Why We Switched to Pastured Poultry (And Never Looked Back)

The Coop We Thought Would Work

When we first started raising chickens, we did what most people do —
we built a stationary coop with a run.
It seemed like the logical choice:
A cute little shelter, a fenced-in area, plenty of feed and water. Simple, right?

Well… not exactly.

The Reality of a Stationary Coop

At first, everything looked fine. The chickens were laying, we were collecting fresh eggs, and it felt like the homesteading dream.

But after a few months, we started noticing some frustrating problems:

• The mess built up fast.
  Rain + poop = a muddy, smelly, sticky mess no matter how often we cleaned.

• Flies and pests.
  Flies swarmed the run in summer, and rats were drawn to spilled feed.

• The grass disappeared.
  The chickens scratched everything down to bare dirt, leaving only dust and weeds.

• Cleaning became a chore.
  Scrubbing out the coop, replacing bedding, hauling waste — it became a full-time job.

We quickly realized: This wasn’t sustainable.

Not for us. And definitely not for the chickens.

Discovering Pastured Poultry

In our search for a better way, we came across the concept of pastured poultry — a method where chickens are raised on fresh grass and moved regularly.

It made so much sense:
Let the chickens fertilize the land, forage for bugs, and avoid waste buildup — all by simply rotating their shelter.

So we made the switch.

We built a hoop coop-style chicken tractor — a lightweight, movable shelter that could be pulled to a fresh patch of grass every few days.

The Difference Was Immediate

Once we started using a mobile system, everything changed:

✔ No more stinky, overworked ground
The chickens move to a fresh, clean patch of grass — and leave the flies behind.

✔ Healthier, happier birds
They get access to bugs, grass, sunshine, and fresh air — every single day.

✔ No scrubbing dirty coops
Since they don’t live in one spot, there’s no waste buildup and way less maintenance.

✔ Regenerating the land
Instead of damaging the ground, our chickens are now improving it as they move.

Why We Created Pastured Poultry Made Simple

After years of trial and error, we finally found a system that worked —
and we knew we weren’t the only ones struggling with smelly runs and constant cleanup.

That’s why we created this guide:
To help everyday chicken keepers make the switch without the overwhelm.

Pastured Poultry Made Simple walks you through:

✅ How to raise chickens on grass — even in small backyards
✅ Why the right coop design makes all the difference (and how a hoop coop works)
✅ How to feed, water, and protect your flock in a pasture-based system
✅ What mistakes to avoid in the early days (we’ve made them all!)

If you’re tired of scrubbing coops and dealing with flies and odor,
pastured poultry might be the solution you’ve been looking for.

👉 Click here to check out the ebook

Your flock deserves a cleaner, healthier setup — and so do you.

See you on the farm,

- Natalie

@CottonRiverFarm

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