Questions about chicken tractor

[shepherdess1]

I was thinking of making a chicken tractor this spring, but one thing bothers me Don't the chickens eat the plants? I have an awful time with squash bugs every year, but I'm afraid they would eat the bugs and the plants too. Shepherdess

[bachelorb]

Originally Posted by shepherdess1

I was thinking of making a chicken tractor this spring, but one thing bothers me Don't the chickens eat the plants? I have an awful time with squash bugs every year, but I'm afraid they would eat the bugs and the plants too. Shepherdess

Fraid so, ours eat bugs and grass. If I was going to use on in the garden, I'd probably make it narrow enough to fit between the veggie rows. Our tractor helps keep the pasture mowed

[uncle Will in In.]

Chickens in the plants you plan to have as a garden doesn't work well. Most chicken tractors are moved from place to place in grassy areas considered pasture. You are right. They would wipe out a vegtable garden.

[bill not in oh]

I've been told (no personal experience with 'em) that you can run Guinea hens in your garden to help with insect control. I believe I was also told that you could forget raising green beans if you did so...

[veggrower]

The chicken tractor is good to use in beds or garden space that you have finished harvesting. The chix eat the leftovers, slugs, bugs and drop their manure to fertilize for the next crop.

It also works to plant a cover crop in an area, and when it is well established chicken tractorize it before tilling.

Chickens work in a few select things such as asparagus and artichokes--things that they don't like to eat. Normal garden veggies just look like food to the chix.

On a much larger scale, I have geese and ducks in 1/4 acre movable pens. they have been in my asparagus and rhubarb fields for the winter. I am now moving them to my artichoke field. Last October, I planted 1 acre of winter wheat as a cover crop. I will pasture them on the wheat when they are done in the artichokes.

[moonwolf]

Originally Posted by veggrower

On a much larger scale, I have geese and ducks in 1/4 acre movable pens. they have been in my asparagus and rhubarb fields for the winter. I am now moving them to my artichoke field. Last October, I planted 1 acre of winter wheat as a cover crop. I will pasture them on the wheat when they are done in the artichokes.

veggrower,
Do you have pictures to show of your movable pens? I'd love to see that.
I'm planning to build a turkey movable pen for a pasture area. Trying best to determine how big to make that for 25 turkeys to grow out after brooding to slaughter time.

[veggrower]

MW--

I could take a picture. Tell me how to post one.

The pens are simple. Just 16'X4' hog panels. I had to cover them with chix wire also as one of the geese and my runner ducks figured out how to squeeze through. One T-post at each end and one T-post in the middle of each panel. I attach the panels to the T-posts with tiny bungee cords. A jar of 20 sells at Ace Hardware for $5US.

The T-posts aren't driven in very far--just to the tips of the wings that hold them in the ground.

For turkeys, you wouldn't need the chix wire--a fat old turkey won't squeeze through.

My white chinese geese don't fly. I have 2 Toulouse that fly out several times a week. They then spend all of their time walking the perimeter trying to find a way back in. The had being separated form the group.

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by shepherdess1

I was thinking of making a chicken tractor this spring, but one thing bothers me Don't the chickens eat the plants? I have an awful time with squash bugs every year, but I'm afraid they would eat the bugs and the plants too. Shepherdess

I see you are new here. You should check out the poultry forum.