I have a 4 foot by 4 foot tractor

[greenmulberry]

I happen to own a little four foot by four foot chicken tractor, that is very secure. I just built it to have somewhere to put extra chickens in that I need to separate from the laying flock, which is turns out I really never need to do.

Anyway, I was wondering what the mot Cornish crosses are that I could raise in there. I can move it twice a day. The feed stores around here get cornish X so I can buy whatever number I want. I was thinking 8?

I was going to do a few so I could learn without getting overwhelmed, before I dive in, build a huge tractor, and order a full "batch".

Any thoughts?

 

[eKo_birdies]

that's the number i was thinking

ETA hey to a fellow iowan... iowa city was my home prior to my current place

also, seeing as how you are from iowa.. do you have a way in the tractor to protect them from the elements? i guess i'm just curious the details of the actual tractor or if you have any pics

 

[Katy]

Maybe 4.....At the rate they grow I think 8 would outgrow it very quickly.

 

[anthonyjames]

Figure 1.3 - 1.5 feet per CX. So that being said you could get 5 or 6.
I put 50 to 55 in an 8 x 10 and 75 - 85 in 10 x 12. I also use Freedom Rangers

 

[greathorse]

4x4 = 16 sqft if the number is 1.5 per sqft I think that is 12 which puts you in the range of commerical operations, might as well go buy that storebought stuff at that stocking rate.

Just saying

 

[greenmulberry]

Yeah i have a way to protect them from the elements. There is a tarp over the top and the entire backside, the front is open, and the other two sides are partial covered.

When i use it I keep it so the open side is facing south and that seems to keep the chickens I have it is dry. It is covered with hardware cloth and has a chicken wire skirt all the way around that I either use large wire pins or cinder blocks to hold down.

It was a four foot long fish tank stand that I sliced in half, connected the halves with four foot 2 by fours, covered in hardware cloth, and added a low roost in the back! I screwed a handle on the front so I could lift up and drag along.

No pics right now because it is outside behind the woodpile covered with a tarp and a bunch of snow, but when I get some meaties in it I will take a pic.

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
x2. I have a little run that is 4x4 that came with my coop. My chickens free range my back yard so the only time I use the run is with my new Spring chicks each year for a few weeks to acclimatize them from the indoor brooder to free-ranging. When I first put 3-4 there at around 4 weeks old they have tons of room. Two to three weeks later they are ready to break free and have more room.

 

[greenmulberry]

OK, Sounds like 4 is a good number.

I want them to be happy and healthy so my husband has a good impression of this process and will be agreeable to helping me do a bigger batch in a bigger tractor later!

 

[eKo_birdies]

Quote:
yea, because there's not more to it than sq. ft.

my guess would be the OP would probably be doing things a little different than commercial growers

just sayin