March 2024
 • 
Regenerative Agriculture

Here’s How a Mobile Chicken Coop Reduces Feed Consumption

Close-up of two young chicks feeding from a circular, automated feeding system inside a mobile chicken coop. The feeder is filled with grain and is part of the ROVA|BARN setup, ensuring efficient and even feed distribution in regenerative farming.

Are you considering a mobile chicken coop for your flock? You've probably heard about the numerous benefits of using a mobile coop, from healthier chickens to improved soil health.

But one advantage that often flies under the radar is how a mobile coop like the ROVA|BARN can significantly cut down on your chickens’ feed consumption.

With more frequent moves across fresh pasture, a mobile coop helps improve your chickens' diet with natural foraging options and drastically lowers the amount of commercial feed and homemade blends they need. This leads to more sustainable and cost-effective farming practices.

Making this shift could be a turning point for your poultry farming efforts. Here’s how:

Close-up of a brown hen's head, representing the topic of traditional chicken tractors and their challenges.

The Challenge with Traditional Chicken Tractors

Traditionally, chicken tractors are moved manually, and often just once or twice a day. This limitation is mostly due to the labor involved in moving them.

While this setup provides some access to fresh forage, it doesn't maximize the potential benefits of pasture-raised livestock due to the infrequent relocations.

Consequently, the chickens' diet relies more heavily on commercial feed, and the land's natural resources are under utilized, leading to missed opportunities for soil enhancement and pest control that more frequent moves could provide.

This can impact the overall health and productivity of the flock and increase operational costs for farmers.

Note: While mobile coops can reduce feed consumption, it's vital to monitor your flock's growth and health, ensuring their diet is balanced. Pastured chickens can get about 20-30% of their diet from grazing, depending on the pasture quality. However, not all pastures provide complete nutrition, and you may need to supplement their diet with additional feed to cover any nutritional gaps. Remember, a healthy flock requires a balanced diet, so adjust their feed as necessary to ensure they get all the nutrients they need.

Flock of brown hens under a mobile chicken coop setup, showing how frequent moves to reduce feed consumption and promote pasture health.

How Frequent Moves Reduce Feed Consumption

The ability of a mobile chicken coop to move frequently throughout the day is a game-changer for reducing feed consumption.

Let’s explore how this innovative approach benefits your flock and your budget:

Access to Fresh Forage

By moving its location more often, chickens in a mobile coop have access to fresh grass, bugs, and soil. This natural diet reduces the amount of commercial feed they consume.

Diverse Diet

By accessing different foraging grounds, chickens can receive a more varied diet, which helps naturally balance their nutritional intake.

Improved Foraging Efficiency

Chickens are natural foragers. When placed in a new area, they quickly get to work, finding the most nutritious parts of the ground cover. Frequent moves ensure they always have the best pickings.

Healthier Chickens, Less Feed

Healthier chickens are more efficient in converting feed into body weight and eggs.

By providing a more natural and stimulating environment for your flock, mobile coops like the ROVA|BARN can encourage behaviours that lead to better health and, consequently, more efficient feed use.

Family of four and the UKKÖ Robotics team standing proudly in front of their new automatic mobile chicken coop, the ROVA|BARN 400, on their Napa Valley farm.

Real-World Success

Many farmers who have switched to the ROVA|BARN or other mobile chicken coops have seen a noticeable decrease in their feed bills.

With a coop that moves automatically throughout the day, chickens are consistently introduced to new areas rich in natural food sources. This saves money on feed and promotes a more sustainable farming practice by utilizing the land's resources.

Cori and Casey of Napa Pasture Protein recently added a ROVA|BARN 400 to their operation to help alleviate the many hours they were spending dragging heavy chicken tractors across their fields at their Napa Valley farm.

The transformation was remarkable—within just a short span, Cori and Casey witnessed a substantial reduction in their feed expenses, slashing costs by an impressive 35-40%.

Considerations Before Making the Switch

While the benefits of mobile chicken tractors are clear, it's important to consider your specific situation before investing in one.

Think about the size of your flock, the type of land you have, and your goals for poultry farming when deciding if a mobile chicken coop is right for you.

The robotic pasture barns in the ROVA|BARN series come in various sizes and configurations to suit different needs, whether you're raising broiler chickens or laying hens.

Aerial view of a ROVA|BARN in a pastoral farm setting, showcasing a modern approach to livestock farming with its solar-powered and tech-enhanced features for animal welfare.

Why Choose a ROVA|BARN?

Beyond reduced feed consumption, the ROVA|BARN offers numerous other benefits for your livestock, from automatic feeding and watering systems to predator-proofing features.

Its solar-powered operation and real-time data tracking through a mobile app make it a high-tech solution that can simplify your farming operations and improve the welfare of your animals.

Learn more about the ROVA|BARN robotic pasture barn series.

Final Thoughts

Reducing feed consumption is just one of the many benefits of switching to an automated mobile chicken coop. By providing your flock with frequent access to fresh forage, you can save on feed costs while promoting a healthier, more sustainable farm.

If you're a farmer or homesteader looking to optimize your poultry operation, a mobile chicken coop might be a good solution for you.

Reach out to us with any questions or inquiries, or to book a virtual demo of the ROVA|BARN. We're here to help you make the best decision for your farm and flock.

Products we featured in this article

ROVA|BARN 200

Small Scale Pasture Barn

Learn More

ROVA|BARN 400

Large Scale Pasture Barn

Learn More

ROVA|BARN 700

Commercial Pasture Barn

Learn More

We’ll help you make the best decision for your farm and flock.

Reach out to us with any questions or inquiries, or click below to book a virtual demo of the ROVA|BARN.
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