Thank you so much. John did a great job with this design...it's a little difficult to put together...especially by yourself. You really took off with some great ideas of your own and inspired me to make some of my own changes. Thanks so much! Hope all is well.
you all prolly dont care at all but does any of you know a way to log back into an instagram account..? I was dumb lost my account password. I love any tips you can give me!
@Karsyn Avery i really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and im trying it out atm. I see it takes a while so I will get back to you later with my results.
I am in the middle of building one and I JUST got to the door, assembled the frame and went "Well that doesn't look right." Googled for errors in the plan and found this video. Great video, fantastic mods. Thank you for making it!
Thank you for taking the time to make such a great video to help others improve on an already great design. Even your pace of speech is great. So many people try and rush through and make you have to rewind and try and catch dimensions etc for notes. You took the time to make sure it was at a good pace and you didn’t loose people watching. God Bless.
Interesting take on this model. Very insightful. We experienced several similar problems with building the tractors. Vids like yours really help people like us to make much more informed decisions when tackling a new project.
Thank you for the added info to make the build easier. Great solution for conduit installation. Especially found the mods you did helpful. Question? Where you added the nipple water connection. How do you screw in the end with the clear section of hose without getting the tube twisted ot having to manipulate the whole piece? Would it be useful to make that a quick connect instead? Quick connect like you can add to a garden hose.
A quick connect would be easier as the tube twisting was annoying, but there wasn't a huge reason for removing it too often. For this and other reasons I don't recommend the water system. It just didn't have enough capacity to be worth it.
Great job. I'm glad you weren't afraid to post your mistakes. That is the kind of information that can save other people time and heartache. Keep it up!
Thank you for making this video. I just finishes my first build of this tractor and found your advice to be very handy. Key takeaways for me were - buy a decent narrow crown stapler; modify the roof by embedding the sides into the 2x4’s and using the 90 degree conduit connectors for the peak; and do the door last.
Excellent presentation and a beautiful piece of work. It will probably last longer and serve better than what I had had in mind. Guess I will have to keep looking - thank you for your integrity and attention to detail.
Just found this video, and am researching chicken tractors for our homestead. This was very informative and good to know information. Thank you for sharing.
I'm gearing up to build my second Suscovich tractor today and you're 100% right about the modifications. Also, thanks for reminding me about the length issue on piece K. I remember screwing that one up (based on the book instructions) and it was wicked frustrating. Awesome video!
Appreciate that, but I'd advise against building what I did with the pvc following the roofline. It doesn't store that much water. I'd instead just do a larger diameter pipe at the top of the tractor. Thanks for watching!
Great video! Thanks for sharing your comprehensive experiences and improvements on this style of tractor! It really helps as someone looking to dive into raising chickens!
Glad I found this, I just ordered the book for plans. Thanks for putting that video together! Oh, just a hint with the angle bender, you can fill the pipe with sand and it'll keep the structural integrity while you bend it.
Very informative, thank you. Now looking for the rest of the information, the follow up videos of comparison of chicken tractor with free-range and without.
Thank you. I found you buy searching for “chicken tractor door installation”, I too found the dimensions off and the instruction lacking. Great idea on the waterer.
Very well done video. Respectful to John’s original design and you took it to the next level with your upgrades, congratulations! Tim @ Cliffside Acres
I was watching a few videos and like the ideas I see here. My wife bought all the stuff from the book to make this and I'm having to make it tomorrow to get the chicks out of the brooder. I think I see what is wrong with the door from watching other videos and comparing lengths. The short pieces are not supposed to be above the long pieces but at the top of the long pieces. I really like the all the improvements you made and will be attempting to add those in tomorrow. Thanks for the video.
I am a woman, not a carpenter, but, I am hoping with the plans and your tips, I can do this. Thank you for so many insights (hindsights) that will help the rest of us.
Funny I found the conduit to be literally most relaxing part of the whole build! I had no issue wrapping the chicken wire around it. I also had no issue with the door measurements working out.
Thank you Randy. This watering system is what i was working on as well. Ill send you my finished product so /if you wamt you can give your opions on it. thanks again for this it was a very helpfull video.
Thanks for watching, I wouldn't recommend the waterer I designed here, it didn't work out like I thought. Check out my other replies to comments on this video for what I would change.
I really like your improvements and tips for this tractor. I have John's book and am just getting ready to build one myself, and I am sure your tips are going to help a lot. I like your water ideas too, but I think you may have inspired me to improve, or well at least simplify and reduce the cost of, what you are doing with the water. All of those little plumbing fittings required to build a pipe "cage" must have added up, and that also seems to be a lot to not only install, but a lot of joints and corners and tubing that could leak or get cracked as it flexes when this tractor gets moved daily, or pocket that may freeze in the winter if not entirely well drained for storage. I think it would be easier to use a 3" or 4" pipe up under the ridge for a reservoir right into the tube to for your movable manifold. Idk if you can just get a clear end cap for pvc pipe, but if so, there's the water level indicator for the tank. Half a dozen or so fittings and a lot less tubing, and I think you'd get the same results. I think there should be enough conduit up the to have plenty of support, and zip ties would not only hold this tank up, but they would give lateral support to the conduit rafter.
Awesome, thanks for the note. There is a comment in here somewhere where after a year of using this I believe I recommended the same thing, a single larger diameter pipe from the middle. I actually already bought the pipe for doing exactly as your describe, just waiting for warmer weather. Speaking of warmer weather, I dont use the water system during the Winter. Thanks for watching!
@@RandyKleinman My wife was reading a book nearby when I was watching your video. She looked up and said "I wonder if we should do the door last?" Haha!
The watering idea was interesting on paper, but in practice it didn't hold enough water to make it worth it. I'd advise against. For feeders I did the pvc feeders that are in the book, just not hung from the ceiling. I screwed chuncks of 2x4 to the bottom of the PVC pipe and laid them on the ground. The ones hanging from the ceiling were too "swingy" when moving the tractor. Thanks for watching!
So what were the findings on the chickens staying in the tractor versus the chickens that roamed outside the tractor and wizard difference in time before they are ready for butcher and nutrition?
We didn't keep track of time before they were ready because they all needed to go to the butcher at the same time. That is why we tracked the weight gain.
