Building a bigger Chicken Tractor, so we can get all our birds on Pasture.
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- čas přidán 9. 09. 2024
- Today we are building a bigger chicken tractor. It should hold 25 to 30 chickens inside of it. We should have had the chicken out on pasture a week ago, so we need to get this built ASAP.
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We live in southeastern Illinois on a 41 acres homestead. We just finished building our log cabin overlooking our pond. We are trying to grow our own food and raise livestock. Follow us on our journey living the rural life and developing our property and becoming more self sufficient.
Keep in mind This chicken tractor is built to keep in chickens. It is not built to keep out predators. Electric netting will be set up around the chicken tractor to protect it from coons, foxes, dogs, coyotes, etc from getting to the birds.
@@stevenbrooks7965 No, I watched the video, I just may have over looked when he talked about the electric fence. I do enjoy watching all his video's. This was the first time that I have ever made any remarks about his video's and thanks to you and your remarks I will never make any other remarks, but I will still enjoy watching!
@@michaelgardner7124 I didn’t see your original comment so wasn’t targeting you, I’ve taken my comment down as I don’t want you or anyone else’s enjoyment of Evan’s videos spoiled by myself. I hope you do comment again as every comment helps the channel grow, Have a good day 🙏
@@michaelgardner7124 You were just trying to be helpful ... we all miss stuff from time-to-time.
Always good to see an Evan and Rebekah build production. Can't wait 'till Evan is off his nighttime continuous work schedule and has energy and opportunity to shoot and edit some farm work ... And I love the way Rebekah adds a much needed helping hand(s)!
Why not put an angle on the two front runners, possibly 30°(like with a sled/sledge) so it doesn't dig into the earth when pulling? It was the same with the steer/hay thing you built.
Hi...... Evan and Rebecca nice to see you both, thank you for sharing your video homestead 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 🏡👍👍👍
Great job Evan and Rebecca. Thanks for sharing with us.🙏🏻🙏🏻👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👋👋
Evan, you and Rebecca did a good job on the chicken tractor and it must feel good to be able to do wood working projects again in the new pole barn.
I was going to point out too! All that space and all those tools just set up and ready to go. Nice!
When you make those cuts, hit them sideways and they will snap off clean.
When you build you build to last. And look good also.You never just throw something together. That’s why I love to watch you work. But of course there will be those that will be saying you should have done it different. Even tho they never built a chicken tractor in their life. Lol.
I ain't nary builted me no chicken tractor afore but I woulda cut a bevel on the front bottom of them 2 outboard 2X4s to make dragging it easier. I thought he was gonna bog that Ford down pulling them squared off ends through the hard pan gravel road.
The projects have begun. Cool chicken tractor.
That is a good looking Rental Unit.. Porch light and a mail box and its done. There goes the Hood! Thank Evan... well built
Having a proper workshop certainly helped with this task.
A nice chicken tractor!
Great job Rebecca! Just kidding Evan. Nice design, and layout. I look forward to seeing you both living your dream. God Bless👍🏼
Dang Evan look at all that work area
Shop looks good I bet you are happy to be in it.
You know what? You are as handy as a pocket on a shirt. I am 75 and am learning more good stuff from you. I have acreage and have gleamed some useful ideas from you.. keep up the fantastic work.
Pretty decent having a nice big shop area to do projects in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A cattle panel with chicken wire stretched over it is a good design idea.
Looks great, might want to add the following overtime - run a few purch's across the back, on the back run a 2x4 up to your center poll to give it a bit of support at the back, put an angle on the runners for easier pully, and if those self-tapping screws start to pull out on your ridge over time replace them with a bolt washer and nuts running all the way through.
Evan, one suggestion: cut a 45 degree cut on the bottom end of the front bottom boards, so they act like skids. It will help to keep them from digging into the dirt as you move them!
Evan, The tractor looks great! You might want to think about putting chicken wire under the roof as well. That tarp will not stop any critters that want a chicken dinner.
