Okay, I've been talking about it for weeks and weeks, I know. But my son and I are getting the materials this weekend, and I should have a chicken tractor very soon, and chickens maybe mid-November.
My question is this -- I want to seal the wood, at least the parts I don't make of cedar. Will wood sealer like Thompson's put the chickens in any kind of danger? Should I use something like linseed oil instead? I don't think it will matter on the outside -- I plan to keep them in the tractor pretty much all the time (it's going to be a BIG tractor, and only three hens). But any suggestions for the interior walls, nest box, etc?
Thanks!
chicken tractor question
I think that as long as there aren't llots of scraps hanging off to peck at anything is basically fine. My girls live in a coop made out of converted theater scenery. We have tons of oil paints and shellac and who know what on there and the've been totally fine.
ok....I'm new to the chicken thing....gotta ask.....what's a chicken tractor? There are lots of ideas running thru my head and I'm sure there the stuff used to pull a kids leg hahahaha
A tractor, also called a poultry or chicken "ark," is just a moveable pen that allows birds to get fresh grass/weeds and bugs, while keeping them safe from predators and somewhat more protected from soilborne disease. It's moved anywhere from daily to seasonally. We move ours daily when it's in use. It is important to move it once a week or so to a part-dirt or sand area where the chickens can dust themselves (helps keep lice and other buggies at bay).
Here's a gallery of tractors on a great chicken-keeping website. My own tractor's the second to last pic: a buff-colored doghouse on wheels and attached run. A google search will give you tons more info, too.
http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/tractors.html
ok....I remember hearing about the "arks" but for whatever reason I didn't remember the tractor term. Thx!
Just an update for those interested -- we got the materials and have built the frame! I'm getting excited.
Zeppy, first, thanks for covering the question (I don't have the net at home). Second, this will be my chickens' actual residence -- three hens for pets who help the garden and give me eggs. Any advice regarding bad weather? It very very rarely gets cold here, but it has happened. Will they generally be OK, or should I put the whole tractor in the garage in really bad weather? It has snowed here maybe five times in my lifetime, and we've had one ice storm, but we do have deluges periodically.
Unless the tractor has a stream running through it (and unless you have breeds sensitive to weather like frizzles and silkies), they should be fine. The roosting area and nesting box should be free of drafts.
Sounds like yours will be very happy!
I hope they will be! I will have ventilation holes covered with hardware cloth in the wooden part, and rig something where I can kind of baffle it when it's cold. This is already being a learning experience -- but I'd sure rather learn now than at the expense of the chickens! I'm looking at some very standard ones -- nothing fancy.
But y'all should have heard the hardware store guy laugh when I told him I was building a chicken tractor. He made me promise to take pictures of it. I think he kept expecting me to come up with a hidden camera.
Got the frame built and I think I'm pretty happy with the overall design. Getting excited. Will take pictures.
I showed my BF the pics in the link for these and he started looking for chickens! hahahaha