Are Chicken Tractors Worth It?

Completely – absolutely 100% yes! Chicken tractors enable you to easily move your flock to a fresh patch of grass whenever you want! No more muddy brown patches in the backyard and your chickens get fresh grass and grubs all the time! Healthier chickens will lay better eggs and more of them. Having a chicken tractor is the best investment you’ll make for yourself and your chickens. 

If you can’t fully free range your flock then having a chicken tractor with wheels is the best option as it means they can enjoy all the benefits of having fresh grass and all the fun that goes with that; plus all the security of a run and coop set up.

Best Chicken Tractor With Wheels

For us there is a clear winner, seriously there is no competition to the Omlet tractor chicken coops with wheels.

Shop the whole range directly here www.omlet.us

Those crappy wooden coops that are plastered all over Pinterest are great……for about 6 months. Honestly nothing lasts longer than plastic chicken tractors. (*sorry Pinterest they do look great but they aren’t well designed!)

The reason is simple; you stick something wooden out in the snow, cold, heat, wind and rain and its going to degrade QUICKLY. Then add in the fact that you want to move it, all the stress on the joints and wood and they fall apart. 

How do I know?

I know…because I’ve wasted money on 3 wooden tractor coops before opting for a well built, easy to clean Omlet coop that is still going strong! 

Still not sold on plastic? Lets quickly run through some of the reasons you should be

Disclaimer: I ought to state this in the interest of fairness – I didn’t used to like anything plastic either! Infact before I had a plastic wheeled chicken tractor I used to hate them. I used to dislike anything that I couldn’t build myself from timber in our farm workshop [see pic below] but O’Boy was I wrong, so wrong.

• Firstly they are super easy to move (even on your own). Just press down the wheels on each side and you’re away! They are much much lighter than wooden tractor coops making them easier to move more often. Chickens like fresh grass – BIG tick.

• Soooo much easier to clean! You can just wipe everything down, remove the droppings tray that catches the poop and rinse or wipe that down too and then just replace. All done in seconds.
• Completely maintenance free – yup – you have to do nothing! No sanding, no varnish, no paint, no reroofing and you certainly never have to replace a floor. 4 years in and our coop still looks new!

• The big stress point on wooden coops is the bracket or screws that attach the wheels to the body of the chicken coop. This is where 99% of failures and breakages happen and if the wheels drop off its not really much of a chicken tractor is it? This happens because wood degrades and rots, there is no getting around this, no matter how much TLC you put into a coop. With an Omlet coop you have none of these issues.

And one final point if all the other have not convinced you yet

• Longevity – a good plastic chicken tractor will last 8 times longer than a wooden one. Meaning you’re actually saving money in the long run and you haven’t got the maintenance hassle and rehoming issue each time something breaks.

Shop the whole range directly here www.omlet.us

Chicken Tractor Coop Design and Benefits

Material aside, there are a tonne of reasons why these coops kick some serious butt firstly they are awesomely designed and superbly manufactured for zen like chicken flock living!!

I mean remember the basic principles that happy chickens lay awesome eggs and loads of them!

But seriously, material and design are key points for me. Let’s do a deep dive on must know points, starting with the chicken tractor run.

• Love, love, love how all the Omlet range have galvanized steel runs powered coated in a gorgeous green to match the surroundings. This means they are super strong and can not be bitten through, bent or twisted by any predators. So you can sleep well knowing your hens are always safe. Being powered coated means they won’t rust and will look great for years. 

• Secondly, the anti dig skirt is very clever and something you never see as standard on other chicken tractor runs. Sure it’s simple, it’s a strip of steel mesh that runs around the coop run that prevents anything from being able to dig under; but it’s really effective. With chicken tractors this is really important as let’s face it, my backyard isn’t completely flat and I’m guessing yours isn’t either. So if you place a tractor on uneven ground and the run isn’t sitting perfectly level on the floor the anti dig skirt will help prevent unwanted intruders in the form of foxes, raccoons, coyotes, even bears from being able to enter. Very smart move from the coop manufacturers and we like it – another big tick in the box!

• OK, moving on to how the run fits neatly into the coop itself meaning you (or a predator) couldnt pull it apart. Locking into the coop means extra rigidity and improved security as well as no sharp edges like others using inferior standard chicken wire.
• Various run shapes and sizes. We loved the walk in run and went for that and we still move it as its still easy to do. 

