You can cut your own tin by reversing the blade in a circular saw so that the blade is running backwards. It makes a very smooth cut. You must use hearing protection when cutting tin in this manner. It will save you paying someone else to do what you can do yourself.
Josh, I want to thank you for this video. Back in Late August/Early September, we got our first batch of meat birds ever. We knew that we had to keep them away from our egg layers. I was searching for a cost-effective mobile coop and stumbled across this one. I do have to say that it was super easy to build and fit what we needed perfectly. Ours is 4'x8' and has been slightly modified, but the concept mirrors yours. When we have chickens in there it moves every day and goes around the backyard perfectly. We love the fact that the maintenance on it is virtually zero and the climate has no real effect on it. I look forward to using it 2 times a year for many many years to come.
As an Ironworker I have plenty of times working with steel sheeting on roofs. I know that galvanized sheeting gets extremely hot in the sun, white sheeting reflex the suns heat much better take my word for it
Yep the problem we have seen with the white rubber roofs is they cannot be around rooftop AC units it reflects so much heat it will melt the ac coils in hot areas
Hey you may want to reconsider a completely covered roof again Joel Salatin dose 25% mesh on top so the sun can disinfect the birds on a daily basis. Just a quick suggestion
Good one. I really like the PVC frame but don't like the exposed tin around the edge. Looks like a long knife waiting for something to cut. I made a pine framed mobile coop for my cousin's kids and covered it with chicken wire like that. It took about 5 minutes for her poodle to break through it to play with the chickens. (No-one was hurt except for my pride.) I ended up using a couple of galvanized wire (1/4 in) fence panels and they worked well. The dog still tried to get in but never succeeded.
nice coop. i did a 4x8 hoop house and lined it with garden wire/chicken wire and a tarp over that. i just lift it up every day and let the chickens out. they return every night.
Hi, Thanks for showing a coop done with different material! Saw a lot of coops but always done with wood which has its own weight - and gets destroyed through the years! Think I will try it with these kind of pipes too! Regards from your new subscriber from Germany
I have an old 18v Milwaukee set...Sawsall, Drill, light, and circular saw. It is over 30 years old and still have 2 of the original batteries. Love cordless stuff. I am going to contact Vannon Batteries and see if they have batteries for me.
I built a pvc tractor about three years ago. It didn’t last more than one season. The sun in Oklahoma is too strong, not to mention the winds here. I now have mine constructed out of 2x2 severe weather pretreated lumber. Not too heavy and I have a corrugated tin roof on them. They are on wooden skids.
Bridget Glass mine is a Salatin style tractor. I’m adding a wheel jack on the back end this year to make it even easier to move. The jack in putting on is like the one Sow The Land has on his Suscovich type tractor.
great idea, when i do mine i’ll raise one end higher then the other for rain water run off and i’d utilise a portion of the PVC that is used as the frame but use it as a food feeder buy drilling some holes into it so it’s has a dual use as frame and a feeder.
I would suggest making the pen a little taller. I've tried both heights and higher was much easier to work the birds. Sometimes you really have to catch one. For your door: might be able to make slots for the sides of the door to fit in and use the ridges of the piece behind for the slides to keep it in place. A slot on the end would be needed so when the door is closed nothing can lift up the door and pull it out of the slots on the sides. Usually we just used hinges and wooden doors but that is much heavier. Our birds like to have perches too.
I'm thinking about making one of these this year. Been watching these videos over and over. I'm thinking 16 T's for mine. I would have vertical center braises where your cross beam is and then two cross beams going on either side of the center vertical braise. I'm thinking for the door use a slot on the tin and screws on one of the cross beams to keep it down but able to slide. Not sure if it will work the way I'm planning. Great videos, thank you for these.
I love this set up man. I’m thinking of attaching a feeder to the side with screws for easy fill. 8x8 nice hangar for waterer…maybe double door hinge with drawer handle on top for door.
Glad I seen this been watching your videos since yesterday and always wonder how u made the PVC house for chicken thanks so much going do that for my chicks when they get older
Love it man, it's a nice idea to use the pvc piping. I want to do the same, but I want them to tractor out my ground (and hopefully destroy our invasive grasses) in the process, so we can build growspaces where the chickens were. Love the system, keep it up, regards from South Africa.
I was doing it 5 years now i made mine from 1x1 square tube my chicken meat taste great and i have a gas free lawn mower lol I put insulation below my tin roof to stay cool in hot summer days
For a door for your mobile coop, I was thinking of just fastening the roofing material to a piece of paneling. You can just lay it on top or use a hinge.
One point that may interest you,,,, if you put on the primary metal roofing , then add stringers and put another layer of Metal sheeting, the radiated heat will be broken and provide much cooler cover for the area.
I use 5 gallon buckets with chicken nipples on the bottom for watering. They can't crap in their water. I attached hoses to each bucket running to a manifold on the main line. I just open a valve to refill. A trough heater keeps each one from freezing in the winter. 5 gallon buckets with big enough holes and eyelet bolts serve as great feeders. They peck the bolt and the food falls. It's rodent and weather proof. They can't crap in it. I'm thinking about making A frame tractors as wide as a garden row to let the chickens weed and fertilize my garden but restrict their access to the vegetables. The PVC might be a great addition to my plan.
