coop cleaning or lining for tractor w/in city limits

[monkeytreecreations]

All right chicken experts:
We live w/in city limits and don't want to deep litter because of our proximity to our neighbors. Is there a way to keep the yard from getting too stinky and to be able to reap the benefit of the tractor (bugs and weeds gone, chicken poop in soil)?Should we line the bottom with straw like a regular coop?
we have 3 2 week old chicks right now and are in CA where it's been in the 90's for the last few weeks. Should we be doing something different for them when they are small with regard to what goes on the bottom of the coop?
The reading that I have done addresses cleaning for coops and deep litter for tractors. I can't find any info for people who don't want to deep litter but do want to use a tractor!
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Abi

 

[Uppity Peon]

No, the idea with a tractor is to let them eat the fresh grass and dandelions. Use no litter. Move the tractor before the grass starts looking overgrazed.

 

[monkeytreecreations]

that's what I thought... so then I'll just need to keep it on the move pretty regularly to keep it from getting stinky. I think I'm over thinking.

Thank you!

 

[GardeNerd]

I used both a coop and a tractor as well as a dog pen with bird netting for the chickens. The tractor and pen are moved daily to avoid damage to the yard. After I move it, I hose the spots where they left droppings. It keeps the grass from getting too burned and fertilizes it at the same time. This also prevents anyone from stepping in poop where the tractor sat before.

With the coop, I don't have smell issues. I do a deep litter method on the bottom and I collect the droppings from under the roosts daily. The roosts are were the majority of the droppings collect. The run with sand gets raked out once or twice a week. I have no complaints so far from my hubby or neighbors.

Flies are another issue you might have with living close to neighbors in the city when you have chickens. I also have screen on all the openings of my coop and run to reduce any fly issues that would develop otherwise.

 

[monkeytreecreations]

Thank you so much for the info gardeNerd!

 

[cmom]

I have a moveable coop and run. Also I fence in a yard off of the run for the birds. Now they are in their spot for the summer. I have used a tractor when they were younger and not laying yet.

 

[Bellasmom]

I am in town and use a tractor for my 2 chickens. It's an a-frame with the hen house on the top 1/3. I use wood shavings for my nesting and house floors. Once a day I scoop and put it in the compost. When we move them I pick up the poop, rake the area and generally clean it up. We have neighbors on both sides and truly there isn't any smell.

I use dirt and grass on the compost along with household vegetable scraps + plus stuff from the garden. It doesn't smell either.

 

[monkeytreecreations]

thank you for your responses!