Chicken Tractors & Mobile Chicken Coops

Mobile Holly Chicken Coop

This tractor-style coop can house up to 3 chickens. It is easily moved throughout your yard using the attached handle, which allows your chooks to access fresh food and prevents overgrazing.

The Holly Chicken Tractor features a sheltered nesting box and opens from both ends and at the side for ease of cleaning.

What size tractor is best?

The best way to determine what size tractor is best for you is to find out how much space your chickens actually need. Here is a quick, general guide on how much space your chickens should have in order to be happy and healthy:

Run Space: Chickens require a minimum of 15 square feet to roam, the Somerzby tractor will accomodate 3 chooks. 

If you have more than 3 chickens you may want to consider a chicken run which can be used in addition to the chicken tractor or on it’s own.

Letting your chooks out to range freely on a regular basis is encouraged, having more space for your chickens to roam means that there is less chance of them becoming restless or aggressive if they are not let out frequently.

Perch Space: 25.4cms or 10 inches is recommended for perching space. 

Keep in mind that chickens like to huddle together for warmth during the night and the cooler seasons, and so you may be tempted to provide them with smaller perching spaces…

WHAT BREED OF CHICKENS?

It is important to keep in mind that these figures are just guidelines and you may have to do some research to find out how much room is ideal for your individual chickens needs, as there are numerous factors which come in to play.

One such factor is the actual size and breed of your chickens.

For example, if you were looking to house a Jersey Giant, the largest breed of chicken at 4 kilos, then you will be needing a much bigger tractor than if you were housing a Dutch, which weighs just 1 pound.

Different breeds also have different temperaments and each chicken has its own personality. Some may more comfortable will sharing their personal space than others.

Another factor to consider is what you will be using your tractor for.

• Will it be purely for nesting and roosting?
• Will it also be their feeding area?

If you were to keep the chickens food and water inside the tractor, then you will need to allow for that space and ensure the chickens aren’t crowded as this often causes distress and aggression.

Now that you know the healthy amount of space for your chooks, you can decide which tractor is best for the number of chickens you have. 

The Somerzby chicken tractor is two meters long by one meter high, with most of this space being “run space”. 

HOW TO MOVE A TRACTOR?

Moving a chicken tractor is incredibly simple when done correctly.

The first step is to relocate your chickens as they could be jostled around inside the tractor depending on how far you are moving it.

It is ideal to temporary relocate your chickens to a room with a smooth surface such as tiles to help with the clean up of droppings, or if you are confident you will not accidently run into your chooks, you can let them roam freely while you relocate their tractor.

Secondly, make sure you have cleared a path from the tractors current location to your new one so you don’t accidentally run into any obstacles.

Finally, it’s time to actually move the tractor. Just like with lifting any heavy object, it is best to maintain good posture whilst lifting a tractor. This means bending your knees, keeping your back straight and your head up.

Once you are in the right position, grab hold of the handles that should be present at one side of your tractor and use your legs to push off and lift the tractor up off the ground.

Once you are confident the weight of the tractor is manageable, you can slowly move backwards and guide your tractor to its new location. It is important to bend your knees as you lower the tractor to the ground.