@@RandyKleinman Maker Pipe supplies a variety of connectors 45, 90, 180, 135, etc. that fit 1/2 or 3/4 in conduit and make it easier to assemble projects made with EMT. There are quite a few YT videos showing DIY projects made with the connectors. They also sell flange mountings, color wrap, threaded inserts, and other accessories that gives alternative options to complete a project.
nice modifications, I got that book and decided to modify it too, made it 12 by 8 foot and using pvc conduit instead since I had it already and I got more than half done, but thank you for saying do the door last, which is funny I decided to do it very last not because of what you said but because I did not want to face doing it until all was said and done. and I wanted to have something to hold it too (the conduit fencing). so now I know for sure do it last
Great job Randy! I enjoyed watching how you built this tractor and the modification that you made. I noticed you were using a 1/2 inch conduit bender to bend what looks like 3/4 inch EMT conduit. I'm not sure but this may be what was giving you trouble when trying to bent the EMT. Thanks so much.
@@RandyKleinman Can you give me a tip on how to measure and bend the conduit? I cut the 10’ piece in half, but I’ve wasted a couple pieces already attempting to bend it and still be able to insert into frame. Current issue: 5’ pieces inserted into 90 elbow like you described. Both pieces stick out wider than the frame of tractor.
I am not the guy to talk to about conduit bending, search UA-cam for an electrician that does this stuff everyday. Based on your description of your current issue, it seems like you could just cut the conduit shorter on the end that goes into the 90 degree connector.
Quick correction on the EMT clamp. The one you showed the photo of was for 3/4 inch pipe. This project needs a 1/2 inch pipe EMT. Should be easy find at any hardware store.
I love this design because it makes removing birds on butchering day so simple. It is very functional in its original design. But, everyone has the preference and context. Thanks for watching!
@@RandyKleinman That was the biggest downfall I thought about when considering the short design. How does this taller design do in windy conditions? Any problems with blowing away?
@@shadnkids4 I hesistate to make recommendations about wind, because everyone's wind conditions are different. Where we are in MN we regularly get good ole midwestern thunderstorms rolling in, and 60-70 mph gusts. I have never had a chicken tractor flip over much less move any noticeable amount. With the bottom and the ends open and the center of mass so low to the ground, I don't see how it could blow away at any but the craziest of wind events. The tarps, on the other hand, probably are the weakest link. You can see that on my video of my Suscovich eggmobile conversion.
Great ideas to improve an excellent design. I would add one. When I built mine I mounted the wheels so they run on the other side of the 2x4. When you pull the tractor forward you don't run the wheels through the bird's manure.
Great tip! I actually thought about this too, but decided to purchase wheels for each of my tractors. They seemed to get nasty regardless and I thought it was a waste of time to keep moving them, so I just bought a set for each tractor. I was also worried since I tow mine around the farm that they effectively increase the width of the tractor as a whole and I am not as careful as I should be about looking behind and making sure I am clear when going through gates.
Love the username and profile photo (from a fellow gobbler hunter). In practice the water didn't get noticeably warmer than the waters that I left on the ground. I didn't measure it ever, just casual observation while out in the field taking care of birds.
Great tips on mods! Question - have you had any issues with strength or longevity in the lumber where you drilled the holes vertical for the EMT? I love that idea but concerned about the strength of drilling a 3/4-1" hole in that 1.5" thickness.
I was concerned about it too, but haven't had a problem because I also added small 2x4s attached to the cross bar where the holes were drilled and I wasn't directly centered.
Oy, that narrow crown stapler saved me here for sure. The one I bought also shoots brad nails and I have done all of the baseboard, trim, and headers in my basement remodel. I love it.
@@RandyKleinman adding a living quarters for egg laying hens. Something that would provide a nesting area and also protection from the wind and cold air.
@@RandyKleinman Forgive I’m ignorance, I am just venturing into the life of owning chickens. We are gonna get egg laying hens, and I want to build a chicken tractor that I can move often… but within the tractor I would like a living quarters where the chickens can permanently stay. I was thinking of the attaching living quarters within the tractor attached to the back - and modify the back to allow a way grab eggs. I don’t have the plans to make the tractor you’ve shown, so I’m just basing it off what i saw in your video
Sure, all those things add weight, but we turned one of our suscovich tractors into a hen house. We mounted closet rods to the top wooden rail for roosts. We also built a plywood set of nesting boxes and mounted them to the end.
Great job on the Upgrades am thinking though would it have been easier and maybe cheaper just to use a 2 inch PVC pipe to get the amount of water you need while using less footage of Pipe.
@@RandyKleinman I use these waters now www.amazon.com/dp/B0757GGBV3/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0757GGBV3&pd_rd_w=kG6FV&pf_rd_p=2bd81721-c115-4b8d-93a3-2ecd17466ded&pd_rd_wg=YIieB&pf_rd_r=P90HGTX7RBXYER55J4X4&pd_rd_r=2d7471b3-2d45-11e9-9383-b9ef8e54b940 Mainly because those other nipples frezze and the Chickens cant drink These have the the valve on the inside so when I attach them to a 5 gal bucket with a tank deicer they never froze up Works great
Since I only am using these tractors in the warm season, I didn't bother with horizontal nipples. But, we are trying using one of these tractors this winter with our laying flock. If it goes well. I will definitely go with these side waterers. Nice tip!
Thanks for your video! After using yours for several years, did you find setting the conduit in the 2x4 weakened the structure at all? Did you have any splitting along the upper board where the holes for the conduit were drilled?
Excellent. Wish I would have seen this BEFORE making mine. Your tips about the conduit and all things related to making the stapling easier are spot on. And yes, some of the measurements and diagrams in the book are just plain wrong (some of the numbers don’t even add up on the lap cut diagram). How is this watering system holding up?
Glad it helped you. Skip the water system. Too much piping for not enough volume. If I could do it again, I'd run a single 4" pvc pipe down the middle hung from the roof peak. Good luck!
I thought I came up with this myself. LOL The basic plan, anyhow. Sides 18" high, 8' x 8' square, and a 5' high peak. I used treated 2 x 4's for the bottom, and then went up with 2 x 2's, ripped from 2 x 4's. Reinforced with plywood on corners. I put a brace across the center, which also acted as a roost. I then covered the whole thing with fencing. Used chicken wire on the sides, and 2"x4" utility fence on the roof, for strength. Then a tarp over it all. I ran a high-tensile type wire from corner to corner on the bottom, to pull it with. But I ran it through a 3' section of garden hose, to make it easy on the hands. To help the back edge navigate uneven ground, two "shoes" made of 2x4's , 12" long, bottom corners notched off, and also a 2x2 square cut down from the top center, worked like a charm! You just slide those shoes under the far end, lifting it 2". Then go to the other end and pull the wire loop. Just remove the shoes after positioning the pen. This model is lightweight enough for even me, a 5'2" woman nearing 60 yrs old, to pull daily.
