Is there a demand for chicken tractors?

[TexasMelody]

I'm thinking of making a few Suscovitch style tractors and posting them for sale, in the $300-500 range. Does anyone have a feel for the demand for tractors these days?

If you wanted to limit your risk and find out what the interest is in your area perhaps you could sell plans first. Good ones with photos illustrating hoe to build one. Just a thought. You could contact the Master Gardener group in your area as many of us would like the idea.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If you wanted to limit your risk and find out what the interest is in your area perhaps you could sell plans first. Good ones with photos illustrating hoe to build one. Just a thought. You could contact the Master Gardener group in your area as many of us would like the idea.

The tractor the OP is speaking about in Post#1 is a John Suscovich tractor.

Suscovich published a book with the plans and details. He has a website that also has video. So if you are looking for plans, you may want to consider checking those out.

https://www.amazon.com/Stress-Free-...&qid=1723144458&sprefix=john+su,aps,90&sr=8-2

https://farmmarketingsolutions.com/stress-free-chicken-tractor-plans

 

[paintedChix]

I also ordered the digital version of his book, and have yet to build it.

 

[McChooky]

I had close to $150 in a chicken tractor by the time it was finished (1/2" hardware cloth, 2 no flat tires and bolts, latches, hinges, poultry staples and screws)Build one before pricing it.Everything is sky high.

 

[PoppasGrill]

I’ve seen a few on CL, and get the idea behind movable coops, but am guessing that they are only for areas that can’t free range due to space or predators.
The few I’ve seen are small and look cramped for the ladies.
My question is, what conditions/laws/ordinances would require a movable coop?

 

[McChooky]

I’ve seen a few on CL, and get the idea behind movable coops, but am guessing that they are only for areas that can’t free range due to space or predators.
The few I’ve seen are small and look cramped for the ladies.
My question is, what conditions/laws/ordinances would require a movable coop?

I built one for young cockerels as a spare coop but have never used it

 

[TeresaW]

Poultry swaps might be a better place to setup than flea markets.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’ve seen a few on CL, and get the idea behind movable coops, but am guessing that they are only for areas that can’t free range due to space or predators.
The few I’ve seen are small and look cramped for the ladies.
My question is, what conditions/laws/ordinances would require a movable coop?

I don't know if there's any laws/ordinances that require a moveable coop.

Most folks that use chicken tractors are raising meat birds. Meat birds poop a lot, so moving them to fresh ground daily can help minimize the amount of fecal area in one place and keep the birds a bit cleaner because most do not roost.

BUT, a moveable coop is a good way to keep birds fairly secure while giving them the opportunity to forage. If moved daily, regardless of what type of chicken is in there, they would have access to fresh grass/plants while still being contained.

Tractors can be on the small side, so space needs to be considered. If you are raising laying hens in moveable coops, you would want to only house a small number of hens. With broilers/meat birds, the tractor usually houses a larger number of birds, since they will be in there for a short period of time, usually 6-10 weeks.

 

[McChooky]

As some has already pointed out the type of tractor you're wanting to build is used for meat birds mostly. Another type is the Justin Rhodes " Chickshaw"(he keeps his egg layers in Chickshaws inside an electric poultry fence) Both types of chicken tractors have advantages and disadvantages.(both can be buried beneath snow in climates that get a lot of snow)