Chicken Arks, Chicken Coops, Chicken Tractors: What’s the Diff?
If you want to raise poultry, the first thing that you need to think about is how to protect your chickens. Chickens are naturally frail, and can easily get sick from exposure to extreme weather conditions. Add to this the fact that they have a penchant for wandering off, and for attracting their natural predators. There are many ways to protect chickens, and these include building chicken arks, chicken coops or chicken runs. So how is one different from the rest?
A chicken coop is a structure where chickens are kept, typically made of a wooden frame wrapped in wire mesh and with a sturdy roof to withstand storms and heavy winds. It also has a doors and windows and a nesting space for hens to lay their eggs in and take care of their chicks. The chicken coop design may be raised from the ground but its foundation is typically buried in the ground to make it more stable.
Chicken arks, on the other hand, are similar to chicken coops. The major difference is that they are portable. The term is typically used by raisers in the UK. In the US, the more accepted term is “chicken tractor.” Since chicken arks can be moved around—with some even having wheels for convenient transportation—it has the advantage of helping you save space in your farm. Also, unlike the typical chicken coop, a chicken ark is usually floorless, leaving your chickens free to forage on the ground for food. It is also an easy way of spreading manure fertilizer on your yard, sans the inconvenience of cleaning coops and gathering manure.