Has anyone designed a tractor that you can move from inside. I wonder if you can build a bigger one, for the same weight/drag as it can pivot somewhere in the center.
@@naomi6212 I am not aware of this. I personally wouldn't do it because there are too many opportunities for you to step on/injure chickens. They don't exactly get out of the way all the time while you are moving a tractor.
@@RandyKleinman I understand about the possibility of chickens getting in the wrong place but that's always the case. I think if you are inside they may follow you (in the middle) and perhaps easier for a female to move. Perhaps one day I will try.
Awesome video and recommendations I will be implementing most of them as I am half way through my first Suscovich tractor. I was curious if you had any more changes you would make? I saw your recommendation on changing the waterer, but I was looking to see if you did an update and checked out a bunch of your other videos. In some of those your tractor was bigger which was one thing I was considering. Any additional suggestions or thoughts are much appreciated and thank you again for the great videos!
The bigger tractors were built by Ethan from @180 from Average. I should make a video 📹 in the spring with the dimensions of it. It is nice and obviously can hold more birds, but much harder to pull around without an atv or trolley of some sort. Thanks for watching and welcome to the channel.
@@RandyKleinman Thank you for replying. I ended up using 1/2 half straps and some self tapping screws to lock the spine in place. Really like the conduit idea.
I didn't use these tractors this past year, I used my larger ones. I wouldn't recommend this water design. It just didn't hold enough water. If I could do it again, I would just use a single 4" pvc pipe down the middle of the roofline.
Yes, they are the same as the Suscovich plans say, just set into the sidewall boards. As a result, the tractor peak is slightly shorter than it otherwise would be.
I got the wheels at a local hardware/big box store called Menards. It is basically the same as Home Depot/Lowes. They are either 8 or 9 inch wheels, just the standard push lawnmower replacement wheels.
I would advise against it. A single pvc of larger diameter down the middle of the roof would be less expensive and would carry more water. Thanks for watching!
@@RandyKleinman I'm actually at the 5 gal bucket stage with watering cups instead of the nipples and trying to find w way to connect the buck to the tractor thinking make a shelf inside and a outside fill port just ordered the book off Amazon today to build the tractor.
Great video! I'm really glad this came up in my search results. You mentioned your grant at the end, where can I find videos/data on your 2018/2019 results? Your side by side comparison is a big deal. Thanks again.
Hey this was very helpful. Quick question. Did you skip the piece he labeled as L? It's the bottom of the door from that sits on top of the bottom beam F?
It's hard to say. In 2018, the tractor itself was about $375. Today, my guess is with the materials and stuff for feeders and waterers you are looking at $600. That is just a guess though.
You could, it would not be as sturdy and it would degrade over time in the sun and elements. Conduit is fairly cheap, and it would take a lot of time to replace a section of broken pvc.
Thank you for this video!!! I’d seen the John Suscovich tractor videos and plans and was considering it but this video made me pull the trigger and now I’m in the middle of building two. But hey..... don’t you think you could build the whole roof structure out of the PVC waterer?????? Triangles are the strongest shape right? Plus much lighter than metal conduit and if you’re gonna have it anyway you might as well get rid of the conduit...... thoughts?
I think you could depending on what the load will be on the roof. The feeder hangs from this structure and I have to worry about snow in the winter (even when there are no birds in the tractor). I would probably stick with the EMT because it is cheap, more rigid, and will last a lot longer. Thanks for watching, feel free to ask more.
Randy - nice work demonstrating the build of Suscovich's chicken tractor. I found your editorial to be fantastic and it really helped seeing your video first BEFORE my son and I built our first tractor. We took all your upgrade suggestions put them to use....including the PVC water system. The tractor turned out great! Now putting it to use, the only thing we have noticed is that it takes a very long time to fill the water pipes each day (we generally have to fill them 3 times a day - morning, noon, evening). I'm suspecting it's due to not having a ventilation system allowing the water to freely flow but..... Have you experienced this same issue and did you find a good solution? Keep up the good work! Thanks in advance for your help.
I did find the same thing, and what I did was just turn the water on low and I fill feeders while the waterers are filled. Thanks for watching and hope you stick around the channel!
I put about 50 staples in each panel, than reinforce with screws and 1 3/4 washers every 12 inches or so. Works amazing, I've seen black bears lean up against my run wiring without busting it. Only works for the hardware cloth not chicken wire.
It's a lot of PVC and work for not a lot of water storage. If I were to do it again, I would just hang a single 4" pvc pipe from the center with a pipe down to the waterers. Stores more water, cheaper, and easier to build.
Randy, I've saved and watch this several times as I am about to include your tips and mods to build mine. Question: the EMT Elbow @17:34 is a 3/4 inch pictured but Suscovich material list shows using 1/2 inch conduit. Did you go with 1/2 or 3/4 or is the 3/4 elbow fine for 1/2 EMT? Thank you and great video work.
Randy have you found the chicken wire to be sufficient protection? Im planning to build two of these and Im thinking about hardware cloth across the top. Raccoons and fishers are our largest concern but we use electric fence on our layer mobiles which has been effective but.. the layers are locked up tight at night so there isnt as much incentive as with visible meaties
I have not had any issues with predators at all with the exception of birds that have gotten out of tractors or electric fencing not being energized by accident. You could go with the hardware cloth, but it will be more expensive.
I'm in the middle of building this and wish I watched it before I cut the pieces for the door! Great video and very thorough. I am just curious, how much did you spend on this with your modifications?
Glad it was helpful! I spent about $365 in 2018. I wouldn't recommend the watering system if you are thinking about that. It would be cheaper and easier to just do a 4" PVC pipe down the middle with a cap on the end than the complicated thing I created. Some other comments on this video have some more discussion about that. Good luck!
Nice upgrades 👍 Do you thougt about to integrate some diy nestboxes outside on the short side? If you change your water system to the long side, there must be space for 3 boxes. In the case of a single traktor perhaps you can integrate more boxes on the long side 🤔
Randy Kleinman Yeah i found it...regarding to your heat lamp with timer: look for a timer with thermic controller. im using it for my homegrowing box and it works fine 😉 Im retired for a few years and now im collecting some information to prepare a good start with some homefarming next year. I think about meat&egg chickens, rabbits, some pigs, sheeps and perhaps goats. Bees! Because of our clima, long hot/dry summer and short cold winter, i planed with a complete hydroponic fodder system...barley, wheat, maize. Do you have some experience with that?
