Small Run Safe?

[ravenvalor]

Hello,

I am developing a 1/4 acre wooded lot into a forage area for chickens.
It's taking longer than I had anticipated and my wife is anxious to get some chickens.
Would it be safe and clean to buy 6 - average size chickens like the 'red sex links' and keep them in my chicken tractor which is 4' X 25' and not move the tractor? If I keep the ground covered in mulch would that help keep the run sanitized or should I just wait until the lot is ready for them to forage on? I am quite picky about having a safe abode for the chickens.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[QueenMisha]

The space would be adequate and should remain clean. The safety depends on the construction of the tractor. What materials is it made of? Is it fully finished? Does it have an enclosed coop area or is it entirely open/wire?

 

[ravenvalor]

Thank you so much for the wonderful advice. Here is a youtube video of a chicken tractor that is identical to mine except mine is about 30 feet long.

So if I keep the tractor in one place permanently with 6 - birds in it do I add straw to the ground area every other day or so in order to keep the area ckean? Can I use leaves, grass clippings from my lawn mower, mulch from a local tree cutting company, or hay from a local farmer?

Once again thanks. We are pretty excited about getting some chickens.

 

[aart]

That tractor in video looks to be covered with chicken wire, which is not predator proof.

6 adult chickens in that amount of space will probably kill the plants/grass within a few weeks, depending on what is growing there.

Poop will build up fairly quickly, especially where they roost at night, unless you remove it regularly.
Adding dry organic matter will help keep it from stinking, but will not 'sanitize' it.

What is your climate and your long term goals with chickens?

 

[ravenvalor]

Hey Ho Chicken Juggler,

Thank you for the expert advice.
I live in Central North Carolina, zip code 27244.
It gets into the nineties in the summer and down into the teens in the winter. We have a decent amount of rain annually. With a little on the high side of humidity.
I cleared out a quarter of an acre of woods and am going to plant some chicken forage mixture in it. I bought a 40 lb bag of 12 different types of seed that I plan to grow on the lot once its ready for the seed. Once the chicken forage mix is growing I plan to pull my chicken tractor on the lot and move it daily.
I am having a problem with my lot development in that our well is almost dry. Therefore I cannot plant the chicken forage seed until I have enough water to water the lot daily. I am thinking of digging some swales in the lot in order to retain the water which may help the grass seed grow if not flood it. Also, swales may inhibit my particular chicken tractor from from moving gracefully across the lot but I can probably engineer a solution.

Thank you for your interest.

Jim