"Coop"ed Up

We've probably looked at 1000 chicken coops...easily. We considered buying one, but the thought of $3000 for a home for eggs didn't seem in proportion.

We thought about building one ourselves, but the time involved would be ridiculous...at least for us.

 

We looked at hacks on how to build something doable, but every time there was something that made it impossible for us.

 

Eventually, we tracked down a chicken tractor on craigslist.

 

Now, chicken tractors are new for me. Basically, it's a chicken coop on wheels. A lot of urban farmers use them, especially when they have an HOA breathing down their necks about the chickens. It seems that because it has wheels and isn't stationary, then it doesn't count as a proper structure, and therefore allowable in many places.

We were opting for one because we wanted the birds to be able to move about the large yard and snag yummy, gross pests we did not need but they loved.

 

Merryweather is always the first at everything

The infamous chicken tractor

We ended up with a lovely triangle chicken tractor with built-in features the original owner decided were must-haves. There's a little door to open for filling the feeder. There's a built-in hanger for water dishes and hanging cabbage (apparently, this is a thing with chickens. Ours LOVE cabbage. We can leave a head out there in the morning and by the evening there is a grisly-looking stump of a stem left, resembling leftover bones.)

 

Meet Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather

All this seemed to work because one week ago, we began to have handfuls of eggs. ISA Browns are known to produce something like 300 eggs a year...each.

 

 

Bob and Scout are clearly interested in the new chickens

The chickens love the extra pumpkins and squash

Merrywether making herself comfortable on the roof

 

 

 



 

 

 

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