@@fragman5910 no experience with fodder or hydroponics. Our winter is loooong and cold and so it takes a lot of infrastructure to keep plants and water going. Plus, nice to have a break in the cold months to catch up on sleep, book reading list, and UA-cam :)
Glad I watched before I started the build! I bought 5' pieces of conduit and used the connectors. Drilled into the frame with an impact driver for the conduit pieces! I put the chicken wire on the outside of the back; yours looks like it's on the inside. How does it connect to the sides for coverage? Am completely baffled by how to connect the wire to the front area. My front conduit piece sticks up over the top of the door, like on John's photos of his tractor, so I can't make the wire cover that area no matter how I try to figure it out. The wire looks like it's on the outside of the front of your door. Does it go on the outside of inside? Help!!! Thanks! .
Hopefully not too late in this reply. I put 2x4s on the bottom of the front and back (standing vertically, I show it in this video) so the hardware cloth could attach flat against the existing sides. I also had the peak of my conduit at the same height as the door frame, so it doesn't stick out. Hope that helps!
If you don't mind me asking,, how much money would a person have in this build? This is an awesome video,, very very informative thank you. I may go smaller and put boxes in for roosting and eggs. Thanks again.
I would recommend pricing it out at your local store. When I built this in early 2018, it cost $362 for each tractor, but I did have extra hardware and chicken wire laying around from the first tractor that I built.
@@jackbquick123 I am happy with everything but the water system. It just doesn't hold enough water during the hottest and driest times of the summer and needs to be refilled more than once a day. I am thinking about just using a larger diameter pipe mounted directly inside the top of the tractor and held up by straps. Will have to be a Winter/Spring project though.
Here's a tip I use for my raised bed garden covers re: height... rather than a strict A-frame design, (or Hoop Design) buy two or four of the EMT elbows with 45 DEGREE angles (135) for each support. You can increase the height across the entire width, simply by cutting straight verticals to whatever height you want, then connect with a horizontal conduit from side to side. Gives you much more walkaround room, and a wider flat ceiling. Eliminates all the problems with bending conduit, except maybe attaching to the base. In the center beam, you can either use cross pieces or lock ties for rigidity. ___________ / \
@@RandyKleinman Thanks. I'm several years away from trying my hand at the chicken business but I'm always grabbing info for it. I'm currently in Tucson. No grass here without huge amounts of artificial irrigation.
Thank you so much. John did a great job with this design...it's a little difficult to put together...especially by yourself. You really took off with some great ideas of your own and inspired me to make some of my own changes. Thanks so much! Hope all is well.
You are very welcome!
you all prolly dont care at all but does any of you know a way to log back into an instagram account..?
I was dumb lost my account password. I love any tips you can give me!
@Tristan Mateo Instablaster ;)
@Karsyn Avery i really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and im trying it out atm.
I see it takes a while so I will get back to you later with my results.
@Karsyn Avery It did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy!
Thank you so much, you saved my account :D
Drilling and setting the conduit... Genius!
Just be careful to keep the drill bit centered. If you get too close to one side, you can add a block of 2x4 to the thin side to shore it up.
Long watch but necessary viewing for anyone looking to build 1 or 10 of these. Very cool, thank you.
Thanks for stopping by!
I am in the middle of building one and I JUST got to the door, assembled the frame and went "Well that doesn't look right." Googled for errors in the plan and found this video. Great video, fantastic mods. Thank you for making it!
You're welcome!
That’s some good stuff , ima use all these tips in my tractor 👍
Good luck have fun
Thank you for taking the time to make such a great video to help others improve on an already great design. Even your pace of speech is great. So many people try and rush through and make you have to rewind and try and catch dimensions etc for notes. You took the time to make sure it was at a good pace and you didn’t loose people watching. God Bless.
Awe shucks, thanks!
Interesting take on this model. Very insightful. We experienced several similar problems with building the tractors. Vids like yours really help people like us to make much more informed decisions when tackling a new project.
Thank you for the added info to make the build easier. Great solution for conduit installation. Especially found the mods you did helpful. Question? Where you added the nipple water connection. How do you screw in the end with the clear section of hose without getting the tube twisted ot having to manipulate the whole piece? Would it be useful to make that a quick connect instead? Quick connect like you can add to a garden hose.
A quick connect would be easier as the tube twisting was annoying, but there wasn't a huge reason for removing it too often. For this and other reasons I don't recommend the water system. It just didn't have enough capacity to be worth it.
Like I often do, you seem to have over-engineered your project. I love it. Keep up the good work!
Great job. I'm glad you weren't afraid to post your mistakes. That is the kind of information that can save other people time and heartache. Keep it up!
Thanks for watching!
@@RandyKleinman so do the door first? hahahahah
Thank you for making this video. I just finishes my first build of this tractor and found your advice to be very handy. Key takeaways for me were - buy a decent narrow crown stapler; modify the roof by embedding the sides into the 2x4’s and using the 90 degree conduit connectors for the peak; and do the door last.
Do the door last! Thanks for watching!
Very clever observations and great improvements to the Suscovich design. Thank you, Randy.
Thanks
The modifications really make sense. Thanks to you and John for original design.
Thanks!
Genius, thank you so much for taking the time to point out all those details. It does help a lot.
You're welcome, anytime.
Great Video mate, building my first tractor now. Thanks for the tips and explaining the mods
You are welcome, thanks for visiting the channel!
Excellent presentation and a beautiful piece of work. It will probably last longer and serve better than what I had had in mind. Guess I will have to keep looking - thank you for your integrity and attention to detail.
Thanks for watching and good luck!
Just found this video, and am researching chicken tractors for our homestead. This was very informative and good to know information. Thank you for sharing.
Glad it was helpful! Check out a recent video I did on day ranging chickens instead of using a tractor.
Thanks for the ideas Glenn
I'm gearing up to build my second Suscovich tractor today and you're 100% right about the modifications. Also, thanks for reminding me about the length issue on piece K. I remember screwing that one up (based on the book instructions) and it was wicked frustrating. Awesome video!
Anytime Morgan! Good luck with the next one.
wow, I love your water system, it's brilliant! and thanks for all the tips on the build.
Appreciate that, but I'd advise against building what I did with the pvc following the roofline. It doesn't store that much water. I'd instead just do a larger diameter pipe at the top of the tractor. Thanks for watching!