I'm not sure how to attach the plans or pics. For watering, go to a co-op or Tractor Supply and ask for chicken nipples. You screw them into the bottom of the hanging 5 gallon water bucket. I later evolved that to a wire shelf. The handles gave out over time. I cut a hole near the top of the bucket just big enough for the hose and electric line from the trough heater. Don't cut the hole in the lid. Chickens get up there and crap on the lids. I leave a hose attached to a hose baffle to switch on and off which water bucket I'm filling. I do not leave that attached in the winter for freezing reasons. I put on a quick disconnect for that. I never put in the garden. You build a pvc rectangle as wide as your rows are spaced and as long as your rows. In the middle of the short sides, put a T and a vertical post about 3ft. Connect the verticals with a long pvc and 2 90s. Use chicken wire to make a long A frame and close the ends. Rig up a door to get them in and out. Move it from row to row as needed.
lol....I can't say I've ever thought about washing it lol...stays pretty clean....why would you wash a chicken coop...this is probably the most interesting comment I've had on this vid...thanks so much !
Nice coop! Tin is easy to cut yourself!! Im a girl and i do it. You definitely need ear plugs, eye protection, long sleeve shirt, jeans. I cut it wrong side up on plywood, so ridges are down. I use my old skill saw with a diablo blade. Zip zip
Good design. I see two points for improvement. First since pvc is hollow and light adding a fill at the top and a drain at the bottom would allow for adding water weight to prevent moving in storms. Second, poultry netting/chicken wire does little to stop predators. Upgrading to 1/2" hardware cloth would be more resistant and only add a couple of pounds to the overall weight.
Some of my farmer friends have had a taller homemade version of this for 15 years. It is about 4 feet tall x 7 feet long by 3 feet wide. It has 3 raised nest boxes built in one end and I believe they put only 3 chickens per coop. I they had wooden frames and wheels to move them. The wheels barely got them above or even with the ground.
seems like a huge waste of time and material for 3 chickens per coop....however this is for meat birds..not layers so we're talking about a totally different setup for sure
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer it might be a waste of time but they kill the insects on the pasture or lawn and aerate that section of ground. They also fertilize that small section of ground, not as helpful for a large pasture but is good for the smaller lawn. And most importantly the chickens are healthier. Just have to move often so they don’t damage the lawn. A local farmer sells them to the other farmers for the ones that don’t want to make their own. It is best for a mini farm.
per your request, your tin door is unsupported, so a lightweight frame is needed on top, then design so handle is on the adjoining end over other panel. Simply lift and drag back over the adjoining panel. You may want to use some sort of steel tubing to add weight, if you have wind in the area or design latches so it is secure when the wind comes up. Change screws if necessary on bottom panel with a round head self taping so when sliding the top panel it does not catch....
don't need to add weight buddy...the coop is well over 250lbs....been through 3 NC hurricanes now without issue...I see your other comment...now as for the door..it does need a flap or slider for sure
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer Yeah, I was only speaking of the one panel (as far as weight) but latches would keep your sliding panel secure. Looks like your portable coop is the way to go.. And Well Done.
I made one years ago that was to tall and as the years go by its to heavy for me to move... lol Never thought to make a low profile one. Been trying to catch up on all your videos in my coffee breakfast times in the morning. Fun watching you get things done
if you're having problems with moving the chicken tractor, try throwing scratch feed down on the leading edge of the tractor. The chickens will go to the leading edge to feed so you can move the tractor forward. Repeat as necessary.
I love the look of this cage, but it would never work here on our farm in NE TX, for several reasons. If we built this cage, the predators would rip through this chicken wire... we have to use heavier hardware cloth. And the wind would blow it away during any storms. We need enough weight to keep it on the ground. And the tin roof would turn our birds into roasted chickens, so we use PVC panels.
Easily remedied: 1 Use hardware cloth as stated. 2. Fill the bottom PVC with sand for weight. 3 Put a layer of the sheet insulation 1" x 4x8 underneath the corrugated sheet metal.
Like the way you reach out to your subscribers. I just saw you site and was impressed by the way you select your videos. You caught my attention and will be looking forward to viewing all your postings.
Thank you so much for the information about the quantity of what is recommended for that chicken coop you maid. Cuts down on so much work of counting how much pipe and all that extra stuff we need to build it 🤣🤣🤣... Much love all the way from Las Vegas NV. P.S Hope you and your family are staying save due to this crazy virus 🦠..
Josh take a one by three board and put under your metal top where your doors going to be, cut it to fit between the pipe and add couple of flat aluminum plate and fasten it to the one end of one by three and to the top of your PVC pipe. Then take some one by two and make you a door frame that will fit between the pipe and passion your metal roofing material to the frame and put hinges on it, on the inside. PVC pipe screw on the some aluminum angle iron for the door to rest on. Where you are using your hanger hooks put a locking nylon nuts on them, this well innate the need for a double nut ..
