Hoop Coop Tractor Question

[happyhens]

I am starting a hoop coop tractor today. It is going to be used for our 50 meat chicks that arrived yesterday morning

. They are already stinking the house up, so I want this done soon and get them outta my basement! Anyway, I was looking at these plans- http://www.plamondon.com/hoop-coop.html . I know that the idea of a tractor is so the chickens can eat grass and bugs, but I am worried about it not having any type of floor or other protection against predators digging under. Any suggestions? Is this even a potential problem? Thanks!

 

[Country Parson]

Only you know your area and what potential predator problems there may be. I built a similar Hoop tractor, and another Hoop tractor made from PVC pipe and chicken wire. I have coyotes, foxes, skunks, and coons. The PVC tractor can be accessed by anything, the Cattle panel tractor would take a digger. As added security I tether the dog between the two tractors and haven't had any problems (other than a barking dog).

 

[Lytlechick]

Hardware cloth 1"x1" might help out too

 

[happyhens]

Quote:
That's a great idea! Thanks. I have also been considering putting a wire floor on it, but one with large holes so they can still dig in the dirt for bugs and grass. Would that work? It probably wouldn't do a very good job at keeping small diggers out though

And in my area, we have pretty much every type of predator found in the United States lol.