Honest review of own design, warts and all. Useful, profitable innovation, shared for free. No "I talk for a living, Becky, thats what I do", or flat cap schtick. Who are you?? Please come back and post more videos. Actually .. nevermind ... if I were you I would frankly keep it to myself. people never appreciate true innovation. Just keep innovating for your enterprise, the smart ones of us will do the same. I just want to wish you well. The general population doesnt deserve you.
Having now watched to the end, I can see why you have not come back to post in 3 years. paralysis by analysis. Stop trying to make something applicable to everybody, just make something that works for you. Best I can tell, this is the only motorized chicken coop at any scale on YT other than a single example of a ridiculously small yet ridiculously expensive commercial version. You did a great thing.
Maybe harvest roof rainfall into a mesh protected rain gutter, that feeds the water tank via a basic water filter. Saves you time having to fill the tank.
As far as draining water from that tank, easiest way would be put in a reversible pump and put a quick disconnect on the fill hose. That way you could just pump it out. Awesome build series. Watched them all. Waiting for version 2.0
I want to share with you about the folks from Sow the Land...Jason makes plans and is so good at it! He may be of help to you. It takes a Village! I think you have come up with a Wonderful Wonderful invention because it will enable seniors to continue to keep their chickens. I can not pull my chickens around the farm any more after my husband passed away and it is just hard for senior ladies and gents too, I am sure to keep going when their strength is not there. Soooo Thank you Thank you! I am going to ask my children to work with me to build this. But I will need a plan and help. So I am going to see if they will come once a week to work on it. It will encourage me so much! You are brilliant and I truly believe that God gave you the inspiration and helped you to just keep going to make this! We need things like this to remain on our homesteads! Thank you!
Now you need to figure out some sort of "Roomba" vacuum cleaner navigation system for it. It could "learn" the shape of your lawn, where it could go, where it hadn't been for a while, and to turn, or reverse when it bumped something if you robbed some Roomba brains. And I think if you covered the top half of the domed roof with a tarp, but left the sides open, they'd always have shade and some rain cover, but still more than enough sunshine too. I have a coup sort of like yours, but mine only moves when you drag it, and it's almost impossible to drag by hand -- I use a tractor lawnmower. That was a good idea with the FlexSeal, I just used Kilz primer and enamel paint, but then I lay vinyl (sort of like linoleum) flooring cut to fit, but not attached -- when I go to clean it out, I lift both sides and get something like a giant turd, straw, and woodchip taco that I just drag out into a wheelbarrow. There is very little left to sweep out after the taco is out. I even can hose off the flooring out of the coup and put it back when it dries. If you made a vinyl floor like that, you could make it a few inches longer out the back door, and bend it over the gap of the top of the bottom door.
Thank you for the follow up- just watched the first video and commented- now to watch the build video. You have me thinking- use GPS fencing to keep it on my property and let it roam our 6 acres of fields like an atomic mower.
Since your spending money on convenience put up rain collection gutters that run through a filter and have an over flow and never water again. Surprised you don’t have a remote coop door
Maybe use a mesh grill as flooring for the perch area, so any droppings pass through to the ground as fertiliser and saves you time having to clean it out.
He did that on a previous design but on this one he had the electronics on underneath that side so he wanted to keep that sealed up. I was wondering if he rearrange it somehow to have the electronics covered but still have the mesh so all the droppings to pass through.
I watched all the videos JUST to see how the side covers along the ground would keep the foxes from squeezing under and also the chickens. .. I cant be the only one. Please tell us and show us how that works.
If you have farm wifi, you could use a cheap 'Shelly Cloud' wifi fully programmable relay switch. I found these hugely useful and have a simple interface. To control the door. Even once it's out of range of my home wifi, I just use my mobile phone hotspot to change its settings.