Make the cub higher so you can make a workable, standing area with less stress when cleaning the waterer, I’m old farmer from Jamaica, I know the full hundred
Things that I would improve upon. To add weight use 10 lbs dumbbell disks as wheels at the corners. Use electric fence perimeter wire, space it with vertical 2" PVC pipes at the corners and middle. Keep it charged up with a solar panel. Use latch hinges and rivet them on. Run a water hose for the automatic chicken waterer and a mister nozzle in a corner on a timer. Soak the feed overnight and just dump it on the grass in a line, saves about 25% more $ vs dry.
I like the idea of a slider for your door and make sure you put a handle on it because that aluminum gets sharp on the edge and you it’s just better to have like a handle and then that way I can slide it off and slide it back easier without cutting your hand
Use 2" or 1" pipe to create a frame and hinge the frame, you can secure the tin to the pipe as you have done already. That will work just fine. If you had angled the roof an inch you could have collected the rain water reducing chores.
I don't wanna argue with ya...but you're simply wrong....brighter colors reflect light...darker colors absorb it....the lighter the color the cooler the coop my friend
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer I learned this from many years under Easy Ups at Off -Road races. Stand under a White Tarp, A Blue Tarp, A Black Tarp and A Forest Green Tarp. As a long time Building Contractor we learned this lesson with Roofing colors. On a side note, I just finished a Sheep Shed for my Pasture in PVC framing and will be building a 'Chickin' Tractor like you have done. Been watching several of your videos and thoroughly enjoy them.
I like the idea of using PVC for the coop. I've been thinking about getting some chicks myself and wanted to make a mobile unit. This is a great idea. For the door, I was thinking of using 1/2" pvc to make the frame. Then use electrical conduit holders to screw them down to the 4" pipe. This would allow you to have a hinge of sorts The advantage of using the 1/2" would allow you to have a ridge in the center to help angle the tin to make the water run off (not that it really matters in this small unit). This would also allow you to make all panels become a door ;)
Great looking tractor. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you add another layer of wire siding, but attached to the inside of the 4" pvc. This will give the "walls" depth (stay with the 4" pvc), so a coon or possum or fox cannot reach through and grab a sleeping bird by a leg, wing, neck, etc. AND THEY WILL. Doesn't matter that it hasn't happened yet, the preds will find your delicious birds. I also recommend, for that inner layer, you use something much more stout that chicken wire, like hardware cloth. A determined coon will tear through chicken wire like it was cheese cloth. In the future, i would use the hardware cloth for both inner and outer layers. Yes, I have learned all this the hard way. Great demo!
Remember the one year we had rats. They chewed one leg off several small small chicks. Made them easy targets as they aged. One thing I would add is a way to keep this from going airborne if the wind blows.
I definitely agree about the hardware cloth. We have skunks, racoons, possums, coyotes, bobcats, and many many snakes that can go right through that chicken wire. I would be concerned about critters where we live tunneling under that coop, but it could work well where you live. Clever design.
Hey josh been enjoying the videos. I actually live not far from you I’m in tobaccoville. I use to love those dewalt tools also, I suggest when it’s time to get new ones get a Milwaukee set they are in my opinion best bang for the buck. If your going to be building a bunch in the future it will be worth the investment. I also see you going far on RUclips and on your farm. Keep it up brother
Thank you for your educational videos. I got my chicks from Meyers hatchery. I'm a vet and you are awesome! Lol I how you support vet farmers. My classmate in college has 25k acres to farm and had to leave class early ecause he cant afford to hire someone.
Believe it or not...held up great in the wind ...we had 2 hurricanes blow through this year and it sat right on the ground stable and steady...it weighs about $250lbs ish
Wheels become plow points in the mud...don't forget. This skims along wet ground with ease...put wheels on it and you'll be fighting with it. Remember back in the old days...like the movie Old Yeller....folks used drags in the garden for harvesting...because wheels would tear up the land
Have you considered water nipples and leave the bucket on top. Love the coojust realized you should of used gray or black PVC. Sun will eat up the white pvc
Thank you for your videos. Good job!i would have a smaller lid area to access watering, feed, and chicken portal. A tower with a swing set be good for birds to hang out on the green mile. Use roof to catch rain pvc gutters be made to be the watering trough? Good tractor video too, keep them coming.
I can attest to the explosion of grass, we can still see the green stripes where we ran the birds compared to where we did not. It’s amazing how fast the grass grows back. We run our egg layers now, next year meaties, can’t wait.
I would measure the tin first and cut PVC to size of tin. Instead of cutting the tin, I would cut the Pvc (i.e. two full pieces of tin). I would also frame one panel of tin with wood and make a door. Also if chickens are hungry enough, I could just pick up the coop and access that way. Like what you are doing. LIke the ingenuity of it all. Good for you.
Tin is ordered to the size I specify...so I'm not cutting any metal..it's all done at the store....costs less and no waste. If ya lift the coop up..you risk crushing a bird. The top is a pretty easy problem to handle...I just didn't take the time do do it lol...thanks for the great comment and ideas for sure! Josh
I live on a suburban block, my 4 chooks free range the whole yard. I find running the mower over the grass every couple of weeks with the blade set high mulches up the poop and prevents swarms of flies. Lawn looks happy too
how do you keep the hawks from getting them. I too am in burbs and considering getting chickens as well. A friend had some and had to be out back guarding them whenever she let them out.
