Tractor - maybe stupid question

[Land of Lost Toys]

I have a permanent coop with a run, but would like an additional movable run so I can give my 4 hens different areas to scratch around. Can't free range without being outside or the hawk will get them. Those of you who have tractors, do you move them with the chickens IN or OUT of the tractor? In other words, do I just carry them to the tractor and back to the coop at night?

 

[CARS]

I guess if you don't have some sort of house built into your tractor you will want to take them back to the coop at night.

It would be pretty simple to add a box to the tractor. Then you could keep them out in the tractor overnight.

 

[patandchickens]

Since this is a day tractor, either way is fine... whatever works for you. Either 'dock' the tractor to the coop or run, shoo chickens in, then move it to where it's going; or put the chickens in a box or carrier (might have to take a couple trips), or carry them if they are cool about it, and carry them to and fro. A lot of it depends on how far away from the coop the tractor will be going.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[cubalaya]

here is mine and they never have to leave it

 

[possumqueen]

I'm building a new tractor with past experience of other styles of tractor. My new one will look a lot like cubalaya's tractor, about the same size, but the pen will detach from the coop and they will move separately, with the chickens in the coop, which will be on wheels. Since I plan to lock them up at night -- we have raccoons out the woowoo -- it will be a simple thing to move them after dark or first thing in the morning.

sorry I don't have pics yet. I'm working hard on it to get it into the spring coop contest, but the weather isn't cooperating, and the dinosaur brain is holding me back on getting the pictures into the computer and from there into the post.

 

[Oopoo]

chickens can do tunnel tubes so you could have a moveable tractor for all day and then move it over and "connect" it to the night coop. I actually built a coop/tractor. It's here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=36475 I wasn't sure what I wanted so I made this for speed. We have cold winters and they've done fine with just a 2 beach towel cover over the door. Really windy and I add a tarp overnight. I try to only move this monster when the chickens are locked in up top.

 

[catdaddy66]

The only difference between a tractor and a coop is that the tractor can be moved but the coop cannot. They are both houses for poultry and they both offer the same needs (shelter, protection, nesting, roosting space, food and H2O). I am wondering why there is a large amount of confusion regarding the two types. The birds will learn where to go for all of there needs and will return to the same spot daily once a routine has been established, which takes 2-4 weeks usually. My coop IS my tractor! They are one and the same. Having one of each seems like having a winter and summer home. Great but not that necessary. Just MHO

 

[Tala]

For most of a year my tractor was the only coop that we had. You can see it click the link in my siggy!!! (or my BYC page under my name)

I moved it at night while the birds were sleeping in the dog house part - just so that they didn't escape since the run part un-attaches from the "coop" part (a doghouse).
As the birds got older I let them out in the evenings and they would return to the doghouse on their own at dusk, just like a regular coop.

 

[willheveland]

How about something like this?

 

[chookchick]

I think the OP has a situation much like mine. I have a coop that is just fine for the chickens, and a run that is just fine, but I would LIKE to be able to put them out range on our huge lawn during the day. I can't free range them--no fencing, lots of hawks, eagles, and free-running dogs. So what I need is not necessarily a tractor, but a secure portable day run.

My plan someday is to build a portable mini-house, that could go on a little hand pull cart. I would load them up in the house in the morning, and pull it down to "dock" it with the day run. At night I would herd them back into the house and up to the coop. I know from experience with the chicks that it is super-easy to train them to load up into a portable crate. It just has to be big enough to handle the full grown hens (I can't carry it!).

The advantage of this method is that it would cut a lot of weight and construction off of the day run, so it could be larger and more portable. Plus I feel they are more secure in their coop. If anyone has done this I would love to hear about it!