tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post115499707826328495..comments2024-03-18T08:03:17.059-04:00Comments on The Deliberate Agrarian: Talkin’ Bout My Chicken TractorHerrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116051416696885647noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-13574891833893175132023-11-08T09:52:13.791-05:002023-11-08T09:52:13.791-05:00Thank you so much for sharing all this wonderful i...Thank you so much for sharing all this wonderful information. <br /><a title="large tarpaulin sheets" href="https://tarpaulinscover.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">large tarpaulin sheets</a><br />UK Tarpaulinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08263843723406288394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-33182496265726219802023-11-08T09:50:01.261-05:002023-11-08T09:50:01.261-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.UK Tarpaulinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08263843723406288394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-77576327531380004462015-12-04T13:39:10.549-05:002015-12-04T13:39:10.549-05:00Unknown,
No issues with predators, except once. A...Unknown,<br /><br />No issues with predators, except once. After that, if there is any unevenness in the ground, creating a small opening, I block it with a scrap of wood. No problems since then. Also, the chicken tractors are in my yard, near my house, and I have a dog. They are not out in a field.Herrick Kimballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17116051416696885647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-84525730082294572382015-12-04T13:36:51.866-05:002015-12-04T13:36:51.866-05:00Kyle,
I put a screw through a pre-drilled hole ne...Kyle,<br /><br />I put a screw through a pre-drilled hole near the end of the pvc hoops, into the 2x4 near the bottom. Then, near the top of the 2x4, I used a galvanized pipe strap for that size pipe. Two screws to hold the clamp. Simple and totally sufficient. <br /><br />Best wishes,<br /><br />Herrick Kimball<br /><br />Herrick Kimballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17116051416696885647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-14998071139058634932015-12-04T13:11:28.223-05:002015-12-04T13:11:28.223-05:00How did you attach the pvc pipes to the 2 x 4 base...How did you attach the pvc pipes to the 2 x 4 base?Kyle Sonnierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17038162463413083306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-28635706910025634032015-10-19T20:53:18.238-04:002015-10-19T20:53:18.238-04:00Any issues with predators digging under?Any issues with predators digging under?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04130959403662360363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-22617346960732390112014-05-21T20:26:47.694-04:002014-05-21T20:26:47.694-04:00Pat,
I'm surprised I didn't put the lengt...Pat,<br /><br />I'm surprised I didn't put the length in the article. They are 10' long.Herrick Kimballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17116051416696885647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-62793736481495061252014-05-21T11:17:44.457-04:002014-05-21T11:17:44.457-04:00What length pvc poles are bent for use? I have bui...What length pvc poles are bent for use? I have built heavy duty tractors for my laying hens which allows them to roost. But I'd like to make a model like yours for meat birds - lighter and less$. All the eggs and meat go to non-profit local food bank as we're a church - get this - with 65 acres!<br /><br />Thanks - Pat McLaughlinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-12353859402422138492013-09-30T23:49:55.354-04:002013-09-30T23:49:55.354-04:00Thanks for sharing the information about your chic...Thanks for sharing the information about your chicken tractors. Good to know your thoughts on the two different styles. I was thinking about a hoop-type house for next season.Johnhttp://foodcyclist.com/stress-free-chicken-tractor-plans/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-56533088137390612472012-01-24T17:00:27.537-05:002012-01-24T17:00:27.537-05:00Thanks for the informative post! What did you att...Thanks for the informative post! What did you attach the pvc ribs to the wooden frame with? Did you use conduit straps or something else?<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />CodyCody Gregghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03603309993673914732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-65423028764032101092011-08-19T12:31:02.471-04:002011-08-19T12:31:02.471-04:00I just made a chicken tractor like this for use th...I just made a chicken tractor like this for use this year and I love it! I did add wheels to the back and it's quite easy to move. I wanted to share what I've done with the feeder trays. In particular I wanted to be able to leave the feeders inside the coop and yet not have to get inside the coop to fill them up. Click on the link below for my blog which has a full description and a video of me filling the feeders! Enjoy!<br /><br />Here is the link:<br />http://lakesregion.wcsh6.com/news/home-garden/73208-filling-meat-bird-feeder-tubechuteNateFarmGeekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09307634000845552379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-86218626927058679112009-12-16T13:23:09.759-05:002009-12-16T13:23:09.759-05:00We're on our fourth generation chicken tractor...We're on our fourth generation chicken tractor. Like you, we are constantly working toward lighter tractors --- in the end, I think weight is the most important factor in tractor design.