Tractor Wheels

[jaku]

I'm just finishing up my broiler tractor. My problem is that I put small wheels on the back of it, thinking it would help me pull it, and while they worked where I was building it, (in the garage, on concrete,) when I put in on the grass, I had to lift the thing waaaay too high just to make the wheels touch the ground. Although I CAN lift it, it's too heavy to comfortably lift and move every day, plus I don't want to wreck the thing by just dragging it along the grass without wheels. Does anyone have any suggestions as to making the broiler tractors easier to move? I could probably pull it with my lawn mower, but again, it's made of 2x2's, and I don't think it would last long if I just pulled it that way.

Thanks!

 

[reallemons1]

Don't know how it might work for you, but for mine I lift one end and put a 3" pvc pipe a couple feet wider than the pen, lift the opposite end and push, rolling the pen over the pipe. You might roll over the chickens with the pipe though. Mine learned to avoid the pipe.

 

[chickenannie]

Check Joel Salatin's website at Polyface farm. He's the original builder of those things and he often shares his little tricks and techniques for stuff like that.

Also, some people have the bottom boards set upright like skids -- kind of like a sleigh when pulled. Don't know if that's helpful or not. Could you replace the wheels with bigger ones? Or joint them, so they can be lowered?

 

[Beekissed]

I once had a tractor that we had to lift way to high in the front to pull, as we had lawn mower tires on it. We put bicycle tires on the front(pulling end) and left the small tires on the back. Worked like a dream. The larger tires attached to the top of the tractor, the smaller at the bottom. This stopped the front of the tractor from coming off the ground when we pulled it and seemed to make it easier to pull.

 

[jaku]

Thanks for the responses. I moved the wheels back about 18 inches off the back of the tractor, and repositioned them. Works great now!

 

[chickenannie]

Glad you found the solution!

 

[swiftfoot]

Quote:

wow that is pretty funny how many times did it take to learn
if mine jumped of a bridge an wasnt hurt the first time it would do it again

 

[greyfields]

It seems it takes about 4-5 "moves" of the tractor before the birds actually figure out the routine.

And, we were having a chuckle at dinner last Saturday night. According to Joel Salatin's book, I've already spent too much money on my tractors to ever hope to make money. You have to take some of his financial advice with a grain of salt.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
And I'm sure you've seen what his tractors look like too- not the prettiest. Looks like they use ALL the scrap lumber on that farm!

 

[reallemons1]

Like Greyfields said after 4 or 5 moves they kept their tootsies out of the way of the pipe. They also had to learn not to get under the sides of the tractor when I let it down off the pipe.