I wanted to do something like this for my rabbits and I am glad I saw this because it cuts my amount of pipe in half. I was going to make 6 frames, cover them in wire and wire them together. My framing idea didn't involve T's. I will draw out one of these and see if I can come up with a better option.
I really like the pvc chicken coop. Just a suggestion : could you use the bottom pvc pipes as a water trough? You could use the roof to collect rain water and it would add weight for the coop to remain in place. Simply add an overflow, a filler valve and a drain valve ..it would add extra work every day having to drain the system before relocating.
easy enough to keep a 5 gallon waterer inside and lift it out when I move..that also draws the birds toward the waterer or feeder so they follow ya. Draining and refilling and all that would be time consuming and heavy and simply would make this harder than it needs to be
Folks don't forget! For daily livestreams come join us on the livestream channel here: ruclips.net/user/StoneyRidgeFarmerLIVESTREAMS
What about in a high wind storm? Wouldn’t it be more prone to damage or lift off?
You can cut your own tin by reversing the blade in a circular saw so that the blade is running backwards. It makes a very smooth cut. You must use hearing protection when cutting tin in this manner. It will save you paying someone else to do what you can do yourself.
Lane Claypool or cut it with wire
@@danfaller1089 cut with wire? How? Interesting
Or just buy a proper blade for the circular saw that is meant for metal...
Yeah, you can buy 4 1/2" or 7" cut off wheels that will fit a circular saw.
Angle grinder
Josh, I want to thank you for this video. Back in Late August/Early September, we got our first batch of meat birds ever. We knew that we had to keep them away from our egg layers. I was searching for a cost-effective mobile coop and stumbled across this one. I do have to say that it was super easy to build and fit what we needed perfectly. Ours is 4'x8' and has been slightly modified, but the concept mirrors yours. When we have chickens in there it moves every day and goes around the backyard perfectly. We love the fact that the maintenance on it is virtually zero and the climate has no real effect on it. I look forward to using it 2 times a year for many many years to come.
how do you keep predators from getting to them?
As an Ironworker I have plenty of times working with steel sheeting on roofs. I know that galvanized sheeting gets extremely hot in the sun, white sheeting reflex the suns heat much better take my word for it
I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING!!!!!!!
Yep the problem we have seen with the white rubber roofs is they cannot be around rooftop AC units it reflects so much heat it will melt the ac coils in hot areas
@@seandrake7534 who talking about ac units we're talking about a chicken pen
Excellent job
I love it 🇵🇸❤️🕊
Respect and love from Palestine 🇵🇸
Just made on out of 2" PVC. Turned out great. Thanks for the idea.
Well presented; love the project. No unnecessary chat; straight to it. Good job man!
Hey you may want to reconsider a completely covered roof again Joel Salatin dose 25% mesh on top so the sun can disinfect the birds on a daily basis. Just a quick suggestion
adam armstrong they have outside time everyday
SO IN SHORT , NO HE DIDNT THINK OF IT
corect!!! Sun is life!
FARM GIRL WOULD USE HEAVY DUTY GORILLA TAPE FOR HINGE AND DOLLAR STORE BUNGIE TO CLOSE. ;)
BE HAPPY AND PROSPER 🤟
adam armstrong
Completely agree with your suggestion. Those chicken need sun to get vitamin D.
Good one. I really like the PVC frame but don't like the exposed tin around the edge. Looks like a long knife waiting for something to cut. I made a pine framed mobile coop for my cousin's kids and covered it with chicken wire like that. It took about 5 minutes for her poodle to break through it to play with the chickens. (No-one was hurt except for my pride.) I ended up using a couple of galvanized wire (1/4 in) fence panels and they worked well. The dog still tried to get in but never succeeded.
"Your neighbors will think you're a crazy person."
Love it! I subscribed just because of that statement!
lol welcome to the channel!
this is fabulous JUST ONE THING .......old car seatbelts make the most amazing outdoors cheap easy hinge, ideas from AUS.
No smell, no flies, free fertilizer, AND my neighbors will think I'm crazy??? Man, so many wins! x-D
That's a great design 😀
Lol that's especially why I wan TV it lol lol
@@hihoney1122x-D
Swivel wing closures would be easy. The chickens will be hot with the sun blazing on a tin roof. Love the grasss mowing fertilizer part.
.ة حعك٧تكغمجعتحهههلكخغطهع
I may do this, but add some height for roosting space
I am 67 and I built a 20x20x8 pen with coop and it's awesome!
Great information, thank you…! I personally would just leave the access tin loose and put a stone or brick on it, that’s what I do now; hassle free
nice coop. i did a 4x8 hoop house and lined it with garden wire/chicken wire and a tarp over that. i just lift it up every day and let the chickens out. they return every night.
Hi,
Thanks for showing a coop done with different material! Saw a lot of coops but always done with wood which has its own weight - and gets destroyed through the years! Think I will try it with these kind of pipes too!
Regards from your new subscriber from Germany
I have an old 18v Milwaukee set...Sawsall, Drill, light, and circular saw. It is over 30 years old and still have 2 of the original batteries. Love cordless stuff. I am going to contact Vannon Batteries and see if they have batteries for me.
