The best Pastured poultry breeding pen

[@jimmyponds5504]

I enjoy your presentations!!

[@rustyrayfield6513]

Hello I'm really learning a lot from your channel. I've had chickens for awhile now but after learning about the American Bresse I have decided to try raising chickens on pasture and really like the improvements you've made to the John Suscovich's chicken tractors. My QUESTION is in other videos ( when you had the chicken tractors inside for winter) the feeder and waterer were in the front. Do you still have them in the rear when they're outside? I'm going to be building some for egg layers and wanted to ask if front or rear mount is better? Thank you And I will be ordering chicks( hopefully,very soon)

[@natashaormsby1294]

Great video, thanks for sharing! Do you mind telling us what kind of waterer and auto feeder you used? Thanks!

[@The.Recreational.Homestead]

Thanks, I will have to dig and find that. I bought them at our local farm store

[@overtonsowncrazymeetscrazy]

I LOVE these rear-mounted mods. Even for broilers. I'm always looking for ways to manage feed and water from outside the tractor. Great job!

[@The.Recreational.Homestead]

I agree, thanks for the kind words

[@BuhayOFWDARZTV]

Nice breeding fence thanks for sharing watching from KSA

[@The.Recreational.Homestead]

Very cool, thanks for watching and I hope you stick around

[@lmullens75]

I came back to watch this again. Do you think a door to pop in and out a 3 gallon watering fountain would work on the back side? I already have 3 of those waterers & I can lift them easier than the 5 gallon... So excited to show the plans to my husband. We have built rabbit tractors the past couple of years, but they don't work for adult chickens. And in the heat of the summer and extreme winter, we can't use them at all.

[@The.Recreational.Homestead]

Yes I think that would be great, keep in mind it’s nice if they move with the tractor instead of sitting on the ground. Let me know if you have any questions as you build and thanks for watching and your support!

[@kuyanarvin]

I need that kind of tractor

[@The.Recreational.Homestead]

Are you breeding chickens? What breed?

[@danielwagner6290]

I really don't see how this tractor is going to keep out predators when they can dig from underneath the edges. Anything easily movable is susceptible from predators. Second I think a raccoon could figure out how to open that lid on the egg box. A latch would be necessary. Third I think that water bucket could be moved when low by a weasel and get in through the holes in the wire for the cups. I whould have a strap to hold it in place. When you place a new tractor out there it may take a while before predators know it's there but when they do, it will be tested. Chicken owners don't worry about it until chickens get killed. They don't seem to care if they get terrorized every night by predators trying to figure out how to get in because they don't want to know it's happening. If they did they would have to do something that costs more money which eats there profits. I like a chicken shaw better on 2 or 4 big wheels, off the ground at night, easier to move, protected all around and underneath and a movable electric fence around it all the time for pasture. Personally I like breeders to be confined. I would hate to spend all that time and effort into them just to lose them to predators from an air or ground assault. Yes, free range is best for every living thing but not for keeping everything you grow.

[@The.Recreational.Homestead]

This is why most chickens never see the light of day and I refuse to keep my animals like that. I have zero problem with predators but I understand that depending on where you live that could be different.

[@lmullens75]

I figure you've already seen this, but they've got electrified poultry netting all the way around their tractors, normally. I swear by the perma-net from Premier1. We only ever have trouble with owls and hawks, now.

[@msspgj]

Why do you like these over the chick-shaw?

[@The.Recreational.Homestead]

I love the chick-Shaw for my main flocks but when it comes time to make next year’s breeding stock I want small flocks where I can keep track of what chicks came from what rooster so I can use the spiral breeding system to better the breed faster.

[@msspgj]

@@The.Recreational.Homestead I knew you had a good reason. Did you explain the spiral breeding method?

[@juanitadafler7233]

What do you do during the winter? I live in Ohio, typically you have more snow than we usually do. I use my chicken tractor in the summer for growing out meat birds but don't use it during the winter. Just wondered what you do and your thoughts!

[@The.Recreational.Homestead]

Great question, I am using them as breeding pens to make next years stock so I only really need them in the fall maybe 3 months. But I am going to try and put them in my pole barn when snow flys and put wood shavings on the floor. What do you think?

[@juanitadafler7233]

@@The.Recreational.Homestead Sounds like a good plan. Sadly, I don't have a pole barn to use but do have one main coop for my current layers, a mix of Delaware, Australorp, Ameraucana, Buff Orpingtons and Leghorns. Then two stationary chicken tractors that got way too heavy after the build. They all have attached runs with covers. When will start selling chicks next spring? Also, have you heard of Old Dominion Hemp bedding? I purchased several packages early this spring. It's so much better than regular pine shavings. They are a lot more expensive, but they really do control the smell, low dust, and biodegradable. Enjoy learning how to take care of the Breese chicken. Thanks so much for your videos. Your children are darling.

[@The.Recreational.Homestead]

I am selling chicks right now for October November and December not sure when I will start taking orders for spring. I have never heard of hemp bedding I will have to look in to it. Thanks for watching my videos and all the kind words, your support means a lot to our family

[@dawnk2091]

Thanks for sharing and nice job on the construction. What was the rough cost of the pen, minus the nest box and feeder?

[@The.Recreational.Homestead]

Thanks for you continue support. Wood prices are all over right now but this last one with out the add ons I would say $500

[@dawnk2091]

@@The.Recreational.Homestead Great, thank you very much. It's less expensive than a cedar Chick Shaw for sure!