QuiltingNinaSue

Original thoughts on the chicken tractor was to secure the chickens at night to protect them against the night raider- varmints. It also allows the tractor to be moved to clean locations, and never have to clean out the chicken house of their CS (manure). For the ducks, its a "temp" home as they will soon out grow the A-frame, 1st floor; the roost for chickens is in the second story. Due to the increase of ticks, cities are encouraging folks to have a small chicken tractor in their back yards...four to six hens...in many cases no rooster allowed because he crows...too noisy for the cities!!

dublb

QNS your a wealth of info. This is very interestin'. Thanks!

Termi

QuiltE, usually there's no need to herd the chickens inside. As soon as it starts getting dark mine go into the coop on their own. Then I just close the trap door so no other critters can get in. Sometimes there's a possum in there with them but they don't bother the chickens and I just shoo him outside, it's the raccoon I have to worry about. My chickens have their own fenced in yard. I wish I could free range them on the grass but we have foxes and hawks. Ah country life.

QuiltingNinaSue

We find if we move the chicken tractor without the hens inside, they fail to find the "tractor" when they go to roost. Even if its just a couple of feet or so away...then its driving the chickens into their chicken tractor. Or so it was with our chickens last summer. It was not the wild critters that killed our chickens...it was dh's dogs he "forgot" to shut up the dog kennel gate and every time they just killed more chickens...until they were all killed.

Hoping the turkeys and ducks will get some size on them and fight together to put the dogs into their place...get them dogs trained right. Dark Cornish hens have been known to "fight" off hawks, so they are the pullets we are trying this year. Time will tell. We have 0.5 orchard for them to "graze" in together....chickens, ducks and turkeys. Hope they all get along together. Hope to have separate housing for them.

oksewglad

As long as we're on the subject of chickens. I took some HBoiled eggs to DD's for Sunday dinner last week. The "Dutchies" (DD's inlaws) were there. Aunt Thea had never seen blue eggs before--"Blauw, blauw ei?". Not sure which breed of hens lays, them but DDIL has them

dublb

That's so funny!

JeanieG

My son's classroom hatched eggs, and since we had some acres we lived on, we took the chickens home. There were several Araucana chicks in the batch and they did lay green or blue eggs. The kids loved it! This as in the late 70's!

QuiltE

OKSGlad... Auracana hens lay the green/blue eggs! Always a fun thing when people have never seen such.

QNSue ... you need to get some of those in your flock!

Termi ... so now we see you are a "farmer" too!

gardnergal970

QNSue...I've been under the impression that turkeys and chickens don't do well together. Something about diseases turkeys get from chickens but I don't remember for sure. Having separate housing and being out on the ground might be enough to prevent a problem. Ummmm...I bet you have wonderful chuck wagon recipes waiting for them!

oksewglad

Thanks Jeanie and QE for the chicken info--knew it was an unfamiliar name. I so enjoy DDIL's generosity as she shares her eggs with me. Love the rich full bodied yellow color of those yolks!