Very nice modifications. Thanks for taking the time to share so many hacks.
You bet! Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for the tip about the door, etc.
Great video! Thanks for sharing your comprehensive experiences and improvements on this style of tractor! It really helps as someone looking to dive into raising chickens!
Good luck, have fun!
Glad I found this, I just ordered the book for plans. Thanks for putting that video together! Oh, just a hint with the angle bender, you can fill the pipe with sand and it'll keep the structural integrity while you bend it.
Great tip! Thanks!
Great idea thanks. I going to put 4’ sides. I also going to put a solid roof. Glenn
Solid roof will weigh a lot, hope you have a tractor or ATV to pull it!
Awesome video. That water design is genius.
Thanks for the support and the sub!
Very informative, thank you. Now looking for the rest of the information, the follow up videos of comparison of chicken tractor with free-range and without.
Glad you enjoyed it! Here is the follow up video presentation: ua-cam.com/video/YuChBvASAPk/v-deo.html
Thank you. I found you buy searching for “chicken tractor door installation”, I too found the dimensions off and the instruction lacking. Great idea on the waterer.
Thanks for watching! See the other comments on this video about the waterer, I wouldn't recommend what I did here anymore.
Very well done video. Respectful to John’s original design and you took it to the next level with your upgrades, congratulations! Tim @ Cliffside Acres
Thanks Tim. Appreciate the feedback!
Excellent video! Thank you so much.
Glad it was helpful!
Really great video, and it is cool to have all these details before starting the build. Thank you)))
Ur welcome!
I was watching a few videos and like the ideas I see here. My wife bought all the stuff from the book to make this and I'm having to make it tomorrow to get the chicks out of the brooder. I think I see what is wrong with the door from watching other videos and comparing lengths. The short pieces are not supposed to be above the long pieces but at the top of the long pieces. I really like the all the improvements you made and will be attempting to add those in tomorrow. Thanks for the video.
Thanks, I'd skip the pvc water system if you were going to attempt it. Just do a large 3-4" pipe down the middle instead of making it a cage.
I am a woman, not a carpenter, but, I am hoping with the plans and your tips, I can do this. Thank you for so many insights (hindsights) that will help the rest of us.
Good luck, ask questions when you have them. You are gonna do great!
By the time you finish this project, you will be a woman carpenter who raises her own chickens,so add farmer to your resume as well. Well done you!
Awesome and I'm simply looking for the best idea's and you've helped me with all of it, thanks!
Great! Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much. I am ready to build my very own.
Good luck, at this time it'll be like 1 ETH cost to build just one tractor!
Love your ideas. Just bought the book and will be building the improved version soon!
Feel free to reach out if you have questions.
Thank you very much!
Good luck!
Funny I found the conduit to be literally most relaxing part of the whole build! I had no issue wrapping the chicken wire around it. I also had no issue with the door measurements working out.
Glad to hear it, and thanks for watching!
How do you bend the conduit?
Great video man thank you so much!! Just building mine now I like your ideas!
Thanks for checking out the channel!
Thank you Randy. This watering system is what i was working on as well. Ill send you my finished product so /if you wamt you can give your opions on it. thanks again for this it was a very helpfull video.
Thanks for watching, I wouldn't recommend the waterer I designed here, it didn't work out like I thought. Check out my other replies to comments on this video for what I would change.
That was excellent
Thank you
You putting do the door last repat was funny
Thanks Mary! Appreciate you stopping by!
Good work, can't wait to get one of these going for our chickens.
Good luck, reach out if you need help!
I really like your improvements and tips for this tractor. I have John's book and am just getting ready to build one myself, and I am sure your tips are going to help a lot. I like your water ideas too, but I think you may have inspired me to improve, or well at least simplify and reduce the cost of, what you are doing with the water. All of those little plumbing fittings required to build a pipe "cage" must have added up, and that also seems to be a lot to not only install, but a lot of joints and corners and tubing that could leak or get cracked as it flexes when this tractor gets moved daily, or pocket that may freeze in the winter if not entirely well drained for storage. I think it would be easier to use a 3" or 4" pipe up under the ridge for a reservoir right into the tube to for your movable manifold. Idk if you can just get a clear end cap for pvc pipe, but if so, there's the water level indicator for the tank. Half a dozen or so fittings and a lot less tubing, and I think you'd get the same results. I think there should be enough conduit up the to have plenty of support, and zip ties would not only hold this tank up, but they would give lateral support to the conduit rafter.
Awesome, thanks for the note. There is a comment in here somewhere where after a year of using this I believe I recommended the same thing, a single larger diameter pipe from the middle. I actually already bought the pipe for doing exactly as your describe, just waiting for warmer weather. Speaking of warmer weather, I dont use the water system during the Winter. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this video. We incorporated some of your changes into our build and it is working great. By the way, we did the door last! -Mike
Awesome! Doing the door last will help you keep your Christianity!
@@RandyKleinman My wife was reading a book nearby when I was watching your video. She looked up and said "I wonder if we should do the door last?" Haha!
Perfect, love it.
Great modifications. Great tips and gotcha's. And great video - very well done. Nice work!
Thanks!
Excellent work young man!!
Thank you (for making me feel young too)!
Randy I like the watering system. Great idea. How about your feeder? Thanks mdag. Glenn
The watering idea was interesting on paper, but in practice it didn't hold enough water to make it worth it. I'd advise against. For feeders I did the pvc feeders that are in the book, just not hung from the ceiling. I screwed chuncks of 2x4 to the bottom of the PVC pipe and laid them on the ground. The ones hanging from the ceiling were too "swingy" when moving the tractor. Thanks for watching!
So what were the findings on the chickens staying in the tractor versus the chickens that roamed outside the tractor and wizard difference in time before they are ready for butcher and nutrition?
We didn't keep track of time before they were ready because they all needed to go to the butcher at the same time. That is why we tracked the weight gain.
Good job.
Thanks for watching!
You could also use maker pipe connectors to ease the pain of connecting all of the EMT conduit
I am not familiar with what those are. Tell me more.
@@RandyKleinman Maker Pipe supplies a variety of connectors 45, 90, 180, 135, etc. that fit 1/2 or 3/4 in conduit and make it easier to assemble projects made with EMT. There are quite a few YT videos showing DIY projects made with the connectors. They also sell flange mountings, color wrap, threaded inserts, and other accessories that gives alternative options to complete a project.
That sounds like a great option for a project like this. Thanks for sharing.