I built a pvc tractor about three years ago. It didn’t last more than one season. The sun in Oklahoma is too strong, not to mention the winds here.
I now have mine constructed out of 2x2 severe weather pretreated lumber. Not too heavy and I have a corrugated tin roof on them. They are on wooden skids.
Terri M can you show me your coop? I have 50 broilers and need something lighter than what I have. In north Texas.
Bridget Glass mine is a Salatin style tractor. I’m adding a wheel jack on the back end this year to make it even easier to move. The jack in putting on is like the one Sow The Land has on his Suscovich type tractor.
great idea, when i do mine i’ll raise one end higher then the other for rain water run off and i’d utilise a portion of the PVC that is used as the frame but use it as a food feeder buy drilling some holes into it so it’s has a dual use as frame and a feeder.
I would suggest making the pen a little taller. I've tried both heights and higher was much easier to work the birds. Sometimes you really have to catch one. For your door: might be able to make slots for the sides of the door to fit in and use the ridges of the piece behind for the slides to keep it in place. A slot on the end would be needed so when the door is closed nothing can lift up the door and pull it out of the slots on the sides. Usually we just used hinges and wooden doors but that is much heavier. Our birds like to have perches too.
Was sent here to check you out by lazy dayz ahead (jessie and lisa) thanks for sharing
very cool
I'm thinking about making one of these this year. Been watching these videos over and over. I'm thinking 16 T's for mine. I would have vertical center braises where your cross beam is and then two cross beams going on either side of the center vertical braise. I'm thinking for the door use a slot on the tin and screws on one of the cross beams to keep it down but able to slide. Not sure if it will work the way I'm planning.
Great videos, thank you for these.
I loved that idea of moving the feeder to the area where you want them
I love this set up man. I’m thinking of attaching a feeder to the side with screws for easy fill. 8x8 nice hangar for waterer…maybe double door hinge with drawer handle on top for door.
So smart you will do well cause you look like a super smart person we used to raise our own food but now live in the city
Hi great presentation thanks. I’m hoping that you also raise hens for eggs so we can see how you build a cool coop for the long-living chickies!
Glad I seen this been watching your videos since yesterday and always wonder how u made the PVC house for chicken thanks so much going do that for my chicks when they get older
Love it man, it's a nice idea to use the pvc piping. I want to do the same, but I want them to tractor out my ground (and hopefully destroy our invasive grasses) in the process, so we can build growspaces where the chickens were. Love the system, keep it up, regards from South Africa.
I was doing it 5 years now i made mine from 1x1 square tube my chicken meat taste great and i have a gas free lawn mower lol
I put insulation below my tin roof to stay cool in hot summer days
For a door for your mobile coop, I was thinking of just fastening the roofing material to a piece of paneling. You can just lay it on top or use a hinge.
One point that may interest you,,,, if you put on the primary metal roofing , then add stringers and put another layer of Metal sheeting, the radiated heat will be broken and provide much cooler cover for the area.
I use 5 gallon buckets with chicken nipples on the bottom for watering. They can't crap in their water. I attached hoses to each bucket running to a manifold on the main line. I just open a valve to refill. A trough heater keeps each one from freezing in the winter.
5 gallon buckets with big enough holes and eyelet bolts serve as great feeders. They peck the bolt and the food falls. It's rodent and weather proof. They can't crap in it.
I'm thinking about making A frame tractors as wide as a garden row to let the chickens weed and fertilize my garden but restrict their access to the vegetables. The PVC might be a great addition to my plan.
George Seagrave I would like to see a picture of your freezless watering and garden tractor rig for fertilizing row crop
I'm not sure how to attach the plans or pics. For watering, go to a co-op or Tractor Supply and ask for chicken nipples. You screw them into the bottom of the hanging 5 gallon water bucket. I later evolved that to a wire shelf. The handles gave out over time. I cut a hole near the top of the bucket just big enough for the hose and electric line from the trough heater. Don't cut the hole in the lid. Chickens get up there and crap on the lids. I leave a hose attached to a hose baffle to switch on and off which water bucket I'm filling. I do not leave that attached in the winter for freezing reasons. I put on a quick disconnect for that.
I never put in the garden. You build a pvc rectangle as wide as your rows are spaced and as long as your rows. In the middle of the short sides, put a T and a vertical post about 3ft. Connect the verticals with a long pvc and 2 90s. Use chicken wire to make a long A frame and close the ends. Rig up a door to get them in and out. Move it from row to row as needed.
I BUILT A 3 FT BY 6 FT 2 IN PVC PORTABLE CHICKEN COUP 🐔. CAN'T WAIT TO TRY IT.
Was thinking similar. Nice knowing I’m not the only one thinking of pvc pipe as framing. Easy to wash.
lol....I can't say I've ever thought about washing it lol...stays pretty clean....why would you wash a chicken coop...this is probably the most interesting comment I've had on this vid...thanks so much !
Nice coop!
Tin is easy to cut yourself!! Im a girl and i do it.
You definitely need ear plugs, eye protection, long sleeve shirt, jeans.
I cut it wrong side up on plywood, so ridges are down. I use my old skill saw with a diablo blade. Zip zip
doesn't matter if ur a girl and you can do it...why would I cut my tin when I can order it to the exact size for cheaper and not waste any tin ?