Hey, great tip to add to the chicken tracker. You know the small plastic election/Real estate signs in people’s front yards ? Slice into 2 1/2 inch wide strips long ways to cover bottom of skids. Staple them to the bottom of skids, starting at the back and overlapping slightly working toward the front. The skids will never touch the ground. And if you chalk the bottom of skid before with an adhesive to seal water from getting between plastic and skids, you won’t even have to staple them. Also, the front of each skid should be cut at angle so it doesn’t dig in when you drag it.
Wheels on the back will be great and put a hook on your bucket on your tractor so you can lift the front of the chicken tractor and save your back, you don't get younger! Lol, I speak from experience.
We have two hooks welded on to balance the load
I put a roost board from front to back on each side, the birds love them, they like to roost when they sleep. They're wired that way.
Just wondered if you have had meat chickens. I have and those birds get so big so fast... they are ready in approx 8 weeks. They can barely walk and absolutely they they could not roost. If you don’t butcher soon enough the weight can break their legs. It’s kinda sad. But they are bred for meat. Not like a layer chicken. My layer chicken have nice roosting bars. Evan has them for his layer chicken too.
I think they are happy to get the nice green grass!
@@lydiamitchell6814 If you were asking me then no, we never felt comfortable raising them. We barter for some meat but they generate a sadness if they aren't butchered soon enough.
This is the video that I just need at the end of a big day
Looks good Evan. Seems like we just finished our chicken tractor the other day and we’re all set to process already this Saturday. I cut a PVC pipe in half and attached them to the bottom of the tractor as slides. It glides through the grass so easy. Give it a try if you have any difficulty moving it. Good job!
That's a great idea! Saw the Modern Yeoman working on his chicken tractor also and I wondered how you guys move these things.
@@DavisFamilyLife Yessir, the weight of them adds up pretty quick. The slides worked out great, check it out:
czcams.com/video/2Upw5lQA02Q/video.html
@@HiddenCreekHomestead Doing that right now. Subbed too. 👍👍👍
@@DavisFamilyLife wow really? Thanks so much. I’ll go sub to yours as well right now.
Thank you so much! Really appreciate that.
One positive about high lumber prices is how carefully we use it now...gone are the days of running down to the lumber yard and loading up with a bunch of extra; just in case...
And we a lot more careful about “measure twice”...
Thank You for the good and to the point content...
Nice big tractor for the chickens. Looks good. You both did well.
Looks great
You could've spliced on straight pieces of conduit to make the roof a more workable height. An angled cut under the front ends of both sled timbers will make dragging it around easier.
Evan consider corner braces on the inside of the bottom frame for stiffing, long term this will keep the tractor together. Good video.
When we all get perfect we will come work on you. Looks like you know what you are doing to me.
Nice build! Like that design.
Great chicken-tractor!
nice job building this chicken tractor
Add a bottom of flat steel on the two runners and bend the front up to act as a curved runner. Add wheels to the rear and no trailer ever needed to pull it. Triangle wood reinforcement at the four corners tie it all together nicely. Just my two cents worth.
It's not just lumber prices that have gotten crazy. Take a look at shingles, pvc pipe, etc. All building material prices have gotten out of hand.
That Ford almost couldn't pull it! 😆
I chuckled out loud. Thx
I like that design!
Nice chicken coop. Above next to the door you have holes where marten can enter.
It's good to see the pole barn in use and most of your tools in place. It's a fine thing. Blessings from New Orleans.
If you look at utube Just a Few Acres Farm he shows a basic frame with wheels which goes on back of your chicken enclosure, not permanent, disconnects and used on next chicken enclosure, it’s just what you need.
Good morning Rebecca& Evan!♡ Chicken tractor is very very nice! ♡
You would be amazed at how much hotter the brown tarp will be, as opposed to a white or silver tarp.
