# Chicken tractors a better way



## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

When we decided to add pastured poultry to our farm I knew I need a better solution than a typical Salitain design. There were a few goals we had in mind. 

First they had to be dual purpose, turkeys as well as chickens.

Second, I wanted to be able to walk in and out of the tractors to catch the birds. This just seemed easier than trying to dig them out. 

Third, my wife needed to be able to move them if needed so we needed a better solution to the dolly. 

This is what we came up with....










Standard 10x12 frame with chicken wire around the outside. The roof structure is schedule 40 1 1/2 PVC 











I used 1x3 welded wire for the roof structure. 

Now for the best part, it was my wife's idea to add the trailer jacks. They are dual wheel harbor freight specials that can be had for less than $20 each with a coupon. There's a rope handle in the front and the tractors move very easily and you only have to jack it up a few inches so when the birds are small they can't slip out.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

Next I used boat shrink wrap as a cover. 










I also reconfigured the door because the birds would mob me when it was feeding time. 

The next issue I had was with the trough feeder, it was insane the birds would fly up trying to get to it and knock it out of my hands so I need a fix. This is what we wound up with 










It's a 10 foot gutter cut in half mounted to each side of the tractor, it works great and now the feeders move with the tractor. I just fill them with a bucket. 

So total cost is under $250 for one and under 400 for 2 because you can use the same rolls of wire for 2 tractors.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Impressive. I love looking at pictures of designs that people have to solve their problems.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

The birds do amazingly well, we had a very successful first year. 



















If you have any questions feel free to ask I will do my best to answer them. Thanks


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Very Nice


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

In our area, we would have to use hardware cloth around the bottom and put something along the edges to keep raccoons, etc. from digging under (we have no dog). I like the size and the ease of moving it though - ours works but it's really heavy, even with wheels. Thanks for sharing.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

slingshot said:


> If you have any questions feel free to ask I will do my best to answer them. Thanks


Looks good!!
OK, how long does the shrink wrap last in the weather and Where can we find it?

Big question----is it more than the wife needs to move by herself or can she handle them like a breeze?

Any problems with wind trying to pick it up like a umbrella?

I know cornish would probably stay on the dirt but you have any plans for "roost" for the others? 

If you have a blowing rain----there is really no protection for them----you have plans for that?

I am like MZGarden----in my area the chicken wire will only slow down the dogs/animals for a few seconds-----guess you do not have that problem?


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## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

What would you estimate the weight of
one would be?


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

mzgarden said:


> In our area, we would have to use hardware cloth around the bottom and put something along the edges to keep raccoons, etc. from digging under (we have no dog). I like the size and the ease of moving it though - ours works but it's really heavy, even with wheels. Thanks for sharing.



I run the tractors behind 5 wire 8000v high tensile electric fence. That keeps pretty much everything out, if I didn't have that I would use hardware cloth for sure

I have an idea about a portable attached electric fence I came up with invade i wanted to run the tractors outside the pasture. You could also use electro net.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

moonwolf said:


> What would you estimate the weight of
> one would be?



I would say around 250ish maybe more

They are heave enough that no small animals are going to move them and not bothered by the wind what so ever.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

Fire-Man said:


> Looks good!!
> OK, how long does the shrink wrap last in the weather and Where can we find it?
> 
> Big question----is it more than the wife needs to move by herself or can she handle them like a breeze?
> ...



Ok here goes.....

1. The wrap is boat wrap that I buy at the boat and RV store they sell it but the foot. It happens to be 12 feet wide, each piece costs under $30. It's made to last in the weather, for the winter I just take it off so the snow doesn't sit on it. 

2. My wife can move it by herself, it's pure leverage she only weighs 110lbs. 

3. They are too heavy to be affected by wind, it's blowing 50 here today. 

4. The turkeys use the corner braces and the sides as roosts for now, they are BBB and will be far to big soon to roost. I have thought about putting in a very low ground roost but haven't as of yet. Maybe longer corner to corner pieces also. It's a point of discussion at this point. 

5. I live in the northeast, almost all our weather comes from the west. The pasture is only open to the north and is quite sheltered for the wind. The tractors also run north to south so what wind there is hits them on the tarp. They provide an amazing amount of cover and shade. I've hung out with the bird for a bit being caught in the rain and stay dry. 

6. We have every predator imaginable, bears, *****, foxes, coyotes, Bobcats, fisher, marten, skunks, mink pretty much anything that eats chicken. The way I deal with it is 5 wire high tensile electric fence, nothing bothers them in the pasture. I do always have a live trap set by one of the tractors, if They happen to get through the wire, hopefully they will think the trap is a way in. At this point it's been a non issue. I'm also a full time trapper in the fall and run a full line through the farm to keep the locals in check. 

