Best way to add wheels to tractor?

[vermontgal]

I am trying to figure out how to add wheels to my chicken tractor, which is constructed of 1x2 lumber. The way my yard is set up, I would ideally like to have "castors" so that I can easily swivel the coop into corners. Simple wheels that go back and forth are not really right here.

If I put the castors (or wheels) under the main frame of the coop, then the coop bottom lifts off the ground - allowing chickens out.

I'd love to have 6" castor wheels.

Any ideas?

 

[BeardedChick]

I hope someone will chime in.

I bought some small lawn mower tires, but darned if I can figure out how to attach them?

 

[StPaulieGirls]

We tried casters. Not good. The wheels are too small to get any traction in our lumpy, grassy lawn. Swiveling casters were the worse: they just swiveled their way right into their own rut.

If you're planning on moving this around on uneven, grassy terrain that will probably be sodden wet from time to time, get yourself an axel with real wheels on it.

Somewhere there's a video with a slick set-up that has an axel that you kick under the tractor when you want to move it. I'll see if I can find it.

Now, if you've got a golf course for a lawn or are in the desert, maybe swiveling casters could work better for you than they did for us.

Good luck!!!

 

[cjstanman]

I've been trying to figure this out as well - haven't found anything just yet, but I did see one coop that had "flip-down" wheels and they braced it in the down position with a short board. I've also see retractable wheel kits on line.

I'll see if I can find that one thread and post the link for the flip-down setup.

 

[cjstanman]

I've been trying to figure this out as well - haven't found anything just yet, but I did see one coop that had "flip-down" wheels and they braced it in the down position with a short board. I've also see retractable wheel kits on line. I had originally bought a couple of small tires from TSC but haven't figured out how to mount them yet.

Here's the link to the thread about the flip-down wheel setup. There used to be a closeup pic on page 3 but it appears to be gone for some reason. (The link is there, but no pic any more.)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=88550&p=2

And here's a link to the wheel kits - this isn't exactly what I want, but I like the idea. I also want wheels that can flip down and engage just enough to lift the chicken tractor a couple of inches off the ground, but no more.

http://www.right-tool.com/tritawretwhe.html

 

[mikefromnh]

Harbor freight castors seem like they might work.

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=castor&Submit=Go

 

[patandchickens]

BIG (like 7-8") caster wheels might work, but still not as well as regular ole lawnmower wheels.

If you want to temporarily mount casters just for the move, consider rigging an arrangement where you pin them temporarily to the tractor frame with linchpins or bolts, then remove once tractor has gotten where it's going. You may well need to attach the casters to an additional piece of metal or wood to get this to work conveniently.

It is not at all hard, though, to maneuver a tractor with nonswivelling lawnmower wheels into corners. We do it all the time. You are lifting one end up, so it turns quite nicely on the two wheels. The only thing you cannot do is slot it straight sideways -- but as with parallel parking a car, you can get into quite tight spaces without having to actually move the wheels sideways. And of course this is much easier than parallel parking

Good luck,

Pat

 

[line-rat]

I have a chicken tractor w/caster wheels 6" tall by 2" wide. They do not work they are to narrow. they find every mole run and hole and soft spot in your lawn. unless your lawn is hard as a rock.

 

[willheveland]

I don't think swivel castors will work good on grass in a yard or pasture.Metal centered lawnmower wheels will work fine but you will have to block up the end your putting the wheels on so you are dragging on the wheels not the bottom of the coop.It doesn't have to be much,maybe the thickness of a dimentional 2x4. Will

 

[al6517]

your biggest problem will be trying to attach anything that has to carry weight or handle any sort of force on a 1'x2' piece of wood. the 1x2's are just not even strong enough to fasten them to any wheel type. you are going to have to reinforce that portion of the tractor first, but without a pic it's a little hard to think through it.