Food in the Chicken Tractor?

[TwoAcresonaDream]

Hello everyone!

Long time reader, first time poster here. We acquired six mature chickens, and purchased two 11 week old chickens in August (so the little ones must be 14-15 weeks now?). I have integrated everyone together, and my husband has the frame of a 35 sqft PVC chicken tractor put together.

All of the hens are laying hens. I am planning on putting nesting boxes in the tractor, but my question is, do I need to put food in there? I'm leaning towards yes, because they aren't meat chickens. The next question is, should I put the food in the tractor in the morning (I'll be at work all day), or just in the evenings, or......? I am using the chicken tractor (in addition to giving the girls fresh forage) to create spaces for next year's garden beds, so I really want them to go at it.

I could have my oldest son put the feed in the tractor later in the morning, while he waits for the school bus.... Child labor *ahem* I mean involving kids in the process is my favorite!

We just purchased a home on two mostly cleared acres, so there will be plenty of grass for them to use. Also, we have a permanent coop, which they will be returning to every night. They will only be in the tractor during the day.

Probably more information than you needed. I understand there is no one size fits all, but I would appreciate best practices. I couldn't really find anything that addressed this in my Google searches.

 

[azygous]

Actually, not enough information.

How much of the day will the chickens free range? What is your practice right now regarding feed? Do they have access to a nutritionally balanced feed? Free choice or how often fed?

Do you notice the younger ones being chased away from food when you distribute it? Sometimes more than one feeding station is required until new chickens gain enough self confidence to compete with the older chickens for food. There's a risk of them being undernourished which could affect when they start to lay.

It's always best practice to offer dry feed free choice and place it wherever the chickens will be spending most of their waking hours.

 

[TwoAcresonaDream]

Actually, not enough information.

How much of the day will the chickens free range? What is your practice right now regarding feed? Do they have access to a nutritionally balanced feed? Free choice or how often fed?

Do you notice the younger ones being chased away from food when you distribute it? Sometimes more than one feeding station is required until new chickens gain enough self confidence to compete with the older chickens for food. There's a risk of them being undernourished which could affect when they start to lay.

It's always best practice to offer dry feed free choice and place it wherever the chickens will be spending most of their waking hours.

I let them free range during the last hour of daylight because our land isn't fenced, and they like the neighbor's land. During that last hour, they usually don't go anywhere but our property. They do have access to balanced feed, and it is just in a large feeder for them to eat under the edge of the coop.

I do have a separate feeder further under the coop, because the little ones retreat there when they are feeling harassed. I bring both feeders in when I close the coop at night.

So it may be best to just place both feeders in the tractor in the morning, since they will be in the tractor most of the day on good weather days.

 

[lazy gardener]

Here's my suggestion: You might find that 8 birds in a 35 s.f. tractor is a bit tight, especially since you have 2 age groups. I would consider putting 3 - 4 of them in the tractor for part of each day. Perhaps you could put them in in the morning, and your son could put them back with the rest of the flock after school. (if only to be assured that all of them continue to function as a cohesive flock.) Yes, I would put feed in the tractor, and of course, you will put water in there. What is the tractor being sheathed with? Be aware that chicken wire IS NOT predator proof. And birds sitting in a tractor in the middle of the yard will be particularly enticing to predators. Also, it needs to have a skirt to keep nastiness from digging in under it. If you really want them to tear up the ground for those garden beds, sprinkle some scratch grains on the grass! I have found that it's super easy to train a Mama Broody and her chicks to a tractor by using scratch grains.

 

[TwoAcresonaDream]

Here's my suggestion: You might find that 8 birds in a 35 s.f. tractor is a bit tight, especially since you have 2 age groups. I would consider putting 3 - 4 of them in the tractor for part of each day. Perhaps you could put them in in the morning, and your son could put them back with the rest of the flock after school. (if only to be assured that all of them continue to function as a cohesive flock.) Yes, I would put feed in the tractor, and of course, you will put water in there. What is the tractor being sheathed with? Be aware that chicken wire IS NOT predator proof. And birds sitting in a tractor in the middle of the yard will be particularly enticing to predators. Also, it needs to have a skirt to keep nastiness from digging in under it. If you really want them to tear up the ground for those garden beds, sprinkle some scratch grains on the grass! I have found that it's super easy to train a Mama Broody and her chicks to a tractor by using scratch grains.

Yes, there will definitely be water in the tractor. We are using chicken wire, but I wasn't planning on placing the tractor in the far parts of the yard by the tree line. We also have a nanny who watches the two smaller children, and she takes them outside every day barring bad weather.

I will definitely use the scratch grains! I will have to think about what to do about the size thing. My husband did the measuring and construction in our basement, and glued it outside. Of course it looked a lot bigger in the basement, than it now does outside.

Thank you!