Great video. Thank you
Thanks for watching!
nice modifications, I got that book and decided to modify it too, made it 12 by 8 foot and using pvc conduit instead since I had it already and I got more than half done, but thank you for saying do the door last, which is funny I decided to do it very last not because of what you said but because I did not want to face doing it until all was said and done. and I wanted to have something to hold it too (the conduit fencing). so now I know for sure do it last
The first time I did the door I may have said some naughty words, maybe.
Great job Randy! I enjoyed watching how you built this tractor and the modification that you made. I noticed you were using a 1/2 inch conduit bender to bend what looks like 3/4 inch EMT conduit. I'm not sure but this may be what was giving you trouble when trying to bent the EMT. Thanks so much.
Thanks Mike, now I have to go out to the shop and double check. I am pretty sure they were both 1/2", but now you have me thinking.
@@RandyKleinman Did you use 1/2" conduit and still drill a 1" hole in the frame to hold it?
It was 1/2" conduit. I started with a 1/2" spade bit and went bigger to get the conduit to fit.
@@RandyKleinman Can you give me a tip on how to measure and bend the conduit? I cut the 10’ piece in half, but I’ve wasted a couple pieces already attempting to bend it and still be able to insert into frame.
Current issue: 5’ pieces inserted into 90 elbow like you described. Both pieces stick out wider than the frame of tractor.
I am not the guy to talk to about conduit bending, search UA-cam for an electrician that does this stuff everyday. Based on your description of your current issue, it seems like you could just cut the conduit shorter on the end that goes into the 90 degree connector.
Quick correction on the EMT clamp. The one you showed the photo of was for 3/4 inch pipe. This project needs a 1/2 inch pipe EMT. Should be easy find at any hardware store.
Great tips!! Still trying to decide to build this or more of a Joel Salatin type..
I love this design because it makes removing birds on butchering day so simple. It is very functional in its original design. But, everyone has the preference and context. Thanks for watching!
@@RandyKleinman That was the biggest downfall I thought about when considering the short design. How does this taller design do in windy conditions? Any problems with blowing away?
@@shadnkids4 I hesistate to make recommendations about wind, because everyone's wind conditions are different. Where we are in MN we regularly get good ole midwestern thunderstorms rolling in, and 60-70 mph gusts. I have never had a chicken tractor flip over much less move any noticeable amount. With the bottom and the ends open and the center of mass so low to the ground, I don't see how it could blow away at any but the craziest of wind events. The tarps, on the other hand, probably are the weakest link. You can see that on my video of my Suscovich eggmobile conversion.
Great ideas to improve an excellent design. I would add one. When I built mine I mounted the wheels so they run on the other side of the 2x4. When you pull the tractor forward you don't run the wheels through the bird's manure.
Great tip! I actually thought about this too, but decided to purchase wheels for each of my tractors. They seemed to get nasty regardless and I thought it was a waste of time to keep moving them, so I just bought a set for each tractor. I was also worried since I tow mine around the farm that they effectively increase the width of the tractor as a whole and I am not as careful as I should be about looking behind and making sure I am clear when going through gates.
Thanks for the content
I like the way you did the water for the chicken tractor only one concern how hot will at water get in sunlight
Love the username and profile photo (from a fellow gobbler hunter). In practice the water didn't get noticeably warmer than the waters that I left on the ground. I didn't measure it ever, just casual observation while out in the field taking care of birds.
Great tips on mods! Question - have you had any issues with strength or longevity in the lumber where you drilled the holes vertical for the EMT? I love that idea but concerned about the strength of drilling a 3/4-1" hole in that 1.5" thickness.
I was concerned about it too, but haven't had a problem because I also added small 2x4s attached to the cross bar where the holes were drilled and I wasn't directly centered.
I 2nd that stapler motion, I hammered all of mine!
Oy, that narrow crown stapler saved me here for sure. The one I bought also shoots brad nails and I have done all of the baseboard, trim, and headers in my basement remodel. I love it.
Well thought out. Nice ingenuity and clear instructions. What are your thoughts on building in a coop within the back portion of the tractor?
Thanks for your kind words. Can you clarify what you mean by building a coop in the back?
@@RandyKleinman adding a living quarters for egg laying hens. Something that would provide a nesting area and also protection from the wind and cold air.
@@RandyKleinman Forgive I’m ignorance, I am just venturing into the life of owning chickens. We are gonna get egg laying hens, and I want to build a chicken tractor that I can move often… but within the tractor I would like a living quarters where the chickens can permanently stay. I was thinking of the attaching living quarters within the tractor attached to the back - and modify the back to allow a way grab eggs. I don’t have the plans to make the tractor you’ve shown, so I’m just basing it off what i saw in your video
Sure, all those things add weight, but we turned one of our suscovich tractors into a hen house. We mounted closet rods to the top wooden rail for roosts. We also built a plywood set of nesting boxes and mounted them to the end.
Great video
Great job on the Upgrades am thinking though would it have been easier and maybe cheaper just to use a 2 inch PVC pipe to get the amount of water you need while using less footage of Pipe.
If I build another, I will use larger diameter pipe and less of it. You hit the nail on the head!
@@RandyKleinman I use these waters now www.amazon.com/dp/B0757GGBV3/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0757GGBV3&pd_rd_w=kG6FV&pf_rd_p=2bd81721-c115-4b8d-93a3-2ecd17466ded&pd_rd_wg=YIieB&pf_rd_r=P90HGTX7RBXYER55J4X4&pd_rd_r=2d7471b3-2d45-11e9-9383-b9ef8e54b940 Mainly because those other nipples frezze and the Chickens cant drink These have the the valve on the inside so when I attach them to a 5 gal bucket with a tank deicer they never froze up Works great
Since I only am using these tractors in the warm season, I didn't bother with horizontal nipples. But, we are trying using one of these tractors this winter with our laying flock. If it goes well. I will definitely go with these side waterers. Nice tip!
Probabli bot remember Is an impruv an a learnig proces
Thanks for your video! After using yours for several years, did you find setting the conduit in the 2x4 weakened the structure at all? Did you have any splitting along the upper board where the holes for the conduit were drilled?
Excellent. Wish I would have seen this BEFORE making mine. Your tips about the conduit and all things related to making the stapling easier are spot on. And yes, some of the measurements and diagrams in the book are just plain wrong (some of the numbers don’t even add up on the lap cut diagram).
How is this watering system holding up?
Glad it helped you. Skip the water system. Too much piping for not enough volume. If I could do it again, I'd run a single 4" pvc pipe down the middle hung from the roof peak. Good luck!
