Chicken tractor - food & waterer issues.

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

I suppose I'm not having "issues" persay but how things are set up at the moment just aren't working for us.

Right now we have their waterer & feeder on the ground but I am finding that we are having to change their water more than once a day due to poop & mess being in the water & their food is either getting wasted or pooped on as well. I am thinking of switching to hanging containers for both the feeder & waterer - anyone here have a tractor & do the same?

One last thing - I found this neat little idea & wonder if anyone has any opinions on it? Soda Bottle Converter Kit. I like the simplicity of it & it's cheap - it would only work in the summer here but other than that I'm wondering if there are any down falls to it.

 

[galanie]

You can either use the hanging ones or raise your current feeders, etc up on bricks. I have done both. It works best if the feeder is about the height of their backs.

I've used the soda bottle waterers with my quail and they work great. Those little buggers can mess up food and water faster than a chicken ever dreamed of.

 

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

I don't know why I didn't think to raise them, it's what I did in their brooder. Doh! lol That would probably be the easiest solution.


Thanks for the reply!

 

[Erica]

You could also attach the feeder to the side of the tractor, slightly off the ground, so you can move it with the tractor. A drainpipe sawn in 2/3 lengthwise works brilliantly -- just drill holes near the top along one side, and attach it to the tractor with wires. (Make sure no chick footsies can get caught in the wire loops if you do it this way.) Here's what I mean:

Hard to see detail, but the top third of the pipe was sawn out (lengthwise) leaving a C section. With the extra height of the pipe wall when laid lengthwise (as opposed to sawing in half) the chicks can't scoop food out so readily. A little falls out at either end but I prefer open ends so it's easier to clean it out when feed wet mashes.

cheers
Erica

 

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

oohhhhh neat idea!!! I think I get what your saying - when I'm not at work I'll take a closer look at the picture & directions. Our tractor is quite small (holds only up to 6 chickens) but this still might work! Thanks!