I think I covered everything. Hope this helps


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

mzgarden said:


> In our area, we would have to use hardware cloth around the bottom and put something along the edges to keep raccoons, etc. from digging under (we have no dog)


What are you putting around the bottom, exactly, for diggers? Also I'm wondering why the raccoons don't just climb up the hardware cloth, to the chicken wire and break in. Perhaps I'm over estimating raccoons but we have a lot of them (and possums!) and I need to build a tractor for meaties soon.


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## idigbeets (Sep 3, 2011)

Where'd you find the double wheel jacks?


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

Nice!!

What size are the wheels? 
Jack up one end and pull from the other end?
Looks like you have pretty flat land there, which helps, along with the double wheels.

I see you have 2 different door 'threshold' designs, which works better?


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

aart said:


> Nice!!
> 
> What size are the wheels?
> Jack up one end and pull from the other end?
> ...



The wheels are heavy duty trailer jacks I think they are 5 inch but I haven't measured them. 

Yep, Jack it up and pull works great. 

The second door configuration is the one I will use from now on. The wider door works better in every way including giving the tractor more rigidity. Also one is 36 inch high and one is 30 for the sides. The 30 inch walls seem to move a bit easier as well. 

I wouldn't think about using single wheels unless I could get nematic tires, but they wouldn't be cost effective.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

idigbeets said:


> Where'd you find the double wheel jacks?



Harbor freight, use the online coupon they are less then $20 each


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

marusempai said:


> What are you putting around the bottom, exactly, for diggers? Also I'm wondering why the raccoons don't just climb up the hardware cloth, to the chicken wire and break in. Perhaps I'm over estimating raccoons but we have a lot of them (and possums!) and I need to build a tractor for meaties soon.



Just chicken wire....

The frame is pretty heavy, I think you would have to worry about reach in attacks more. 

Because the tarp covers 2 full sides the birds stand a fair chance of avoiding them. 

But then again thats why that are behind electric fence


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## Westvalleyfarm (Feb 13, 2015)

I love the trailer jack ideal and think it's a great tractor for turkeys. Could you not rip the 2x4 in half to help reduce weight. 

Seems like it'd be just as heavy as a salatin tractor though.


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

To keep things from digging under we have fold up panels about two ft wide. Animals will tend to dig under right at the fence line. Rarely will they start a tunnel a couple ft from the pen.
One idea to keep animals off the outside is a 12v solar powered fencer. String electric fence wires about 12 inches apart on extenders. Problem is that it has to be grounded so would have to drive a stake every time moved.


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

Nice! 

Could this possibly double as a hoop house in the winter, for either plants, or for over wintering laying hens and rabbits?

Our problem here is our unholy amounts of snow that would crush that structure in less than a season. It could be beefed up, though. At least for the winter...


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

DisasterCupcake said:


> Nice!
> 
> Our problem here is our unholy amounts of snow that would crush that structure in less than a season.


He stated in a above post that he removes the cover during the winter to keep the snow from sitting on it. He probably grows out this birds "during" the season-----does not need it in the winter----thats the way I have taken his post.


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

oldasrocks said:


> To keep things from digging under we have fold up panels about two ft wide. Animals will tend to dig under right at the fence line. Rarely will they start a tunnel a couple ft from the pen.
> One idea to keep animals off the outside is a 12v solar powered fencer. String electric fence wires about 12 inches apart on extenders. Problem is that it has to be grounded so would have to drive a stake every time moved.


Ah so it's sort of L shaped at the bottom? That makes sense, and is also kind of how we got the ducks to stop digging out of the poultry yards, although an old 2*4 was plenty for that. Need a little more space to keep out a raccoon I bet. 

I've considered mobile electric for our tractor... good to know about the amount of shock it would take, thank you!


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

Fire-Man said:


> He stated in a above post that he removes the cover during the winter to keep the snow from sitting on it. He probably grows out this birds "during" the season-----does not need it in the winter----thats the way I have taken his post.



We have friends that do in fact link them together for wintering over laying hens. This requires some du diligence, they just monitor snow load and remove according. If you put the tarp on right it really dont hold that much snow. 

We only raise broilers during pasture season, Fire-man has it right, we pasture our layers and then they move into a greenhouse coop for the winter.


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## Vickivail98 (Sep 26, 2014)

slingshot said:


> We have friends that do in fact link them together for wintering over laying hens. This requires some du diligence, they just monitor snow load and remove according. If you put the tarp on right it really dont hold that much snow.
> 
> We only raise broilers during pasture season, Fire-man has it right, we pasture our layers and then they move into a greenhouse coop for the winter.



