Chicken Tractor - How often do you have to attend to the birds?

[jamieneenah]

HI,

I have all of my Cornish X inside, Ages between 3 week and 4.5 weeks. I was suppose to have someone with poultry experience keep them outside for the last 4 weeks or so of there life. However, that didn't work out.

I have a place where I could setup a chicken tractor, and I could have someone add food and water, but I would have to go there to move the tractor. It would be a good 25 minute drive each way for me, so I could only make it there once a day.

Would this be realistic for these birds to go outside in a well constructed predator proof shelter at 4 weeks and stay in this shelter until processing time? with minimal intervention? Something like; I would go there in the evening, move the tractor, remove the food, give fresh water. I would hire someone to add food in the morning and give them fresh water in the morning.

Thanks
Jamie

 

[jaku]

You could definitely do it that way, depending on a few things. First, you have to have BIG feeders and waterers. I have 2 three foot feeders, and I fill them twice a day- and that's not really enough, just what my work schedule will allow. My birds drink about 10 gallons of water per day. Granted, I'm talking about a batch of 53 birds, also.

Moving your tractor once a day will be fine if you don't care about the lawn. Even 25 birds will poo so much that it will be CAKED on solid in 24 hours. This will be tough for the grass to handle. I move my tractor 2-3 times per day, but mine is in my yard, so burned spots would be bad for me.

If you can hire someone to do the food/water in the morning, you might want to get them to go out and check the birds and move the pen mid-day also.

 

[jamieneenah]

Quote:
I think my count is at 86 birds right now. I have a large 3 foot tall type of feeder, and 2 3.5 gallon waterers. They also have several large bowls and smaller feeders to eat out of as well. Since they are inside now, I just go add food and water whenever I get the chance and have not had to worry much about it running out.

Yes, I have found the bedding to be caked and need to be stired / added to / replaced every day.

I will have to find out more about what level of help I may be able to expect and what it is going to cost me vs just sticking it out with the birds inside for a couple more weeks.

Jamie