How do you keep the water fresh? I like the idea of giving my animals fresh water daily. That would be good if I go on vacation but not when I'm home and able to give them fresh water
You could just not fill the tank all of the way up and then top it off every day with fresh water. A 5 gallon bucket takes about 2 minutes to pump in so you could top it off very quickly if you wanted to keep it fresh. Thanks for watching
I am wondering to make a build cheaper, because I have yet to find a "cheap / free" motorized chair. Could you build this with only two motorized wheels? Does it need the 4 motorized wheels under the coop or could someone build the coop first then attach two wheels to the back side, and two or four castor wheels on the front (of pen) or front and middle (front of coop)? Just wondering what your thoughts are and the demand on the wheels. I like your idea, it is an idea worth trying if you can find the motorized pieces for free. Hope your automatic door worked out, i bought one, but the next I think I will build. Please make a video on how you are installing it, I know I can buy the components I am just not electrical savvy. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching! I am trying to build version 2 with only 2 motorized wheels but I am struggling to make it move well while also being heavy enough to keep the birds safe. 4 wheels definitely has the power to move it but I think I will be able to figure out a design that works with 2. Everything is on hold for a bit as life is crazy with remote schooling but I hope to have some new videos out soon.
If your magnetic door sensors were switching the power to the LED strips directly, the excessive current would likely be the cause of failure. They are only tough enough for handling signal level loads. Probably the lowest-tech way to get that system working again would be to have the sensors switch the coil on a small relay (assuming you use a snubber diode), which, in turn, switches the lights. At this point, however, you may as well go hog wild with a microcontroller and many types of sensors, mostly for the inspiration and video content value. Then, you can use the MC to detect the door state, and have it output to a TTL input relay board.
Only if the container is empty. Otherwise, the tube is filled with feed. In that case, the feed is readily available, so the rodent wouldn't have a motivation to follow the tube anyway. :)
Honest review of own design, warts and all. Useful, profitable innovation, shared for free. No "I talk for a living, Becky, thats what I do", or flat cap schtick. Who are you?? Please come back and post more videos. Actually .. nevermind ... if I were you I would frankly keep it to myself. people never appreciate true innovation. Just keep innovating for your enterprise, the smart ones of us will do the same. I just want to wish you well. The general population doesnt deserve you.
Having now watched to the end, I can see why you have not come back to post in 3 years. paralysis by analysis. Stop trying to make something applicable to everybody, just make something that works for you. Best I can tell, this is the only motorized chicken coop at any scale on YT other than a single example of a ridiculously small yet ridiculously expensive commercial version. You did a great thing.
This is actually one of the best DIY units I could find online.
Thank you!
@@FreeRangePeople you're welcomed
Maybe harvest roof rainfall into a mesh protected rain gutter, that feeds the water tank via a basic water filter. Saves you time having to fill the tank.
Wow this is most high teck chicken tractor X TEN i have watched. So cool
As far as draining water from that tank, easiest way would be put in a reversible pump and put a quick disconnect on the fill hose. That way you could just pump it out. Awesome build series. Watched them all. Waiting for version 2.0
Great idea. Thanks for watching
Looking really awesome. Congratulations. I have only one question: why do not instal automatic Chicken coop door opener with light sensor?
I want to share with you about the folks from Sow the Land...Jason makes plans and is so good at it! He may be of help to you. It takes a Village! I think you have come up with a Wonderful Wonderful invention because it will enable seniors to continue to keep their chickens. I can not pull my chickens around the farm any more after my husband passed away and it is just hard for senior ladies and gents too, I am sure to keep going when their strength is not there. Soooo Thank you Thank you! I am going to ask my children to work with me to build this. But I will need a plan and help. So I am going to see if they will come once a week to work on it. It will encourage me so much! You are brilliant and I truly believe that God gave you the inspiration and helped you to just keep going to make this! We need things like this to remain on our homesteads! Thank you!
Subscribed when I found your demo video and shared it on a few group pages on Facebook. Hope to it brings you more subscribers.
Awesome, thank you!
