Chicken tractors are mobile pens that you can move small groups of chickens around in your backyard. The birds are fed grain, but are also able to graze the grass, which they seem to heavily enjoy.
Feed update: We started feeding Purina Organic Chicken Feed a few weeks ago. The starter-grower feed comes in 35 lb bags that more expensive than most conventional chicken feeds, but it contains grain that is not genetically modified or sprayed with the usual conventional pesticides. More info about the feed: here
Currently I am feeding Blue Seal OrganicLife chick starter, which I have found to be more affordable. It also comes in a 50lb bag, which is much more convenient.
Materials
2- 16 foot boards: cut one board at 9ft, and then the remaining piece at 4.5ft, leaving a scrap piece of 1.5 feet to use as a corner brace. Do this for both boards.5- 10 foot pvc pipes.
10- 1/2 inch metal brackets: my first times using these brackets and it was quite a success! This is how we attached the pvs hoops to the wooden frame.
70 feet of chicken wire.
2 to 2.5 inch wood screws for the frame.
1/2 inch wood screws to attach metal brackets to wooden frame.
The finished product:
Additional Reading
-USDA Issues Proposed Rule to Amend Organic Livestock and Poultry PRactices, including Poultry Living Conditions; Invites Comments, written by Sarah Blacklin. The article begins to introduce possible changes to the National Organic Program regarding livestock production. Additional links to further reading is also included.-Food and Drug Protection Division: Food Program, NC Egg Law. If you are interested in selling your own backyard chicken eggs, good news! If you produce no more than 30 dozen a week, you don't have to weigh and grade each egg.
-Pastured Poultry Profit$, written by Joel Salatin, for more information on raising pasture based poultry for meat.
