pvc chicken tractor

[sweetshoplady]

I am hoping that someone will tell me how to build a chicken tractor out of pvc. I put one together and it really is not staying together. The birds I put in there can get out. I lost a chick today because the wee ones could get out but mama couldn't. I would really like to have one that I could put some meat birds in, like those color rangers.

Also, easy to follow door instructions for one would be much appreciated.

 

[quercus21]

I just want to write so I don't loose your post and my husband can write to you later his evening. He built a PVC tractor and it worked real well. We raised 45 meat bird over the summer in two batches. He just moved it a little bit on the lawn everyday. He doesn't have plans, but he saw some people who had one on their farm and stopped to look at it and then put it together. It was fairly inexpensive and we just covered with a tarp and a shade tarp.

 

[Kathy1]

we put together a little run for them , it is really a tractor run, but we used pipe adhesive to keep the joints together and then plastic zipped tied the plastic netting to the frame. I put it up against their chick n hutch and cut a flap for the door to go against the coop door. When I decied to move it I can easly close the flap with velcro strips or zips ( which would have to be cut everytime you open ) , Itoo was looking for pvc door directions.

 

[crazyhen]

The 2008 aug-Oct issue of Organic Gardening has a neat one on page 80 under their closer look section by Abigal Poulete. It also has a curved door. It is hoop shaped . A green metal body and pvc looking frame for the door and netting. the tractor design was by Ed Rains. Maybe the organic gardening paople can help you get a picture, or he may have a site. I have not checked. Jean

 

[quercus21]

sweetshoplady
Here is a site that might better explain how to make the door hinges: http://www.pvcplans.com/

Our tractor is approximately 6' wide, 11' long, and 4.5' tall. It is made of 3/4" PVC pipe. I used the PVC primer & PVC cement to join the PVC. The chicken wire is held in place by zip ties. I over lapped the wire on the edges. The best I can say I did with the wire is to cover everything, even if I had to over lap it. I also used the zip ties and a wooden dowel as a door closer as seen in 1 of the pictures. One of the modifications I am going to do next season is to add another door to the other end. I have the hinges already in place. The tractor was covered with a blue poly trap from 1 end to approximately 1/3 point, and a shade tarp the rest of the way. The bottom of the tractor is left open. I don't have drawings for the tractor.

Side view of our tractor

Door hinge

How the door was kept close.

How the door opens.

Front view of the tractor

The food and water support - Held 3 gallons of water and 12lbs of food.

Corner connection

The upright braces (?)

Rig line

 

[willheveland]

Quote:
you can get plans at www.pvcplans.com Will

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

THIS IS NIFTY!!! AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!

 

[BlazeJester]

I'm thinking of modifying this for my Ware Chick-n-Hutch as well and wish the pictures were still up from the girl who did this!

I'm somewhat concerned about predators being able to lift it up since PVC is so much lighter than wood, so I'm thinking of using playground sand to fill the base and possibly the upright posts as well.

For people who have done this, have you used 3/4" or 1" piping? I'd like to make a door at the end for free-ranging but not sure this will be sufficient...

All in all this looks wonderful, a $50, maybe $75 investment rather than tons of wood, nails, staple guns and tons and tons of work (as I did previously). I'm looking forward to considering this option! I just need to see if my local hardware stores sell 4-way tee joints...