We have trapped problem pests in the past (whenever possible, weasels as their name suggests are pretty tricky!!) but I am more concerned about prevention.

So even though the broilers don't roost as the layers do they would go into a coop come nightfall? Or do they need coaxing?

I appreciate the feedback!!
 
We actually have some broilers that roost, their roost is only about 2 inches off the floor though. The majority of them go into the coop area when it gets dark, but 3-4 stay outside on the grass and I herd them in when I shut the door.
 
Thanks for the tips. We have trapped problem pests in the past (whenever possible, weasels as their name suggests are pretty tricky!!) but I am more concerned about prevention.

So even though the broilers don't roost as the layers do they would go into a coop come nightfall? Or do they need coaxing?

I appreciate the feedback!!

My broilers acted like normal chickens and went to the coop at night. I'm no expert I've only raised several batches. Mine would have roosted on a normal roost but I didn't provide those. I don't think it's good for them to jump off a normal roost when they start to get heavy. I did put in logs so they had something to hop on at night.
 

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