@@RandyKleinman that is an excellent idea.
Great content!
Thanks!
Great innovations. Am in Accra Ghana west Africa. How can l get the book to buy. Any address or information. Keep moving.
The only way to get the book is through Amazon or directly through John Suscovich's website. Blessings!
I thought I came up with this myself. LOL
The basic plan, anyhow.
Sides 18" high, 8' x 8' square, and a 5' high peak.
I used treated 2 x 4's for the bottom, and then went up with 2 x 2's, ripped from 2 x 4's.
Reinforced with plywood on corners.
I put a brace across the center, which also acted as a roost.
I then covered the whole thing with fencing. Used chicken wire on the sides, and 2"x4" utility fence on the roof, for strength. Then a tarp over it all.
I ran a high-tensile type wire from corner to corner on the bottom, to pull it with. But I ran it through a 3' section of garden hose, to make it easy on the hands.
To help the back edge navigate uneven ground, two "shoes" made of 2x4's , 12" long, bottom corners notched off, and also a 2x2 square cut down from the top center, worked like a charm! You just slide those shoes under the far end, lifting it 2". Then go to the other end and pull the wire loop.
Just remove the shoes after positioning the pen.
This model is lightweight enough for even me, a 5'2" woman nearing 60 yrs old, to pull daily.
Nice!
Has anyone designed a tractor that you can move from inside. I wonder if you can build a bigger one, for the same weight/drag as it can pivot somewhere in the center.
@@naomi6212 I am not aware of this. I personally wouldn't do it because there are too many opportunities for you to step on/injure chickens. They don't exactly get out of the way all the time while you are moving a tractor.
@@RandyKleinman I understand about the possibility of chickens getting in the wrong place but that's always the case. I think if you are inside they may follow you (in the middle) and perhaps easier for a female to move. Perhaps one day I will try.
@@naomi6212 I'd be interested to know how that works out!
Your channel is way too cool!
Thanks much!
Anytime!
Nice, I'd have to modify that waterer as I tend to fill my chicken water with buckets but I still think it can be done.
Great, let me know what you come up with!
Awesome video and recommendations I will be implementing most of them as I am half way through my first Suscovich tractor. I was curious if you had any more changes you would make? I saw your recommendation on changing the waterer, but I was looking to see if you did an update and checked out a bunch of your other videos. In some of those your tractor was bigger which was one thing I was considering. Any additional suggestions or thoughts are much appreciated and thank you again for the great videos!
The bigger tractors were built by Ethan from @180 from Average. I should make a video 📹 in the spring with the dimensions of it. It is nice and obviously can hold more birds, but much harder to pull around without an atv or trolley of some sort. Thanks for watching and welcome to the channel.
GOOD POINTS
Thanks for watching!
Were there any follow videos regarding the studies you mentioned at the end of the video? Nutrition of day range vs penned birds etc?
ua-cam.com/video/YuChBvASAPk/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/YuChBvASAPk/v-deo.html
Sweet watering system man. How did it work out in the field?
Great video. Did you use 1/2 elbows and straps for the peak? When I try this the straps don’t align with the elbow screws. Thank you
Yes, it is all 1/2" so it fits with the EMT pipe.
@@RandyKleinman Thank you for replying. I ended up using 1/2 half straps and some self tapping screws to lock the spine in place. Really like the conduit idea.
Great! Good luck with the rest of the build.
Did you use the dish and how did it work once you got the birds into it?
Dish?
How did the water work in the past year? Wondering because I have just now built my first one and hope to duplicate the water system! Thanks
I didn't use these tractors this past year, I used my larger ones. I wouldn't recommend this water design. It just didn't hold enough water. If I could do it again, I would just use a single 4" pvc pipe down the middle of the roofline.
I like the conduit mod, I think I might do that on my next one! Did you just got the side pieces to 5’ and then bend the end?
Yes, they are the same as the Suscovich plans say, just set into the sidewall boards. As a result, the tractor peak is slightly shorter than it otherwise would be.
Can't find those follow up videos for the meat birds. Any conclusive results
ua-cam.com/video/YuChBvASAPk/v-deo.html
@@RandyKleinman thanks!!!
Awesome video. Where did you purchase the wheels and what size are they?
I got the wheels at a local hardware/big box store called Menards. It is basically the same as Home Depot/Lowes. They are either 8 or 9 inch wheels, just the standard push lawnmower replacement wheels.
So I haven't seen anything more on this tractor how did the pvc water work and how is it doing now
I would advise against it. A single pvc of larger diameter down the middle of the roof would be less expensive and would carry more water. Thanks for watching!
@@RandyKleinman I'm actually at the 5 gal bucket stage with watering cups instead of the nipples and trying to find w way to connect the buck to the tractor thinking make a shelf inside and a outside fill port just ordered the book off Amazon today to build the tractor.
@@leonannegers7874 that sounds like a great plan.
Great video! I'm really glad this came up in my search results. You mentioned your grant at the end, where can I find videos/data on your 2018/2019 results? Your side by side comparison is a big deal. Thanks again.
I just got back the nutritional results last week and will be writing the report over the holiday break.
Randy Kleinman do you have a video with results
Check out my other videos, I have a presentation with the results
Hey this was very helpful. Quick question. Did you skip the piece he labeled as L? It's the bottom of the door from that sits on top of the bottom beam F?
I don't recall skipping any pieces.
How much does the chicken tractor end up costing after purchasing all supplies needed?
It's hard to say. In 2018, the tractor itself was about $375. Today, my guess is with the materials and stuff for feeders and waterers you are looking at $600. That is just a guess though.
I have never built one but could you somehow use the pvc pipe for the frame instead of the conduit?
You could, it would not be as sturdy and it would degrade over time in the sun and elements. Conduit is fairly cheap, and it would take a lot of time to replace a section of broken pvc.
To save money just use a framing nail for 1/8th gap. Same for wood fencing etc. You could also use carpenter pencil for 1/4 gap
Great tip!
Thank you for this video!!! I’d seen the John Suscovich tractor videos and plans and was considering it but this video made me pull the trigger and now I’m in the middle of building two. But hey..... don’t you think you could build the whole roof structure out of the PVC waterer?????? Triangles are the strongest shape right? Plus much lighter than metal conduit and if you’re gonna have it anyway you might as well get rid of the conduit...... thoughts?