Nice chicken tractor
a very nice birdhouse
Good morning 🙋
That looks pretty good. 👍👍
Great video! This will work great inside your electric fencing. I have free range layers inside electric and run my meat birds in a tractor inside the fence. It works out well.
Nice job Evan. I can’t wait til I see comments on the “you should have done it this way”! Obviously they didn’t see your previous video of the art work you created. The regular things farmers do to save money. A common occurrence and regular farm fix... using something you already have to create what you need. Thanks for taking us along! Love watching this channel. Best on YT! Grow those birds out and send them to “freezer camp”!
Maybe screw on the front a pair of old snow skis. Might scoot around on the grass better than lumber.
absolutely simple but effective nice job
Great job on the chicken tractor! Looks great.
Job well done!
If its flat on the ground, foxes wil dig straight under it and grab them, take them out to eat them, then come back for several more. We have a fox on a game cam digging under a tractor we had and they got the whole flock that way. You have to bury hardware cloth around the outside and attach it to the coop. so they cant dig. Extend it out a few feet.
Wait till the next video to see how we prevent predators.
You will need an inside door latch for the time the chickens get bigger, and get around you and out, while you are adding water and such.
Best wishes.
Nice build. Call it, "Evan's Erection".
Nicely done
Looks good.😊🐓
Great project!! An idea for you if the pipes start to wiggle. Notch a board and screw on around them for extra support. Thanks for sharing. Looks like it should last for a long time. Also maybe cut the bottom leading edge with a small angle to help it slide when pulling. But awesome finish. I love the pipe for peaked roof.
Your chickens will have a very nice home while they are growing to size for the freezer camp. Glad you had the extra wood from the bins....without fronts they will be easy to turn and move anyway. Have a Blessed day.
Looks good. I wanted to go there and cut a 15 degree lead-in bevel on the bottom front of each of those outboard 2X4's to make dragging it easier. Good luck. 👍
Yes, I thought if that after it was assembled.
@@CountryViewAcres you still could if you prop it up on one side, cut it then do the other. It looks great!
Kreg tool is very useful design and worth investing in. I echo having the front of the sled cut to angle or weld a sled runner to attach to it.
Nice job. Those chickens are moving into a well built home!! I have one on our property. You might want to consider wind straps if you have a lot of wind on your property. 👍🏼
Great job!
Good job 👍
We purchased a Kreg tool for making pockets for screws. It really helps when building things like doors for coops.
Nice job. They need a roost
Keep a eye out for old snow or water ski's they make great runners and would protect those expensive 2×4's.
I wanted to build raised garden bins this year finally. One look at lumber prices and the garden went in the ground again. The Tractor turned out awesome. I’d try to come up with some roosting poles of some sort.
Great video - good to see those toes protected!
JudithB I bought 6 2x6x8s and it was $77.00 yesterday. Last year they were $7.00 each this year $11. I will build the last hoop 4x8' bed, and finish a 2x16' bed in the garden. I have room for one more 16x4' bed and a few smaller beds, but those will wait until ???? I would have used a piece 1/2" pvc to figure the roof line to make a round top I think like on my hoop beds. I think it would shed water better instead of puddling like my big carport does. Just a thought! I think I will screw my pvc hoops to the ridge pole like you did tho!
cut an angle on the bottom of the 2x4 it slide much better. Good job
Why not attach the ridge pole to the top of the door frame. Nice work. The chickens will love the open breezy view
Good morning Evan. Beautiful day on the farm
Nice 😁
Nice to see the new building being used for projects. Tractor looks good and sturdy. You may be able to get away without wheels. It looks fairly manageable right now. Nice touch on the tubing for a handle. You made need to add an additional handle at the other end so once you reach the end of a run or row, you can move it over 12 feet and start dragging it the other direction.
Your really handy with wood working. I don’t have the patience for that sort of thing. Keep up the good work
So great to have your shop all in one place. Looking forward to all the builds coming out of it. Looks good.
