Tractor Run and moving

[tinamiller1]

Not sure if this is right spot for this question; however, I have an Omlet large XL I think they call it with just the 6' run. I did opt for the 13' but found it was whonky so removed it. I reinforced the bottom 2' with extra chicken wire. Just paranoid of predators I guess though I have electric fence. I then placed this into a 20' x 10' very large enclosure so they could run around. I have 30 acres and they had been in the same spot for 2 weeks but only out in the day time as they were not old enough to sleep overnight. I put them out overnight first time Saturday the 19th so that would have been 3 weeks in the same spot. I moved the entire contraption on the 20th because they pretty much got the grass down to the dirt and poop was starting to accumulate. I did not smell any bad smells. I clean the hen house, Omlet every 3 days and santize the interior, nesting, litter tray, and the roost. I want to know how often should I move it? I worry about the poop. I don't want them getting exposed to bacteria which I have purchased from Amazon this recommended organic product, Oxine that I can make a spray and after they are in bed for the night I can spray the ground and all around. I also want to know about sunlight. The Omlet has a hen house off the ground so they can run under the house and did when we got the nasty rain a few weeks ago in eastern NC. In addition there is a rain tarp on top of part of the Omlet run and then I have a tarp over the large run so the hen house and small run are always in the shade. I am not sure I like that because where the contraption was before I noticed mold starting to grow on the ground at the bottom of the ladder. That is why I moved it. I am thinking I need to take that giant tarp off the top of run so more of the area gets direct sunlight. I would think if they are hot or need shade they can run under the hen house or stay in the smaller part of the run that has the weather tarp which by the way covers the ladder to the hen house and sometimes I see them on the cam when hot go under the ladder and scratch to the dirt and chill. I can always put the big tarp back over if we are going to get rain or snow. What does everyone think?

 

[Alaskan]

As soon as the grass looks a bit shorter I move my tractor.

That way the grass can easily and quickly recover.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think you're overcleaning. Sanitizing the entire unit every 3 days and even spraying the ground? It's overkill. IMO some bacterial exposure will lead to healthier immune systems.

I clean out my coop twice a year (obviously not possible with a small coop, but just an illustration) with just a rake and a broom. I've never sprayed for anything other than mites, when there was an active infestation.