I think you could depending on what the load will be on the roof. The feeder hangs from this structure and I have to worry about snow in the winter (even when there are no birds in the tractor). I would probably stick with the EMT because it is cheap, more rigid, and will last a lot longer. Thanks for watching, feel free to ask more.
Great video!! So informative. 👍🏻
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Randy - nice work demonstrating the build of Suscovich's chicken tractor. I found your editorial to be fantastic and it really helped seeing your video first BEFORE my son and I built our first tractor. We took all your upgrade suggestions put them to use....including the PVC water system. The tractor turned out great! Now putting it to use, the only thing we have noticed is that it takes a very long time to fill the water pipes each day (we generally have to fill them 3 times a day - morning, noon, evening). I'm suspecting it's due to not having a ventilation system allowing the water to freely flow but..... Have you experienced this same issue and did you find a good solution? Keep up the good work! Thanks in advance for your help.
I did find the same thing, and what I did was just turn the water on low and I fill feeders while the waterers are filled. Thanks for watching and hope you stick around the channel!
Is the part K short so end grain is not exposed to the ground?
Could be, but I feel like if that was the intent, the book would have called it out. Thanks for watching!
I put about 50 staples in each panel, than reinforce with screws and 1 3/4 washers every 12 inches or so. Works amazing, I've seen black bears lean up against my run wiring without busting it. Only works for the hardware cloth not chicken wire.
I can't imagine trying to keep bears out, kudos to you and thanks for watching.
Do you have a parts list for the additional add on items for your build version?
I don't sorry. And I don't recommend the waterer setup either. It didn't really pan out how I had hoped.
@@RandyKleinman oh no? I was just going to implement it! But I haven’t purchased any pvc etc.
It's a lot of PVC and work for not a lot of water storage. If I were to do it again, I would just hang a single 4" pvc pipe from the center with a pipe down to the waterers. Stores more water, cheaper, and easier to build.
Randy, I've saved and watch this several times as I am about to include your tips and mods to build mine. Question: the EMT Elbow @17:34 is a 3/4 inch pictured but Suscovich material list shows using 1/2 inch conduit. Did you go with 1/2 or 3/4 or is the 3/4 elbow fine for 1/2 EMT? Thank you and great video work.
Gotta be 1/2" based on conduit size. If you are like me, I usually buy both sizes and return what I don't use later :)
Randy have you found the chicken wire to be sufficient protection? Im planning to build two of these and Im thinking about hardware cloth across the top. Raccoons and fishers are our largest concern but we use electric fence on our layer mobiles which has been effective but.. the layers are locked up tight at night so there isnt as much incentive as with visible meaties
I have not had any issues with predators at all with the exception of birds that have gotten out of tractors or electric fencing not being energized by accident. You could go with the hardware cloth, but it will be more expensive.
I'm in the middle of building this and wish I watched it before I cut the pieces for the door! Great video and very thorough. I am just curious, how much did you spend on this with your modifications?
Glad it was helpful! I spent about $365 in 2018. I wouldn't recommend the watering system if you are thinking about that. It would be cheaper and easier to just do a 4" PVC pipe down the middle with a cap on the end than the complicated thing I created. Some other comments on this video have some more discussion about that. Good luck!
Nice upgrades 👍
Do you thougt about to integrate some diy nestboxes outside on the short side?
If you change your water system to the long side, there must be space for 3 boxes.
In the case of a single traktor perhaps you can integrate more boxes on the long side 🤔
I have another video with a tractor with nesting boxes on the back for our layer flock. Worked great last summer.
Randy Kleinman Yeah i found it...regarding to your heat lamp with timer: look for a timer with thermic controller. im using it for my homegrowing box and it works fine 😉
Im retired for a few years and now im collecting some information to prepare a good start with some homefarming next year. I think about meat&egg chickens, rabbits, some pigs, sheeps and perhaps goats. Bees!
Because of our clima, long hot/dry summer and short cold winter, i planed with a complete hydroponic fodder system...barley, wheat, maize.
Do you have some experience with that?
@@fragman5910 no experience with fodder or hydroponics. Our winter is loooong and cold and so it takes a lot of infrastructure to keep plants and water going. Plus, nice to have a break in the cold months to catch up on sleep, book reading list, and UA-cam :)
Glad I watched before I started the build! I bought 5' pieces of conduit and used the connectors. Drilled into the frame with an impact driver for the conduit pieces! I put the chicken wire on the outside of the back; yours looks like it's on the inside. How does it connect to the sides for coverage? Am completely baffled by how to connect the wire to the front area. My front conduit piece sticks up over the top of the door, like on John's photos of his tractor, so I can't make the wire cover that area no matter how I try to figure it out. The wire looks like it's on the outside of the front of your door. Does it go on the outside of inside? Help!!! Thanks!
.
Hopefully not too late in this reply. I put 2x4s on the bottom of the front and back (standing vertically, I show it in this video) so the hardware cloth could attach flat against the existing sides. I also had the peak of my conduit at the same height as the door frame, so it doesn't stick out. Hope that helps!
If you don't mind me asking,, how much money would a person have in this build? This is an awesome video,, very very informative thank you. I may go smaller and put boxes in for roosting and eggs. Thanks again.
I would recommend pricing it out at your local store. When I built this in early 2018, it cost $362 for each tractor, but I did have extra hardware and chicken wire laying around from the first tractor that I built.
@@RandyKleinman thank you for replying. Are you still happy with that build? You have a blessed day
@@jackbquick123 I am happy with everything but the water system. It just doesn't hold enough water during the hottest and driest times of the summer and needs to be refilled more than once a day. I am thinking about just using a larger diameter pipe mounted directly inside the top of the tractor and held up by straps. Will have to be a Winter/Spring project though.
Here's a tip I use for my raised bed garden covers re: height... rather than a strict A-frame design, (or Hoop Design) buy two or four of the EMT elbows with 45 DEGREE angles (135) for each support. You can increase the height across the entire width, simply by cutting straight verticals to whatever height you want, then connect with a horizontal conduit from side to side. Gives you much more walkaround room, and a wider flat ceiling. Eliminates all the problems with bending conduit, except maybe attaching to the base. In the center beam, you can either use cross pieces or lock ties for rigidity.
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Great idea, thanks for sharing.
In lieu of the half lap joints I'm thinking you may be able to use pocket holes.
Check out the build by homestead evolution on their channel, perfect use of pocket holes.
@@RandyKleinman Thanks. I'm several years away from trying my hand at the chicken business but I'm always grabbing info for it. I'm currently in Tucson. No grass here without huge amounts of artificial irrigation.