Now you need to figure out some sort of "Roomba" vacuum cleaner navigation system for it. It could "learn" the shape of your lawn, where it could go, where it hadn't been for a while, and to turn, or reverse when it bumped something if you robbed some Roomba brains. And I think if you covered the top half of the domed roof with a tarp, but left the sides open, they'd always have shade and some rain cover, but still more than enough sunshine too. I have a coup sort of like yours, but mine only moves when you drag it, and it's almost impossible to drag by hand -- I use a tractor lawnmower. That was a good idea with the FlexSeal, I just used Kilz primer and enamel paint, but then I lay vinyl (sort of like linoleum) flooring cut to fit, but not attached -- when I go to clean it out, I lift both sides and get something like a giant turd, straw, and woodchip taco that I just drag out into a wheelbarrow. There is very little left to sweep out after the taco is out. I even can hose off the flooring out of the coup and put it back when it dries. If you made a vinyl floor like that, you could make it a few inches longer out the back door, and bend it over the gap of the top of the bottom door.
I love the food bucket
Thank you
Thank you for the follow up- just watched the first video and commented- now to watch the build video.
You have me thinking- use GPS fencing to keep it on my property and let it roam our 6 acres of fields like an atomic mower.
This is brilliant! I love this idea
Glad you like it!
I just love this!!! Thank you so much!!!
Glad you like it!
Since your spending money on convenience put up rain collection gutters that run through a filter and have an over flow and never water again. Surprised you don’t have a remote coop door
Maybe use a mesh grill as flooring for the perch area, so any droppings pass through to the ground as fertiliser and saves you time having to clean it out.
He did that on a previous design but on this one he had the electronics on underneath that side so he wanted to keep that sealed up. I was wondering if he rearrange it somehow to have the electronics covered but still have the mesh so all the droppings to pass through.
I watched all the videos JUST to see how the side covers along the ground would keep the foxes from squeezing under and also the chickens. .. I cant be the only one.
Please tell us and show us how that works.
He mentioned a canvas skirt with heavy chains plus they go into the secured coop part at night. But I too would like to see the setup.
Thank you . Love this
You are so welcome!
Will you ever come back to YT?
I hope so
Good stuff. Thanks
If you have farm wifi, you could use a cheap 'Shelly Cloud' wifi fully programmable relay switch. I found these hugely useful and have a simple interface. To control the door. Even once it's out of range of my home wifi, I just use my mobile phone hotspot to change its settings.
gutters to fill tank maybe
How do you keep the water fresh? I like the idea of giving my animals fresh water daily. That would be good if I go on vacation but not when I'm home and able to give them fresh water
You could just not fill the tank all of the way up and then top it off every day with fresh water. A 5 gallon bucket takes about 2 minutes to pump in so you could top it off very quickly if you wanted to keep it fresh. Thanks for watching
I am wondering to make a build cheaper, because I have yet to find a "cheap / free" motorized chair. Could you build this with only two motorized wheels? Does it need the 4 motorized wheels under the coop or could someone build the coop first then attach two wheels to the back side, and two or four castor wheels on the front (of pen) or front and middle (front of coop)? Just wondering what your thoughts are and the demand on the wheels. I like your idea, it is an idea worth trying if you can find the motorized pieces for free.
Hope your automatic door worked out, i bought one, but the next I think I will build. Please make a video on how you are installing it, I know I can buy the components I am just not electrical savvy.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching! I am trying to build version 2 with only 2 motorized wheels but I am struggling to make it move well while also being heavy enough to keep the birds safe. 4 wheels definitely has the power to move it but I think I will be able to figure out a design that works with 2. Everything is on hold for a bit as life is crazy with remote schooling but I hope to have some new videos out soon.
Waiting for the cheap tractor video :P
Working on it now but won't be ready for a few months
If your magnetic door sensors were switching the power to the LED strips directly, the excessive current would likely be the cause of failure. They are only tough enough for handling signal level loads. Probably the lowest-tech way to get that system working again would be to have the sensors switch the coil on a small relay (assuming you use a snubber diode), which, in turn, switches the lights. At this point, however, you may as well go hog wild with a microcontroller and many types of sensors, mostly for the inspiration and video content value. Then, you can use the MC to detect the door state, and have it output to a TTL input relay board.
Maybe RUclips block your video so someone else could claim that they invented this coop
I would think a rodent could go in through where the chickens eat.
Only if the container is empty. Otherwise, the tube is filled with feed. In that case, the feed is readily available, so the rodent wouldn't have a motivation to follow the tube anyway. :)
I would install automatic chicken door.
Did you watch the last 2 minutes of this video?