I can see a Harbor Freight electric hoist in your shop’s future. As much as you rebuild and maintain all your equipment, plus build various projects, you won’t regret it. I use mine weekly.... it’s invaluable.
We put a hoist in maybe 15yrs ago and since then, anyone who has seen it, has installed their own. Great suggestion ! Thumbs up.
I'd take a happy accident over anything.Thank you both for doing viedos that makes me smile.🙂
Cut your slides on a 25-45 degree angle then they wont dig into the ground when you try to move it around !
Several things. 1 love the way you two work together. 2 your wife is a doll. 3 why didn't you just pull it out of the barn, turn it 90 degrees and set it sideways on the rails of the trailer.
Maybe next one.. 4. Looks great
I would probably throw another brace across the front where you will be pulling from. Might be overkill, but I'd be concerned with flexing/breaking.
if you have enough timber on your land a sawmill would be a good investment at this time if you're going to be building many outbuildings, something to think about. you can even buy saw logs if you don't have the timber, lumber is crazy priced.
Evan in order to see the marks on my bender I use a marker to highlight the marks on the bender
I've been a carpenter a really long time, you don't need to clean the notches with a chisel, it's easier and quicker to let the saw do all of it.
@crimsonwizard01 Nope not at all, I own several routers. For those cross notches in treated and untreated 2X4 a circular saw is way quicker than router. I can make a video to show you, I've made my living as a builder 35 years. The 7" blade is more efficient and last way longer than a router bit.
@@stu3775, Yup, we just slide the saw left and right and done !
@@augustreil Sometimes a slight angle on the clean up slide, as we focus to keep the wide side of the saw shoe flat on the board. I really am about to do a video.
Great looking chicken tractor Evan must admit your builds are always well done. But you never did keep up with tedding that hay for the steers what a waste letting it lay like you have. Wasting your time too next time I would use your grass cutter bar and use it. That's why the Good Lord grows it, for livestock.
I think that is the best chicken tractor I've seen on YT. I wish I could make use of one, but my land is too hilly.
Luckly we have a flat area to put them.
Evan, I believe if you cut the slides on a angle it would pull better
All of our projects that include wood are on hold. Prices are four times normal here. 2 x 4 x 8's cost $12.00. We will wait...
Right there with you. No way am I going to pay those outrageous prices. Have a great day
We have been holding off on any wood related projects here too
@@randyelkins9123 👍
I am right there with you. I have been wanting to build just a simple 12 x 16 shed, but the cost is just too much right now. I don't know where you are but here in north Florida 2 x 4 x8's are around $8... they were around $2 a year or so ago. 3/4" plywood is going for $75 per sheet.
@@stevemartinez6757 I'm in Wisconsin, and prices are four times what they were last year!
Some tarps convey and intensify heat and can be deadly to livestock kept under them.
I’d round off the front 2x4’s, so it didn’t drag on anything
Don't forget the roosts inside the structure
If he’s butchering them at 8 weeks then they don’t need roosts ...
My wife and I can easily eat one large chicken a week. No matter how you cook it it, the left overs becomes a base ingredient that can be used in several different meals through the rest of the week.
It looks great. Very sturdy. Don't Hol it against if I use your ideas to build my own. We have black snakes, copperheads, foxes and coyotes in my area of North Carolina. I worry if snakes can slither inside the tarp and go over the top of the chicken wire or did you take the wire all the way to the top. I'll say again, the construction looks wonderful!
thx
A very good option. On the lower longitudinal boards, you can smooth the bottom down, like on skis, so that it does not cling to the ground so much.
You been watching stony ridge farms lol. You probably already know this but tarp will hold heat and it’s suggested to try tin even old tin last longer but also reflex’s the sun
Thanks Even. It seams easy when you do it .
I've just about decided that if you have to buy much lumber in the current market, might as well my an LT15 and mill your own. I might have cut the front bottom of the runners at an angle to make them easier to move without digging in, but it is a nive design and very sturdy looking structure. Regards, Solomon