<br /><br />The other important thing we learned is that it's essential to use an <a href="http://www.avianaquamiser.com" rel="nofollow">automatic chicken waterer</a>. It's way too easy for a traditional waterer to tip on uneven terrain and drain dry, as we learned to our chagrin when two birds died of heat stroke.Annahttp://www.waldeneffect.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-50922696879231259502009-04-22T23:29:00.000-04:002009-04-22T23:29:00.000-04:00I am surprised how many people know of/use the Sal...I am surprised how many people know of/use the Salatin design for chicken pens. I bought one and tried to make one; they were way too heavy and the wheels were too small. One thing I found, was these cheap tarp garages. For $200 CDN I got a 20ft by 10ft pen, 8ft high, completely covered and strong enough to hang a feeder from the center. I hated the 2' high pens that I had to crawl around in to catch birds. <br />The problem with these is the tarps didn't last long in the sun and the wind would push them around. <br />We did 200 birds last year and I'm looking for ways to increase the efficiency of our butchering. <br />Anyways, I've really enjoyed what I've enjoyed what I've seen of your blog so far.<br />From Alberta, Canada. Take care.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-79665247550928827552009-02-20T08:21:00.000-05:002009-02-20T08:21:00.000-05:00herrick,i designed a chicken tractor using EMT. it...herrick,<BR/><BR/>i designed a chicken tractor using EMT. it is lightweight and easy to move <A HREF="http://omelays.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-to-build-chicken-tractor-cheap.html" REL="nofollow">check it out</A>. i am enjoying your plucker book and can offer you no higher praise than it is well worth the money.Omelayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084221498316008069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-59870475516204095222008-07-12T01:31:00.000-04:002008-07-12T01:31:00.000-04:00Hi there, I just killed and butchered my first bat...Hi there, <BR/>I just killed and butchered my first batch of roosters (usually left to someone else, but I have finally plucked (intentional pun)the courage to do so myself) with the help of four of my home-educated children the other day, and was just checking to see that we had done the butchering bit "correctly". We did a few things differently, but the basics are the same... it was really good to see the great clear photos and descriptions of the step-by-step process!<BR/><BR/>I was intrigued by the pictures of your chooks with their heads still attached.... I couldn't work out how on earth you had despatched them, as we did it with an axe and a chopping block, and ended up with a bloody mess, not those "rubber chickens" look-alikes that you had! <BR/>Then I saw the killing cones... what a nifty idea! And the plucker... I must confess to enjoying the plucking, and we only scalded the birds when we couldn't easily remove any more feathers (when we got to the wings and tails), but then we only did half a dozen, I imagine that it could get a bit wearing to have to pluck more than that...<BR/><BR/>However the point of this comment was why do you use tractors? <BR/>Why not have a chook pen to lock them in at night, with roosts? Then they can wander free-range to their heart's content, drinking from the stock troughs or buckets and eating all of the slugs and snails and grasshoppers and beetles and the maggots (in the remains of the roos you butchered last week in the compost heap), as well as giving you great joy when they all come running to you when they hear that call "chooooook, chooook, choook", knowing that you have got a bucket of grain for them to eat? <BR/>Is it because you have so many more predators in the US than we have here Downunder? <BR/>Or is it a garden protection scheme? I must admit that chook er,FEMAT is not the most pleasant of things to be walking in and transfering onto the carpet...<BR/><BR/>By the way, we collected the birds we wished to kill from their perches in the evening, (no stress or flapping around)and placed them in a small cage for the next day's events.flobberdobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13303811807906789909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-61251589600407528332008-06-16T08:50:00.000-04:002008-06-16T08:50:00.000-04:00Any chance you'd consider putting a "subscribe by ...Any chance you'd consider putting a "subscribe by email" widget on your blog for folks like me who never remember to keep up with other people's blogs without getting notification of new entries?<BR/><BR/>I found you while I was looking for info on varmint proof chicken tractors. Lo and behold, we have a mutual blogcquaintance, Granny Miller.Geniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02035732790904857758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-55658750432156859212008-02-26T08:37:00.000-05:002008-02-26T08:37:00.000-05:00The Salatin style tractor works well in my experie...The Salatin style tractor works well in my experience, but you have to build them light enough. The 5x5 you describe has as much lumber in it as Joel's 10x12 as he uses 3/4" thick lumber for the vast majority of it. A major part of the rigidity of their tractors comes from the aluminum roofing skin covering it. In strategic places i.e. corner uprights and the horizontal roof diagonal that the waterer sits on are made from 2x2's (actual dimensions 1.5x1.5). But, realize it will still be a bit floppy which is good for those of us who have somewhat uneven ground as they are somewhat ground conforming.<BR/><BR/>Another key is that the salatin tractors are moved with a homebuilt wheel dolly and have a pull "cord." These are used by dragging the pen while you walk backwards facing the chicks. Don't try to move these pens without wheels, though maybe the pvc pipe half skids would help.