This is what I've been looking for!!! We're moving into a house with a huge riding arena that I'm going to convert for chickens. I'm starting with about 20x 65' of space and aside from three separated breeding stock coops I'm planning on just letting my layers roam in a space like this (except it's a sand bottom). Where did you get your nesting buckets? Those look perfect.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

Vickivail98 said:


> This is what I've been looking for!!! We're moving into a house with a huge riding arena that I'm going to convert for chickens. I'm starting with about 20x 65' of space and aside from three separated breeding stock coops I'm planning on just letting my layers roam in a space like this (except it's a sand bottom). Where did you get your nesting buckets? Those look perfect.



I made them.....

I get pickle buckets from the deli in town for free they just throw them away. I cut the lids on a chop saw and used liquid nails to hold them in place. Than I just made a simple frame with legs and perches. It may have cost $40 in material maybe. 

I also made a feeder again from gutters


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## crabtree (Oct 26, 2013)

Looks good, but it is kinda BIG for my needs, I need to push one down between a row of tomatoes to eat the weeds & any worms or bugs I throw in to them.
I am looking for 24 X 48 or so.
But in an open field yours would work great.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

crabtree said:


> Looks good, but it is kinda BIG for my needs, I need to push one down between a row of tomatoes to eat the weeds & any worms or bugs I throw in to them.
> I am looking for 24 X 48 or so.
> But in an open field yours would work great.


You can do a wider space between the rows and use something similiar to this. Its 4ft wide by 20ft long. I been using it for years, but I do move it with the lawn mower or golfcart.


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## Dupree (Jan 28, 2014)

Here's another example. We used old billboard vinyl that we bought of Craigslist. Just finished up my 1st season with them and it's been wonderful. I love seeing what other people use as well. Lots of different designs out there all trying to get the same result.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

crabtree said:


> Looks good, but it is kinda BIG for my needs, I need to push one down between a row of tomatoes to eat the weeds & any worms or bugs I throw in to them.
> I am looking for 24 X 48 or so.
> But in an open field yours would work great.


So build some that size. I've seen them made with 2x4 lumber for bottom framing and 2x4 welded wire fencing for the hoop part. They had a bunch of them to string together in various configurations, shorter sections to make 90 degree turns, and a few with wire mesh ends on them. Chicken Tunnels or Chunnels.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

crabtree said:


> Looks good, but it is kinda BIG for my needs, I need to push one down between a row of tomatoes to eat the weeds & any worms or bugs I throw in to them.
> 
> I am looking for 24 X 48 or so.
> 
> But in an open field yours would work great.



You could also think about a mobile coop then just use electro net down the sides of your rows.


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## wizodd (Feb 29, 2012)

oldasrocks said:


> One idea to keep animals off the outside is a 12v solar powered fencer. String electric fence wires about 12 inches apart on extenders. Problem is that it has to be grounded so would have to drive a stake every time moved.


Assuming your soil is not extremely dry, placing a spike on each jack corner such that the spike will extend a few inches into the ground when the tractor is flat, should provide decent ground. Watering the spike when you water the birds would keep the connection solid.


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## wizodd (Feb 29, 2012)

DisasterCupcake said:


> Nice!
> 
> Could this possibly double as a hoop house in the winter, for either plants, or for over wintering laying hens and rabbits?
> 
> Our problem here is our unholy amounts of snow that would crush that structure in less than a season. It could be beefed up, though. At least for the winter...


Change the pvc to metal conduit, change chicken wire to 1x1 welded.

But you might not have the problem you think, the plastic sheet won't hold snow, and chickens put out enough heat to help melt enough to let it slide off...

Of course, if you're talking drifted snow 5' or more, then it will stay, but an arch is strong, and the bottom layer of snow will turn to ice, which is quite strong and rigid.

(Side note. There was a British cold war plan, not implemented, which called for burying small nuclear weapons along the Polish boarder, along with each bomb would have been a few chickens, some feed and water--to keep the bomb triggers warm enough to function! Of course, the effective lifetime of the system depended upon how much feed and water the birds had...at most a few weeks.)

There is a very long history of using livestock to heat housing.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

wizodd said:


> Change the pvc to metal conduit, change chicken wire to 1x1 welded.
> 
> But you might not have the problem you think, the plastic sheet won't hold snow, and chickens put out enough heat to help melt enough to let it slide off...
> 
> ...



The top wire is 1x3 welded wire....

Like stated above as long as it didn't drift snow wouldn't be a big issue. If your going out every day to collect eggs and feed, a quick tap on the side and anything that was there is gone. 

Another benefit to this design is its basically a portable greenhouse, we noticed when we processed the birds and moved them to a new location waiting for the chicks in the brooder the grass grew like crazy inside. 

