tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post3573370933244865779..comments2023-08-16T01:55:32.535-05:00Comments on pile of o'melays: how to build a chicken tractor cheapOmelayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09084221498316008069noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-37752465746289050242016-03-22T21:06:59.380-05:002016-03-22T21:06:59.380-05:00Jerry,
The hardware cloth stabilizes the entire f...Jerry,<br /><br />The hardware cloth stabilizes the entire frame. the self tapper screws should be fairly tight to begin with but depend on the hardware cloth to stabilize.<br />Omelayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084221498316008069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-85520191398151542902016-03-05T15:50:35.411-06:002016-03-05T15:50:35.411-06:00How do you use a nut driver to tighten the screws ...How do you use a nut driver to tighten the screws on the Pull Elbows when the nut is inside the assembly? I have the frame together and the 10' support lashed across the middle with all 3 8' cross beams lashed as well. I put 4 of the 23" from top to bottom in the middle of each of the 4 sides. It is VERY wobbly and I feel as though I have missed something. I have 4 23" poles with holes in them left and still need to apply the hardware cloth to the sides. I want it to be stable when there are chickens in it and we are moving it on the pasture. <br /><br />I read your comment that the hardware cloth will stabilize the unit a little, but does it keep it square? Will the unit bend over time if that is the case? I am not sure if you are still reading comments on this post, but I will look forward to any assistance you may offer. <br /><br />JerryJerry Storerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09516333052770960377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-72634461410179576372015-05-19T07:28:56.519-05:002015-05-19T07:28:56.519-05:00Karl,
Please take more close-up pics of the 90 - p...Karl,<br />Please take more close-up pics of the 90 - particularly on how you attached that all. The pics you currently have do not fully disclose what was done.<br />I see a screw through it from the inside corner of the 90, but the lack of detail in the image doesn't let me realize how to make that connection.<br />thanksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-10967396215507107522015-04-29T15:29:34.212-05:002015-04-29T15:29:34.212-05:00it depends on the night time temps. in early sprin...it depends on the night time temps. in early spring we would put a heat lamp in the tractor via an extension cord. <br />Omelayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084221498316008069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-56972143905881448782014-12-23T22:15:53.612-06:002014-12-23T22:15:53.612-06:00I am just staring to research raising broilers. We...I am just staring to research raising broilers. We have had layers for years. My question is after they are 3 weeks old and able to be out do you just leave them in the trailer or do you bring them in at night so they can have access to a light source? Mark & Krishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09149997009078790991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-3876681689671965162013-11-11T07:04:46.995-06:002013-11-11T07:04:46.995-06:00You have a pipe bender on your tools list, but I d...You have a pipe bender on your tools list, but I don't see it used anywhere. What's it for?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10442729131414907616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-30020943267007204692013-07-13T17:07:05.554-05:002013-07-13T17:07:05.554-05:00Can you please fix the picture of the door, it doe...Can you please fix the picture of the door, it doesn't show up. I'm curious to see how it looks. Thanks!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10442729131414907616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-30364599383001672552013-05-13T07:45:13.211-05:002013-05-13T07:45:13.211-05:00anon-
I have never owned a welder. I now have one...anon-<br /><br />I have never owned a welder. I now have one at work that I use quite often. I see your point but this design is meant for your average backyard farmer. Also, welding is so permanent. tweaking a design is impossible except by starting over.<br />A welder causes other issues besides the need to have one. The places where you weld it will begin to rust the very first year. yeah a little paint but then you are back to a similar amount of effort as simply twisting some wire.<br /><br />good luck with your tractor...<br />Omelayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084221498316008069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-40933324883089764132013-05-12T11:22:13.308-05:002013-05-12T11:22:13.308-05:00I just built one of these and it seems to be a goo...I just built one of these and it seems to be a good design. My only major feedback is that if you have access to a cheap welder and even very basic welding skills (since the forces involved are so minimal) you could save a lot of time twisting wire to attach hardware cloth, and avoid buying the pullable 90s altogether. Just weld 2 8x10 squares, then screw the 2' lengths to the insides of the corners (you could even weld that joint, but you sacrifice the adaptability to the terrain, which is a major design point. Another advantage of welds is there are fewer sharp spurs. Good design though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-74519857211713831422012-10-22T05:36:12.693-05:002012-10-22T05:36:12.693-05:00leenie,
once the hardware cloth is on it will sto...leenie,<br /><br />once the hardware cloth is on it will stop falling over. until then tighten your screws. i use a nut driver to get more leverage.<br />http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-2928-14-Piece-Power-Driver/dp/B000NPXHUM/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1350902102&sr=1-2&keywords=nut+driverOmelayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084221498316008069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-13804900060247037702012-10-21T20:47:57.885-05:002012-10-21T20:47:57.885-05:00I am building this tractor, but having a problem. ...I am building this tractor, but having a problem. I connected the 2' sections to the plates and reattached the plates to the elbows. I have all four corners attached top and bottom, but the thing keeps falling over because the 2' section and the plate are rotating on the screw. Anyone else have this problem and find a way to overcome it?leeniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15315474655138001629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-91408679981374834512012-10-21T20:46:44.905-05:002012-10-21T20:46:44.905-05:00I am building this tractor, but having a problem. ...I am building this tractor, but having a problem. I connected the 2' sections to the plates and reattached the plates to the elbows. I have all four corners attached top and bottom, but the thing keeps falling over because the 2' section and the plate are rotating on the