Tractor coop verses and fixed coop

Panther · **Joined:** Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:29 pm **Posts:** 4

Can I ask the pros and cons of a tractor coop verses and fixed coop? I am not sure which is best for our situation and the benefits of using one over the other? I would welcome any advice offered

OakA · **Posted:** Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:43 am

Firstly Panther, [smilie=welcome.gif]

, see it is your first post.
No doubt many will have an opinion one way or another, take them onboard before you make a decision.
I have a number of fowls so many are in fixed coops, however for extra space and convenience I have a few tractor or movable coops that i use for bantams.
Up here at altitude the summers and winters can be extreme.
I use the tractor coops in summer to move the fowls around on grass in the shade, can be moved to take advantage of the weather or to keep them clean and healthy on fresh ground if preparing for a show.
Fixed coops give you the advantage of size and setting up your breeding pens but must be cleaned etc for the health and well being of the fowls.
The tractor coops allow you to take advantage of fresh clean ground all the time, access to green pick etc
The drawbacks as I see it are you must move often to avoid killing or damaging a lwan if left in the one place to long, you have to move them in out of bad or very cold weather or into shade in very hot weather, likewise they can get wet and muddy in wet weather.
Maybe a combination could work for you, I have fixed pens with deep warm litter out of drafts in the cold winters and use the tractor coops in summer when I can move them into shade in the heat of the day but also take advantage of cool evenings and fresh pick on a daily basis.
Something for you to think about and consider. Good luck.

Panther · **Joined:** Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:29 pm **Posts:** 4

Great advice cheers it maybe as you say a combination which is ok if its best for the hens and it was not an idea I had thought of so thanks. Do you find the grass is damaged in a short time say a few days?

Hens and Hobbits · **Posted:** Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:00 am

Excellent advice and information, Oaklands,

Thank you, it was very helpful.

OakA · **Posted:** Mon Jun 20, 2011 12:26 pm

If you leave it a week you will have a bare patch devoid of all grass and it will take ages to recover.
Generally a move every 3 or 4 days does no long term damage.
I get around this by moving every day, but move it only 1/2 the length of the coop, that way they can clean up left over feed that's been dropped or spilt but have a fresh area of unsoiled new grass every day.
You could move it only 1/3 the length daily and in real terms the whole coop is only over any given area for 3 days, not long enough to permanently damage the lawn.
You will soon learn what works best for you and how often you need to move it.
I have other livestock which I graze on purpose grown crops and pasture, the idea to move the coop a small amount each day is similar to "strip grazing" a crop,(this is done with a movable electric fence) this means that they have fresh unsoiled or untrampled feed each day, can clean up any left from the previous day yet not eat the crop to the ground where it will not recover quickly, by giving only a small amount of new green feed they concentrate on that strip and get thier fill quickly.

Panther · **Joined:** Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:29 pm **Posts:** 4

Thanks again excellent help

keetly · **Joined:** Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:05 am **Posts:** 1

We have 2 x tractor coops and both are moved every 4 days always with in sight of each other. The grass returns quickly with a good water as its already fertilized well from the chook poo

OZCOOPS · **Joined:** Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:48 am **Posts:** 1

Tractor coops are of great benefit to your hens as they are moved to fresh grass and insects also they will be less susceptible to worms as they do not remain in the one place for worm build up

TheBantamMenace · **Posted:** Sat Jun 25, 2011 9:35 am

I agree if you only have a few hens but a fixed coop is a must when you have 20 + I think

Panther · **Joined:** Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:29 pm **Posts:** 4

Thanks heaps very helpful

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