Coop idea and tractor idea for 300 chickens

[Mikewuch]

So this summer I am ordering between 250 and 300 chickens.

50 to 75 will be layers that I will be keeping in a year round insulated coop but the rest will be my meat birds.

My question for the 200 to 225 meat birds is, will it be viable to keep them in a portable coop or chicken tractor. I could build 2 or 3 of them if needed and split them into groups of 50 to 75.

Most tractor ideas I have seen are for 10 to 20 chickens at most.

My reason for doing this is after starting with 100 chickens this year the grass behind my coop was so over eaten and turned up there is nothing left of it and I love the taste of a grass fed chicken.

Anyone have any insite on doing anything like I'm talking about?

 

[Mikewuch]

One thing I thought about doing was having my coop and run (which can fit 300 chickens no issues) and use that to store them at night.

I would use electric fencing to build movable pens for them during the day and use some form of chicken tractor/transporter to pull them into it so they can still eat grass or weeds or my garden.

 

[Leigti]

So do you plan on processing all these birds pretty much at the same time? Or could you order a few at a time throughout the year? That might be easier to be able to provide them grass if you didn't have so many at once. It seems like he would have to have a huge area to be able to feed that many chickens. Hopefully some experienced meat chicken people will come along soon with some ideas.

 

[Mikewuch]

I have more than enough grass for 300 (Acres upon Acres of grassland) in my yard. I just don't know the best way about to go about moving 300 of them around daily to keep most of the grass so I will have some for next year

 

[junebuggena]

The problem with chicken tractors is that size is a limiting factor. You can only build so big before the structure is too heavy or cumbersome to move regularly.

 

[Mikewuch]

Right, I agree. I'm just wondering if anyone has a solution to that problem.

Unfortunately for me 30x30 is quite hard to build to move. =P

My coop is going to be 20x30 indoor and have a 30x30 outdoor run but the run won't be grass for longer than a month with 300 chickens in it.

 

[junebuggena]

Maybe raise smaller groups throughout the year so as to better manage the pasture?

 

[Mikewuch]

Could work I guess. Ide have to figure that out. I live in Saskatchewan with harsh long winters so my layers are the only ones I want to keep during the winter.

Thanks for the advice.