Good design. I see two points for improvement. First since pvc is hollow and light adding a fill at the top and a drain at the bottom would allow for adding water weight to prevent moving in storms.
Second, poultry netting/chicken wire does little to stop predators. Upgrading to 1/2" hardware cloth would be more resistant and only add a couple of pounds to the overall weight.
Do you think adding the water weight would prevent raccoons from getting in? Should I put a skirt around the bottom too?
solar electric fence!
What if you did Justin Roads moving waterer right in the frame of the coop?! Stacking systems!
Your a genius stony Ridge farmer.Happy chicken raising.
Some of my farmer friends have had a taller homemade version of this for 15 years. It is about 4 feet tall x 7 feet long by 3 feet wide. It has 3 raised nest boxes built in one end and I believe they put only 3 chickens per coop. I they had wooden frames and wheels to move them. The wheels barely got them above or even with the ground.
seems like a huge waste of time and material for 3 chickens per coop....however this is for meat birds..not layers so we're talking about a totally different setup for sure
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer it might be a waste of time but they kill the insects on the pasture or lawn and aerate that section of ground. They also fertilize that small section of ground, not as helpful for a large pasture but is good for the smaller lawn. And most importantly the chickens are healthier. Just have to move often so they don’t damage the lawn. A local farmer sells them to the other farmers for the ones that don’t want to make their own. It is best for a mini farm.
per your request, your tin door is unsupported, so a lightweight frame is needed on top, then design so handle is on the adjoining end over other panel. Simply lift and drag back over the adjoining panel. You may want to use some sort of steel tubing to add weight, if you have wind in the area or design latches so it is secure when the wind comes up. Change screws if necessary on bottom panel with a round head self taping so when sliding the top panel it does not catch....
don't need to add weight buddy...the coop is well over 250lbs....been through 3 NC hurricanes now without issue...I see your other comment...now as for the door..it does need a flap or slider for sure
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer Yeah, I was only speaking of the one panel (as far as weight) but latches would keep your sliding panel secure. Looks like your portable coop is the way to go.. And Well Done.
I made one years ago that was to tall and as the years go by its to heavy for me to move... lol Never thought to make a low profile one. Been trying to catch up on all your videos in my coffee breakfast times in the morning. Fun watching you get things done
I did the same thing. Glad I'm not the only one.
if you're having problems with moving the chicken tractor, try throwing scratch feed down on the leading edge of the tractor. The chickens will go to the leading edge to feed so you can move the tractor forward. Repeat as necessary.
I love the look of this cage, but it would never work here on our farm in NE TX, for several reasons. If we built this cage, the predators would rip through this chicken wire... we have to use heavier hardware cloth. And the wind would blow it away during any storms. We need enough weight to keep it on the ground. And the tin roof would turn our birds into roasted chickens, so we use PVC panels.
Easily remedied: 1 Use hardware cloth as stated. 2. Fill the bottom PVC with sand for weight. 3 Put a layer of the sheet insulation 1" x 4x8 underneath the corrugated sheet metal.
Like the way you reach out to your subscribers. I just saw you site and was impressed by the way you select your videos. You caught my attention and will be looking forward to viewing all your postings.
Awesome!! Welcome to the channel!!!
Looks like based on joel salatin idea. seems like a great idea for small sustainable farming. Thanks for the videos!!
Joel is using aluminium now because the emisitivity is 1/4 that of steel roofs (too hot).
What a cool idea! Easy peasy cheap and lightweight. I'm going to make myself one of these.
lol...well no longer cheap with prices on PVC the way they are nowadays...crazy how much pipe has gone up in price
I absolutely love this idea.. I've been playing around with the idea of having chickens.. and I think this would work great for my front yard
With a grass runway for the ranch. This is a perfect solution for free range chicken grazing while fertilizing the grass. ~ your neighbor
Thank you so much for the information about the quantity of what is recommended for that chicken coop you maid. Cuts down on so much work of counting how much pipe and all that extra stuff we need to build it 🤣🤣🤣... Much love all the way from Las Vegas NV. P.S Hope you and your family are staying save due to this crazy virus 🦠..
Like the way you built that chicken coop like that Old Willis Jeep I have a 48 mile Willis Jeep Church Point Louisiana
Josh take a one by three board and put under your metal top where your doors going to be, cut it to fit between the pipe and add couple of flat aluminum plate and fasten it to the one end of one by three and to the top of your PVC pipe. Then take some one by two and make you a door frame that will fit between the pipe and passion your metal roofing material to the frame and put hinges on it, on the inside. PVC pipe screw on the some aluminum angle iron for the door to rest on. Where you are using your hanger hooks put a locking nylon nuts on them, this well innate the need for a double nut ..
Very grand place for chicks......good job Josh.....
Have used old leather gloves for hinges cut off a finger screw both ends cheep works grate for years
Nice to hear original music and not tired old stock songs!
Make the cub higher so you can make a workable, standing area with less stress when cleaning the waterer, I’m old farmer from Jamaica, I know the full hundred
Thanks mate, much better than wood. Thanks for the detailed instructions, very useful.
