Chicken tractor

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A chicken tractor, without wheels, built to house a small number of hens
A chicken tractor, without wheels, built to house a small number of hens

A chicken tractor, sometimes called an ark, is a movable chicken coop lacking a floor. Chicken tractors may also be used to house other species of poultry, but the moniker is most often applied to chicken enclosures. It is usually of light construction so one person can drag it around the yard, and it may have a couple of wheels at one end to make this job easier. The most common shape for smaller chicken tractors is an A-frame, though any number of designs see prolific use.

The chicken tractor has a number of advantages over fixed cages: The chickens always have fresh ground to scratch at and grass to eat. The cage never needs cleaning; when the enclosed area starts to look worn or patchy, the cage is simple dragged to a new location, the droppings left behind help to fertilize the soil.

[edit] References

  • Lee, Andy; Pat Foreman, Patricia Foreman (2004). Chicken Tractor: The Permaculture Guide to Happy Hens and Healthy Soil. Good Earth Publications. ISBN 0962464864. 
  • Pangman, Judy (2006). Chicken Coops: 45 Building Plans for Housing Your Flock. Storey Publishing. ISBN 1580176275. 

[edit] External Links


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