<BR/><BR/>Joel uses the same waterers and uses old large chicken feeders that you can remove from the pen while moving them.<BR/><BR/>Some drawbacks:<BR/>Hard to move to a new farm as they are really hard to get into most moving trucks intact and are awfully wide to drive down the road on a trailer.<BR/>Read Joel's book on how to corral the chickens so you can get them out to slaughter, it is tricky.<BR/>I have had the solid access hatch blow away a few times but did not lose birds but realize I lived in a windmill farm area on a similar height/exposure hill. It is also helpful to make the "lids" bigger in all directions than the space they enclose as the pen will distort in the field with use and it is annoying to have to resort to sticks and such to keep the lids on.<BR/><BR/>I may try some of the hoop designs next time, but maybe not. I'm 6'6" and maneuvering inside that maybe no better than in joel's 2' high pen when I can take the roof off half of it.<BR/><BR/>Hope this helps.<BR/>Mark<BR/><BR/>When you want to raise many thousands of birds you need big pens and something that lends itself to mass production and assembly line servicing techniques.<BR/><BR/>In Joel's case, one person takes out the feeders and moves the pens another person or two fills the waterers from a stock tank (also moved with the pens) and a barrel with 300-to 2000lbs of feed in it (also moved with the birds, but typically only 1x/wk).<BR/><BR/>Understand he's working at a scale thatAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-20316585285941973352007-12-11T12:02:00.000-05:002007-12-11T12:02:00.000-05:00I considered using chicken tractors for my muscovy...I considered using chicken tractors for my muscovy ducks and my geese but I think movable electric net poultry fencing provides them with a better home. The net has 3 inch squares that prevent predators from entering. It's 48 inches high and so far nothing has jumped it. I use movable chainlink dog kennel panels inside the electric net for their night pens. I've had no predation or escapes. My goats use it too.<BR/><BR/>The nets allow the animals to run, flap their wings and interact with each other. Putting 2, 164 foot long nets together allows me to leave them in one spot for several days. I try to rotate the net around the kennel like a wheel around an axel. I do pull the kennel over a few feet to keep the birds on clean ground. A tarp on top of the kennel provides shade and rain shelter.<BR/><BR/>As I'm not very big and I farm alone, the nets are easy for me to move - the posts are sewn right into it. I can also thread a net through my wooded areas to give the goats browse and encourage the birds to eat weeds like garlic mustard.<BR/><BR/>The nets also provide me a wonderful place to sit and watch my livestock enjoying life, splashing in their kiddy pool, sunning themselves, racing around and behaving as God meant them to behave.<BR/><BR/>KimAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-84806555299613328222007-10-12T17:37:00.000-04:002007-10-12T17:37:00.000-04:00This was very helpful to me also! great pictures t...This was very helpful to me also! great pictures too.Herbalpaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13122973060172005945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-28098180463156173372007-08-20T19:46:00.000-04:002007-08-20T19:46:00.000-04:00This is very helpful. Thank you for sharing.This is very helpful. Thank you for sharing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-1160243908138889402006-10-07T13:58:00.000-04:002006-10-07T13:58:00.000-04:00HerrickI too started with a Salatin style tractor....Herrick<BR/>I too started with a Salatin style tractor. Found it way too heavy and it was small (5x5). I then found something similar to yours, but decided to use wire panels instead of pvc for the hoop. One thing I found to improve the ease of movement was screwing lengths of PVC pipe (cheap drain pipe)on the front, back and sides. It will amaze you how easy it is to move. You don't have to cover the whole length either as I used one ten foot section of 4 inch pipe to do all 4 sides. I saw this somewhere so it wasn't my idea but it works so well I thought I would pass it along.<BR/><BR/>By the way love my whizbang plucker. It's AWESOME!!!<BR/><BR/>Daymond<BR/>GeorgiaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-1155508418425183922006-08-13T18:33:00.000-04:002006-08-13T18:33:00.000-04:00Very informative! We were introduced to chicken t...Very informative! We were introduced to chicken tractors last year and have tweaked our design each time. The most important features for us are:<BR/>1. ease of movement<BR/>2. ease of getting to the food & waterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-1155059140007251982006-08-08T13:45:00.000-04:002006-08-08T13:45:00.000-04:00We too have evolved with our chicken tractors. Ou...We too have evolved with our chicken tractors. Our first one was a Joel Salatin type pen. It lasted for many years, in fact we gave it away and it may still be in use. Then we tried that style of pen out of PVC. I think we must have used the wrong type of PVC as it barely lasted the first year. Oh, but was it easy to pull. Then when we moved on this farm, we built a style very similar to yours that is like a hoop house, although ours had pointed roofs. I believe there are pictures of our pens at http://www.amazinggrazefarm.com/poultry.html. We also have one that is rounded on the top like yours. We need to add wheels though as they are so heavy to pull. On one of the pens, we cut a large PVC pipe in half so that it was like 2 troughs. We put one of these on the front and back cross bar on the foundation. This made is slide much easier.Marcihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00837798938089334872noreply@blogger.com