Permanent night coop and day shelter with portable fence.

[joevdenne]

So, I have a coop on wheels with portable electric fence. I like moving the flock about twice a week around my property, but my property has some hilly areas. The coop is too hard to move around the hilly parts.

I was thinking that I could make a permanent pen with the coop. Then make a little shelter that is light and easy to move around for the day that I could use to transport them to the electric fenced area. At night, I would return them to the permanent pen with the big coop. Will this work or will they be confused?

 

[Sara Ranch]

Just my experience - chickens like stability and routine. And my chickens seem to like a little variety during the day.

Your chickens will probably be fine with the changes. If not, they'll tell ya.

For example, one of my adopted chickens had to be separated from the brotherhood of roosters for being too violent. He and his partner in crime went to a separate shelter. The one dude decided he didn't like that and he choose to sleep on the social chair. (I socialize with all of my animals and take a folding lawn chair with me when I go visit the different areas. I bring it back to the house at night. That was the chair he wanted to sleep on.) He sleeps outside almost every night, on the deck. That's his choice. Not what I want for my now sweet rooster, but it's his choice, and he made it very clear that's what HE wants.

Try it and see what happens.

 

[lazy gardener]

How big is your flock? Will you have nest boxes in the tractor? Will you be able to consistently move them back and forth? Will it be an issue if they get left in the tractor overnight? Or if a sudden storm comes up, will they be ok in the tractor?

 

[aart]

Then make a little shelter that is light and easy to move around for the day that I could use to transport them to the electric fenced area.

The transferring part, from coop to shelter, could be tricky and get old fast.

@lazy gardener raises some good points to consider.