Things that I would improve upon. To add weight use 10 lbs dumbbell disks as wheels at the corners. Use electric fence perimeter wire, space it with vertical 2" PVC pipes at the corners and middle. Keep it charged up with a solar panel. Use latch hinges and rivet them on. Run a water hose for the automatic chicken waterer and a mister nozzle in a corner on a timer. Soak the feed overnight and just dump it on the grass in a line, saves about 25% more $ vs dry.
They love wet feed. They will run for it.
I hear going a step further and actually sprouting the seeds will make your chickens shine with health. (literally)
@@rosecoward3292 yes fermented chicken feed is a thing now. As is sprouts. I will be doing that with my layers too!
Good idea! Or use old brake pads.
I like the idea of a slider for your door and make sure you put a handle on it because that aluminum gets sharp on the edge and you it’s just better to have like a handle and then that way I can slide it off and slide it back easier without cutting your hand
Use 2" or 1" pipe to create a frame and hinge the frame, you can secure the tin to the pipe as you have done already. That will work just fine. If you had angled the roof an inch you could have collected the rain water reducing chores.
Why would I need to angle the roof if the coop is on a hillside?
Forest Green Roofing works best for heat reduction. Enjoy your channel!
I don't wanna argue with ya...but you're simply wrong....brighter colors reflect light...darker colors absorb it....the lighter the color the cooler the coop my friend
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer I learned this from many years under Easy Ups at Off -Road races. Stand under a White Tarp, A Blue Tarp, A Black Tarp and A Forest Green Tarp. As a long time Building Contractor we learned this lesson with Roofing colors. On a side note, I just finished a Sheep Shed for my Pasture in PVC framing and will be building a 'Chickin' Tractor like you have done. Been watching several of your videos and thoroughly enjoy them.
So cool!! Is there a modification you would recommend for doing this type of set up for egg laying hens?
Great idea with the drain pipe as a frame. I added this to my list of projects
Go for it!
I like the idea of using PVC for the coop. I've been thinking about getting some chicks myself and wanted to make a mobile unit. This is a great idea.
For the door, I was thinking of using 1/2" pvc to make the frame. Then use electrical conduit holders to screw them down to the 4" pipe. This would allow you to have a hinge of sorts
The advantage of using the 1/2" would allow you to have a ridge in the center to help angle the tin to make the water run off (not that it really matters in this small unit). This would also allow you to make all panels become a door ;)
2" pipe sounds great I Have 100 of it and Chicken wire SHOULD work great put the one side on Wheels so it's easier to move
Awesome! It's great to see these things evolving. Great mods. Great video. Keep up the good work!
Yes the silver tin reflect heat, but also attracts heat. A earth tone color will help you my friend.
jb weld some earth magnets on pvc pipe to hold then just slide back
Hey Super, wunderbar, dass Du Dir Gedanken machst. Gefällt mir, entwickle weiter.
Great looking tractor. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you add another layer of wire siding, but attached to the inside of the 4" pvc. This will give the "walls" depth (stay with the 4" pvc), so a coon or possum or fox cannot reach through and grab a sleeping bird by a leg, wing, neck, etc. AND THEY WILL. Doesn't matter that it hasn't happened yet, the preds will find your delicious birds. I also recommend, for that inner layer, you use something much more stout that chicken wire, like hardware cloth. A determined coon will tear through chicken wire like it was cheese cloth. In the future, i would use the hardware cloth for both inner and outer layers. Yes, I have learned all this the hard way. Great demo!
C.J. Rogers n,
C.J. Rogers ,those birds are too crowded.
Remember the one year we had rats. They chewed one leg off several small small chicks. Made them easy targets as they aged.
One thing I would add is a way to keep this from going airborne if the wind blows.
Like the idea of double hard wire cloth. Predators don't give up.
I definitely agree about the hardware cloth. We have skunks, racoons, possums, coyotes, bobcats, and many many snakes that can go right through that chicken wire. I would be concerned about critters where we live tunneling under that coop, but it could work well where you live. Clever design.
The slide was my first thought ,but I would slide it back over the tin beside the door , no support needed ,good job by the by
Looks good josh, I made mine out of 2inch like you said you would have, looks like thats going to work great.
Dutch, I live in Oklahoma like you do, how will you deal with the wind with your 2" pvc coop?
Keeping It Dutch Hiyas "Dutch" I follow you on the youtubes as well 😀
Twisted Neck Jeep Co. the wind is just a whisper trying to give you the next clue.
Does the two inch hold up pretty good
Keeping It Dutch Thats not Josh, thats Stoney Ridge 🤪
i recommend backing up that chicken wire with 2"x4" fence. it really helps keep the canines from pushing through
may I suggest a leaf hinge, and a hook latch to hold the coop door down in wind....maybe a knob for easy opening...
A mobile coop of that size is definitely better made from PVC.........looks great 👍
I'm starting poultry and teach my grandkids how to do it.
looking nice it will be great to use the pipe as a feeder or a water storage also will add wight for windy days
Hey josh been enjoying the videos. I actually live not far from you I’m in tobaccoville. I use to love those dewalt tools also, I suggest when it’s time to get new ones get a Milwaukee set they are in my opinion best bang for the buck. If your going to be building a bunch in the future it will be worth the investment. I also see you going far on RUclips and on your farm. Keep it up brother
Thank you for your educational videos. I got my chicks from Meyers hatchery. I'm a vet and you are awesome! Lol I how you support vet farmers. My classmate in college has 25k acres to farm and had to leave class early ecause he cant afford to hire someone.
