Chicken-poodle
Chirping
Have 8 hens in our 150 sf run with coop inside. If I want them to spend some time in the yard eating bugs and saving me feed money, how hard is it to get them to come to the tractor in the morning and go back to the run at night? I can't let them free range due to predators, they must be contained. Plus I want them to have more variety in their lives. Will they come if I toss meal worms into the tractor? Then more mealworms to get them back into their home run with the coop? I didn't want a big tractor for portability sake, and also didn't want to spend too much. Is a 6x10 tractor too small to keep all 8 scratching all day? Should I divide the flock and alternate "outings" with some in it one day, the others the next day, or will this cause integration problems?
Also, if I move the tractor around, I don't want them to be hurt when I move the tractor, which would have a 2"x4" wire floor. I was thinking that the tractor could be made with a "foyer" with a floor, where I could get them in via an outside side door, they'd stay safe on the floored part while I moved the tractor, then there'd be an interior door that I could open to release them to the grass.
Here is a pic of the home setup, showing the door they'd have to go through to get to the tractor...
Also, if I move the tractor around, I don't want them to be hurt when I move the tractor, which would have a 2"x4" wire floor. I was thinking that the tractor could be made with a "foyer" with a floor, where I could get them in via an outside side door, they'd stay safe on the floored part while I moved the tractor, then there'd be an interior door that I could open to release them to the grass.
Here is a pic of the home setup, showing the door they'd have to go through to get to the tractor...
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