Vent: I chose a fixed coop over a tractor and I'm sticking with it

I know everyone on here swears by those mobile chicken tractors for better grazing and cleaner ground. But I built a permanent 8x8 coop with a solid concrete floor and fenced run about 2 years ago for my 6 hens. The cleaning is way easier since I just hose it down once a week, and I didn't have to drag a heavy thing across my yard every morning. Plus in our area raccoons are a huge problem, and I've never lost a bird to a dig or a breach. Has anyone else had bad luck with tractors or am I just being stubborn about my setup?

2 comments

2 Comments

garcia.casey5d ago

Raccoons would probably throw a parade if you dragged a tractor past their hideout every night. That concrete floor sounds like Fort Knox for chickens, not gonna lie. Maybe your setup isn't mobile but neither are those raccoons after they bash their paws on solid concrete.

lily_stone765d agoMost Upvoted

Fort Knox for chickens, that's a good way to put it. But here's something I haven't seen anyone mention yet, if you pour a solid concrete floor, you're basically creating a giant heat sink in the summer and a cold slab in the winter. Chickens need good ventilation and dry ground, and concrete can hold moisture underneath that turns into ammonia problems fast, especially if you don't have it sloped right for drainage. I've seen people put down concrete thinking it's low maintenance and then end up with foot problems in their birds because the hard surface is too rough on their feet. I'd rather deal with a few persistent raccoons than the long term health issues that come from a concrete coop floor.