That even looks pretty nice compared to the wood version. I'd keep 4, 5 gal buckets around with some sand to put on the top 4 corners for gusty days.
Believe it or not...held up great in the wind ...we had 2 hurricanes blow through this year and it sat right on the ground stable and steady...it weighs about $250lbs ish
Great job. 4 years and I have 3 donkeys and a lab around my coop and not the first critter issue.
Boder collies are the best
I love the idea of the pvc coop. It's got to be way lighter to pull! Great job Josh!
moringa feed
Great idea, I have room to place six wheels on the coop and move around the farm. Thanks for the idea.
Wheels become plow points in the mud...don't forget. This skims along wet ground with ease...put wheels on it and you'll be fighting with it. Remember back in the old days...like the movie Old Yeller....folks used drags in the garden for harvesting...because wheels would tear up the land
Am in Kenya, just love ur vlog lots of information am learning. I have a farm also.
PVC in Kenya very expensive !!!!Use some bamboo.
Thanks for the battery info on top of the rest
Thanks for the idea. If you have limited grass space, how soon before you can return them to the starting grassed area?
Have you considered water nipples and leave the bucket on top.
Love the coojust realized you should of used gray or black PVC. Sun will eat up the white pvc
you sold it to me with "your neighbours will think you're a crazy person"
Awesome!
Yup.
..hahaha
Some people say crazy, I say clever!
Thank you for your videos. Good job!i would have a smaller lid area to access watering, feed, and chicken portal. A tower with a swing set be good for birds to hang out on the green mile. Use roof to catch rain pvc gutters be made to be the watering trough?
Good tractor video too, keep them coming.
bhahhaha...swing...these birds get way to big to roost bhahhhaha...remember the lid has to be big enough to get in and catch the birds too! Wooooo!!
"Plus your neighbors will think you're a crazy person"! LOL Love it!
I can attest to the explosion of grass, we can still see the green stripes where we ran the birds compared to where we did not. It’s amazing how fast the grass grows back. We run our egg layers now, next year meaties, can’t wait.
You can cut the tin with a Circular Saw Turn the Carbide-tipped blade backwards Use a full face shield go slow it cut like butter.
Cool good tip...I gotta cut some for a project here on the farm soon
Yep, that is how most do it, I think! It also works for the polycarbonate roofing.
I would measure the tin first and cut PVC to size of tin. Instead of cutting the tin, I would cut the Pvc (i.e. two full pieces of tin). I would also frame one panel of tin with wood and make a door. Also if chickens are hungry enough, I could just pick up the coop and access that way. Like what you are doing. LIke the ingenuity of it all. Good for you.
Tin is ordered to the size I specify...so I'm not cutting any metal..it's all done at the store....costs less and no waste. If ya lift the coop up..you risk crushing a bird. The top is a pretty easy problem to handle...I just didn't take the time do do it lol...thanks for the great comment and ideas for sure! Josh
Sweet Jesus those broiler chickens grow fast! Lol. I'd just get me some hinges and make one section of the tin liftable.
I live on a suburban block, my 4 chooks free range the whole yard. I find running the mower over the grass every couple of weeks with the blade set high mulches up the poop and prevents swarms of flies. Lawn looks happy too
how do you keep the hawks from getting them. I too am in burbs and considering getting chickens as well. A friend had some and had to be out back guarding them whenever she let them out.
Good work. Respect from Pakistan. Thumbs up
We raise ducks, were thinking to add meat chickens next year. This will be my chicken tractor build. Thanks, man!
One thing though, we do have predators here, I'm gonna go with hardware cloth instead of chicken wire.
Nice mobile unit that fertilize's the garden evenly.
What about snakes getting thru the bottom??
Snakes can't eat a 3lb bird in most cases...not a concern
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer Good ..... Snakes can't eat humans either but they do bite and kill...,😁
I wanted to do something like this for my rabbits and I am glad I saw this because it cuts my amount of pipe in half. I was going to make 6 frames, cover them in wire and wire them together. My framing idea didn't involve T's. I will draw out one of these and see if I can come up with a better option.
That’s just an outstanding job!!!! Those chickens are living at the Hilton!!!! It will be much easier to move and service.
I really like the pvc chicken coop. Just a suggestion : could you use the bottom pvc pipes as a water trough? You could use the roof to collect rain water and it would add weight for the coop to remain in place. Simply add an overflow, a filler valve and a drain valve ..it would add extra work every day having to drain the system before relocating.
easy enough to keep a 5 gallon waterer inside and lift it out when I move..that also draws the birds toward the waterer or feeder so they follow ya. Draining and refilling and all that would be time consuming and heavy and simply would make this harder than it needs to be
I tend to over think sometimes and forget that simple and effective is the best way.
We have too much wind at times when there are thunder storms. PVC cages blow away on our place during storms.
where are ya located
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer southern Indiana
Fill tubes with water drain move fill tubes, use those watering nipples