Chicken Tractor Help!

[kesmpsn]

Hi! So, I am new to the backyard chicken life, but so far so good. I have 4 hens, raised from chicks. They haven’t started laying yet. I have built an 11’ x 7’ run*, and they have been in living there since gaining their feathers. So far, they’ve been in there for almost two months. Of course, I have also provided them a variety of roosts and things to do. I wanted to let them free range during the day, and they started out staying close to home and coming back when I called them in the evening, but now, they are roaming everywhere. This isn’t a problem until they head over the fence row to the neighbors‘ house where they have loose dogs. So, this is no good. So, I’m looking into a chicken tractor, so they can “safely” free range. Do any of you more experienced chicken folks use a tractor during the day and then put them in a coop in the evening? What design do you recommend? Thanks!!

*edit: coop to run

 

[iwltfum]

I would just build them a nice big run or use electric poultry netting. Moving them from coop to tractor and back everyday sounds like so much work. Might be fun for a day or two, but if you aren't feeling well or, had a busy day, or whatever else one day, that's when you will regret the work load you will have given yourself. Just a thought

 

[iwltfum]

I'll add to that that I raise meat birds in chicken tractors and I will bend over backwards to avoid moving them out from or into the tractor more than the day they leave the brooder and the day they get butchered. I have learned my lesson. I used to use electric poultry netting for our laying flock and it worked well, but it was also alot of extra work so I just free range now, but I don't have neighbors dogs to worry about.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've read several posts on here where people plan to do what you are thinking about but not many where they actually do it. I guess it's possible you could train them to to go to the tractor each morning and let them out just in time for them to return to the coop to sleep but that's way too regimented a life for me. It's a time commitment to make yourself available.

I tried keeping 8 chickens in a tractor one summer, lasted about two weeks. I had to move that tractor every day if it rained, every other day if it was dry. Occasionally I'd go three days if it were really dry. Otherwise the poop built up pretty bad. That was too much moving for me. Some people really like their tractors but I have other things to do. I wound up getting electric netting. That requires maintenance too but not nearly as much.

You only have four hens. You can build a tractor and just leave them in it all summer, moving it as required. You can find designs under the Articles tab up top of this page under Coops. Try it and see how you like it. You may be OK moving them back and forth every morning and night. We are all different. You should go with what works for you instead of what works for me. Iwitfum likes tractors. I like electric netting.

 

[aart]

I have built an 11’ x 7’ coop

Just want to point out that your run might be 11x7(and it's nice!).
But your coop is much smaller.
Terminology can be quite tedious, but can also be important.

 

[kesmpsn]

I would just build them a nice big run or use electric poultry netting. Moving them from coop to tractor and back everyday sounds like so much work. Might be fun for a day or two, but if you aren't feeling well or, had a busy day, or whatever else one day, that's when you will regret the work load you will have given yourself. Just a thought

That’s an excellent thing to consider!! Thank you!

 

[kesmpsn]

Just want to point out that your run might be 11x7(and it's nice!).
But your coop is much smaller.
Terminology can be quite tedious, but can also be important.

Whoops! Yes!! Thank you for that clarification. So, the run is 11x7! And thanks, it was a labor of love, one of which has shown that my husband and I will never do home reno.