Ok so the runs on these coops are top notch but what about the coops themselves? We’ve already touched on some points above. Let’s deep dive a few more…

1. These coops come with a 2 year warranty as standard! No other manufacturer on the planet has ever offered such a warranty to my knowledge. They really stand behind what they are doing and the reviews speak for themselves with 1,000s of 5 star reviews from genuine customers. I mean there is even a 180 day no quibble money back guarantee so you can basically try before you buy anyway (plus free shipping), they are that straight forward and that fills us with confidence.
2. We talked about cleaning above but something I have to touch on is mites (yuck!), now having a plastic omlet coop doesn’t mean you aren’t going to get them but it will reduce the chances drastically and mean if ever you do get the dreaded red mite they are SO much easier to eradicate with a plastic chicken tractor. The reason is simple, with no wood and therefore no cracks or knots the mites have nowhere to hide! You can pressure wash the whole coop and be done with them and have it dry again in 10 minutes – try doing that with any other coop – no chance!
3. Our winters are really cold and we have warm summers too so this coop is great as it is dual-walled, meaning it keeps the heat in during the winter months and the heat out during the summer months. 
4. It’s a bomb proof coop, no predators could rip or bite their way in through any siding like they can with wood. There is nothing to lever with or corners to claw at to gain access, again hats off to the designers.
5. No more early mornings or forgetting to lock them in at night as the coops have the option to have an automatic chicken coop door! Yes, its an extra, but its well worth it my eyes, you can set it based on the ambient light so your hens can maximize the outside hours which is crucial during winter.

6. I also love the fact that the coop is off the floor. This is a solid win for me as when it rains your chickens can stand under it to shelter but its also somewhere during the summer where they can shade themselves and take a dust bath. Plus it’s also extra floor space in the run and the more space you can afford chickens the better.

 

Last point which I’ll admit is harder for my engineering brain to quantify is, we actually got more eggs when we switched to an Omlet coop. I dont know if this is because our hens are happier now if the nesting box is ‘more’ comfortable or what, but hey, whatever it is, I’ll take it! 

What to do now?

You have to check out the Omlet range of coops 

Chicken Tractors [with wheels] vs Chicken Coops

When it comes to raising chickens, there are a few different housing options to consider. Two of the most popular choices are traditional chicken coops and chicken tractors with wheels. While both options have their advantages, there are several reasons why chicken tractors are often considered to be the better choice.

One of the biggest benefits of using a chicken tractor is that it allows your chickens to have access to fresh grass and insects. A chicken tractor is essentially a portable coop that can be moved around your yard, allowing your chickens to graze on new areas of grass and find fresh insects to eat. This can be especially helpful if you have a small backyard and want to make the most of your space.

Another advantage of using a chicken tractor is that it can help to protect your chickens from predators. Since the tractor is off the ground and has a solid bottom, it’s much more difficult for predators like raccoons and foxes to get inside and harm your chickens. In addition, the tractor can be moved to new locations regularly, which can help to confuse predators and prevent them from learning the location of your chickens.

Chicken tractors are also typically easier to clean than traditional coops. Since they are designed to be moved around, they usually have a simple design with fewer nooks and crannies for dirt and debris to accumulate. This can make it easier to keep your chickens healthy and free from disease.

Finally, chicken tractors with wheels are often more cost-effective than standard chicken coops. They can be made from a variety of materials, including PVC piping, wood, or wire mesh, which can make them more affordable than traditional coops that are made from higher-end materials like cedar or redwood.

Overall, while both chicken tractors and standard coops have their advantages, a chicken tractor with wheels is often considered to be the better option for small-scale chicken farmers. Whether you’re looking to save money, protect your chickens from predators, or provide them with access to fresh grass and insects, a chicken tractor can be a great investment.

Can chickens live in a chicken tractor?

Yes, chickens can live full time in a chicken tractor. In fact, chicken tractors were specifically designed as a portable and secure housing option for chickens. Chicken tractors provide chickens with a safe and enclosed space to live in, while also allowing them access to fresh grass and insects as the tractor can be moved around your yard.