Getting chickens to and from tractor

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

Hello! I have a small flock and so far I’ve been outside with them as they free range a bit. I want them to have grass time outside of the sand base coop, but not have to be out consistently. I made a little chicken tractor out of wood scraps but the mobility seems to be limited on grass, not a skilled builder here.

The girls are kind of meh on treats, but I’m wondering if I withhold food at night...maybe that’s a good way to get them in since they don’t really need it late anyway. They’re 9 weeks currently. I’d love any thoughts besides just buying the one treat they love (watermelon) year round to coax them in and out.

 

[Pghelp]

Have you tried dried mealworms? My girls will do anything for mealworms, those and raisins. I would worry about withholding food because they can get cranky with each other if food is scarce.

 

[corriemartin]

I have found, in my very limited experience (this is my first time ever with chickens), that as they get older, they follow me more. At nine weeks, getting them into the coop at night was a real chore of most ridiculous chicken-wrangling. But by 16 weeks, I can get them to all go in by just sprinkling so scratch in there and then shooing the stragglers in that direction. They always come running to me when I call them now, and will follow me about. Good luck!

 

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

I have found, in my very limited experience (this is my first time ever with chickens), that as they get older, they follow me more. At nine weeks, getting them into the coop at night was a real chore of most ridiculous chicken-wrangling. But by 16 weeks, I can get them to all go in by just sprinkling so scratch in there and then shooing the stragglers in that direction. They always come running to me when I call them now, and will follow me about. Good luck!

Oh, that's good to know! How have their personalities changed with time? Mine have been varyingly affectionate - one is consistent, three are currently jumping up on me, but it ebbs and flows.

 

[iwltfum]

I would not count on being able to wrangle them to and from the coop often. There are plenty of jokes about herding chickens. If I were you, I would probably set up a movable lane of fencing or a chicken tunnel in sections could work. An electric poultry net (electrified or not) would do the trick. It would just force them to go where you want them to go. I feel like you might regret not having a sure way to do that someday when you have to get somewhere in a rush and your chickens refuse to go into the coop/tractor. That tractor looks really heavy, how will you move it?

 

[RojoMarz]

Ok, so you and I need to figure this out, lol. I have the same issue. My tractor will not be in a location where I could use chunnels or poultry mesh, etc. My girls to follow me to a particular area in the am and I can use meal worms to get them back to the coop, at lunchtime. But, the afternoon free range session is more like a free for all.

@Gargoyle built a Wagon and I'm pondering something similar.

I found this wagon on Craig's List. I like the higher sides, less mods needed than a regular kid or garden wagon would need. Wish it was closer...it's 3 hours one way.

 

[RojoMarz]

Hmmm. Maybe a metal dog crate/kennel set in a wagon. Then the crate could also be used as needed for isolation, hospital, whatever.

 

[Jennc-123]

I'd get them in the morning, before they're too feisty. And at dusk when they want their roost. I just pick mine up and carry them. My set up isn't too bad for that. In no way do they love when I do this but they know I'm the food lady.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have found, in my very limited experience (this is my first time ever with chickens), that as they get older, they follow me more. At nine weeks, getting them into the coop at night was a real chore of most ridiculous chicken-wrangling.

x2. Once they get older it should be no problem herding them around, even without treats (but they'll help). Trying to make 9 week olds go where you want is a whole different ballgame! I've given up on trying to manage my 10 week olds while having free range time and just let them do whatever they want, while I herd the adults around.

If you don't mind waiting until they're closer to point of lay, you'll find that getting them to and from a tractor shouldn't be TOO bad, as long as it's a relatively small flock that will allow you to handle them somewhat.