Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Chicken Tractor In Use

The baby chicks we ordered from McMurray hatchery are all living happily in the new chicken tractor. This tent shaped vehicle with handles (oddly shaped like a wheelbarrow's handles) is a moveable coop. If you don't keep chickens, maybe this is strange and mysterious. The purpose of the chicken tractor is to allow the chickens to free range and eat up plants while being protected from predators. In doing so, they poo on the ground and scratch, effectively hoeing, manuring, and tilling all in one. The ground left in their wake can then be planted on.

The completed chicken tractor. The tarp roof is made up of
feed bags that were sewn together and staplegunned onto the wood.


A view of the inside.


The wheels.


Here you can see the cleared earth behind the tractor after it's been moved.


Chickens eating weeds. 


View of the handles and the weeds that will get eaten soon enough.
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2 comments:

  1. Sandra SookooMay 8, 2012 at 1:28 PM

    We used to keep guinea pigs and rabbits back in the day and did something similar. They had a big enclosure on the yard that we'd move every few weeks. Kept large patches of grass trimmed lol

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  2. Anastasia RabiyahMay 8, 2012 at 2:24 PM

    It works great for ducks and geese too. I forgot to mention that a baby duck and a baby goose are hanging out in there with the chicks. The goose, of course, is the mighty overlord.

    If we ever decide to raise rabbits, I think this option (with a wire floor) would be the best way to keep them.

    Thanks for stopping by, Sandi!

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