We have used our Chibbit (Chibbit – PJ's Projects (pjsprojects.com) for almost two years. It has allowed us to implement rotational grazing with the chickens and rabbits. This system has served its purpose very well. The animals receive fresh ground for exploration, nutrients and food while also improving the health of the soil. The main issue that we have with this mobile coop is that we can only move it with the help of the lawn tractor.
We wanted to try a different system that would allow us to move the chickens without machinery. We didn't want to abandon our current system without a test run, so we decided to try our hand at something new.
We purchased thirty baby chicks in March 2023. They were kept in an indoor brooder until they were big enough to move outdoors.
We kept these chickens separate from our original flock in order to see how they performed in generating compost. We obtained this idea from Perma Pastures Farm:
Before we could set up our own version of this system, the hubby had to build a chicken tractor.
He started with a base frame.
He added mesh wire for ventilation and to allow the chicken droppings to fall to the ground if desired.
Then, he added the braces for the sides.
These chickens will not be old enough to lay eggs for many months. However, we hope to utilize this tractor for future projects, so we added nesting boxes to the design.
The top was added.
We repurposed old bicycle wheels for this project.
We used roofing material for the sides and top. The handle was attached with enough length to allow for leverage and easier mobility.
A wooden bar was used to prop the top open when needed.
After the chicken tractor was complete, it was time to set up the electric netting fence. It was a team effort.
Some worked harder than others...
We moved our chickens from their brooder to their outdoor home. The chicks had been spending time during the day outdoors in the safety of their brooder to help them acclimate to the temperatures.
After the chickens were safely loaded into the chicken tractor, the hubby moved them to their new area.
We started a compost pile within steps of their front door.
It didn't take them long to love their new surroundings.
The chickens did their part in working up the compost piles. We, however, didn't flip them often enough and they became scattered. For the time we spent on these compost piles, we did get some usable material.
However, since we weren't moving these chickens nearly as much as the other flock, they were creating a bare space in the grass. We should have expected this but their initial location wasn't the best for this lack of green space, aka it wasn't pretty.
We decided to fix this problem by moving the chickens and their compost piles to a different location on the property. The chickens can do their work and any bare spots will not be so visible from the house.
I am attempting to transform this bare spot into an impromptu flower garden. I am employing a Ruth Stout method of sprinkling seeds and mulching with grass. We will see if it works out.
There are times when a project works exactly as planned. We, however, rarely have that happen. We start with an idea and pivot when needed to obtain the desired results. Who knows? This may result in a great late season flower garden. Whatever happens, we will keep trucking along to the next project on the farm.