screw. Anyone else have this problem and find a way to overcome it?leeniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15315474655138001629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-16611399635986025742011-08-23T11:17:18.518-05:002011-08-23T11:17:18.518-05:00Jason, We used wooden picket style snow fence and ...Jason, We used wooden picket style snow fence and surround tractor. The snow fence stands up by itself. Then we tip up the tractor on it's end. The chickens are contained but accessible by people. By people I mean children since that was one of our kids jobs during butcher.Omelayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084221498316008069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-38998403987589407972011-08-14T08:47:52.788-05:002011-08-14T08:47:52.788-05:00I built this tractor pretty much like you with som...I built this tractor pretty much like you with some very minor changes. I have 29 chickens in mine right now and they are 4 weeks old. They are extremely untame. How do you get yours old for slaughter? I dont want to chase them on my hands and knees and wonder if I could catch them if I raise the tractor up and let them out. Any ideas?Jasonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-37836477629003246612011-04-24T11:42:52.130-05:002011-04-24T11:42:52.130-05:00Would it be possible for you to post a better phot...Would it be possible for you to post a better photo of the door portion of this guide? It would help me greatlyUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08803430321600533102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-56662651656833503322011-04-13T09:01:40.177-05:002011-04-13T09:01:40.177-05:00Nice work and resource. Just wondering how many m...Nice work and resource. Just wondering how many mature birds this will hold comfortably?Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16173171655434784698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-63685229282657892622010-03-27T22:03:39.016-05:002010-03-27T22:03:39.016-05:00I know what your asking about the corners. It'...I know what your asking about the corners. It's the little rubber looking things wedged between the pole and the plate. I was trying tofigire what it was as well. <br />Thank you for this plan were using it as a coop run. CrystalUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03033451198426423510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-12046238469954105462010-03-02T21:23:26.224-06:002010-03-02T21:23:26.224-06:00reviewed your plans a couple of times and also had...reviewed your plans a couple of times and also had a question about the "pullable" corners. After careful study of the pictures it dawned on me that there is a long screw coming from inside of the pen to the outside which holds the verticle emt to the "pullable" corner. Am I correct on that? Enjoyed your web page. Cool family.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-20474539929497300582010-02-11T22:37:23.276-06:002010-02-11T22:37:23.276-06:00I'm finally getting around to building one of ...I'm finally getting around to building one of these. You may want to update your materials list. Your instructions take fourteen 10' sections of EMT to complete the pen (not 13). I don't see as many 23" support sections in your pictures as you describe. Perhaps they made up the extra piece. Anyway, it's coming along. I never did figure out what's on that corner in the picture, but I can live with that mystery. I hope you're all well and thanks for posting this great idea. I'll try to let you know how mine works out.wililowmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-65994893681039402362009-12-12T21:08:31.060-06:002009-12-12T21:08:31.060-06:00oh that is the corner. each pull-able 90° has a re...oh that is the corner. each pull-able 90° has a removable plate. in that photo you are seeing a screw coming through the plate from the inside of the 90°. the plate must be removed then attached to the 2' section of emt then re-attached to the die-cast portion of the 90° with the provided factory bolts. <br /><br />i hope this explains it. if not, get one of those pull-able 90°s. take it apart and it should make sense.Omelayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084221498316008069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-86899041049452448192009-12-06T00:19:12.094-06:002009-12-06T00:19:12.094-06:00Sorry, Karl, that's not what I'm looking a...Sorry, Karl, that's not what I'm looking at. The second photo in the post is looking down on a top corner of the tractor. Right down where the 2' EMT section connects to the 90 degree EMT corner. I see the screw coming through the EMT and I see the screw heads holding the cover on the "pull able" 90 degree coupling. Between each of those screw heads and the 2' EMT (on both sides of the conduit) is something. I don't see it in the photo where your son is assembling the corner. That's the first pic after the parts list. It's no big deal I just can't figure it out... which drives me nuts. Thanks!wililowmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-74427953447705449372009-12-05T18:01:52.856-06:002009-12-05T18:01:52.856-06:00my wife thought that maybe you were talking about ...my wife thought that maybe you were talking about the hopper style feeder that i built? i have yet to perfect it. so i haven't exclaimed it done and worthy of a how-to post.Omelayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084221498316008069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-67886758520506460922009-12-05T14:40:02.984-06:002009-12-05T14:40:02.984-06:00if i know what you are referring to it is a piece ...if i know what you are referring to it is a piece of heavy gauge wire as a handle for picking it up.<br /><br />if you are talking about the other end where you pick it up to wheel it around? that is a just a piece of emt bent as a handle. <br /><br />i hope that helps.Omelayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084221498316008069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-1792843642614881122009-12-04T21:54:42.615-06:002009-12-04T21:54:42.615-06:00Karl,
I enjoy your site and really like your desig...Karl,<br />I enjoy your site and really like your design. We live in the NC foothills where the land is very hilly too and I would like to give this a try. I was wondering about the detail picture of the corner. What is that between the 2' section and the screws in the pullable corner? It looks like it is wired on, but I can't quite make out what it is.<br />Thanks!wililowmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11419676.post-8705174382792310272009-07-10T07:39:36.038-05:002009-07-10T07:39:36.038-05:00There's a video about just this on Garden Girl...There's a video about just this on Garden Girl TV (youtube), if you guys want to check it out. She builds hers out of wood, but is doing exactly the same thing afa putting it in her garden.<br /><br />PS, we're loving ours so far! Haven't lost a poult since we put them in.Northwoods Babyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18122254527523776874noreply@blogger.com