If you had some thin spots or wanted to top seed curtain spots you can line them up for a week and do a row at a time. They would be good for started plants also.


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

wizodd said:


> Change the pvc to metal conduit, change chicken wire to 1x1 welded.
> 
> But you might not have the problem you think, the plastic sheet won't hold snow, and chickens put out enough heat to help melt enough to let it slide off...
> 
> ...


Some good points, although our winters are notoriously unpredictable and we get every type of precipitation imaginable... It might just ice storm and then freeze to well below -20, and the plastic would just crack apart from the cold/heat stress (this has happened), lol. OR, like you say, maybe if the interior heat was stable enough, the ice would just solidify the structure. Enough animals and some composting bedding might keep it warm enough to withstand some abuse. As for snow sliding off... I guess it depends on what kind of snow you get. Here, it's mostly wet. But we get all kinds. 

A lot of people take the coverings off their hoop buildings in the winter around here. Seems a shame to waste the potential space, but, there's also a very high chance of ruining the entire structure in one winter.


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## Lloyd (Mar 16, 2009)

Reckon I missed something but I do not see how you move the tractors. The trailer jacks on one end is a great idea but do you pick-up the other end and simply pull it (as I do with my much smaller chicken tractor)? Seems a bit heavy for one person without mechanical assistance. Perhaps another trailer jack (or jacks) on the other end that I do not see?


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

Lloyd said:


> Reckon I missed something but I do not see how you move the tractors. The trailer jacks on one end is a great idea but do you pick-up the other end and simply pull it (as I do with my much smaller chicken tractor)? Seems a bit heavy for one person without mechanical assistance. Perhaps another trailer jack (or jacks) on the other end that I do not see?



They have rope handles adjusted so I just have to stand up and the front comes off the ground a few inches. 

They are fairly easy for me to move( I'm 6'3" 200lbs though) but my wife can also move them if need be, she's 5'7" 110lbs. It was the best way we could figure so she could move them. I have a dolly but there's no way she's moving them that way. 

I used 4x4s for the corners, that adds some weight, it wouldn't be very difficult to shave some weight off. We tied it to the gator also just to see how it did, you can easy pull it with an atv or a tractor also. Have to go slow with the meat birds though not every batch gets it, lol. Turkeys and layers are a different story, they move right along no problem.


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## jenG (Aug 20, 2011)

Thank you for sharing your photo's and insights! I am in your wife's shoes and trying to get away from the Salatin style pens. My husband built them and they are functional, BUT we are in Texas and the heat is a serious killer especially in the compact pens.


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## jenG (Aug 20, 2011)

What is your brooder set up like?


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

jenG said:


> What is your brooder set up like?












This is the brooder, it's 8x8 with an attached 8x8 run. I originally built it to grow out turkey poults. 

It has a 4 bulb thermostat lamp that I hung on a rope ratchet. After the first week I raise the light every day until the last 2-3 days and turn it off completely. The birds go outside at 3 weeks. 










I've added additional panels on the inside because the turkey poults would perch on the sides and fall behind the wall. 

I will be closing in the run this spring so I can stagger batches of chicks. I'll be doing them every 3 weeks. 

If you have anymore questions let me know


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## MeatCountry (May 20, 2015)

Wow the skill set you guys have are amazing. Wish you were closer I would pay you to build the coop for me.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

MeatCountry said:


> Wow the skill set you guys have are amazing. Wish you were closer I would pay you to build the coop for me.



I'd do it too! 

One of the most important parts of this venture is asset management. Knowing when and how to spend money determines if you succeed. 

It's much more cost effective to build things you need. The biggest benefit is having exactly what you need, and also be able to spend a little at a time until it's complete. That building cost me just over $900 total, try buying a crappy shed at lowes for less then that. Lol

This is the first coop we built on the farm, it was for my kids so they could raise chickens. 



















I looked at a Amish made coop that was 4x6 that cost $1000! I figured I'd just do it my self. That coop cost about $700 total, I did get the siding and trim from the town dump someone was throwing away extra prices they didn't use on their house. Imagine what that coop would cost to buy! I can't. 

I also built a portable brooder that used a wagon wheel set to move. We now use it as a hospital pen or an over flow brooder. It cost me around $60 bucks I think and a afternoon in the garage. 










If you have a few tools you can build just about anything you want or need, especially if you think outside the box a little. 

I'm not a carpenter BTW


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## spud (Feb 3, 2007)

I have portable coops also and if moved occasionally, critters never seem to dig into them. I heard that moving them confuses the predators and only seem to bother structures that are permanent or rarely moved. Loved your pics and great idea with trailer jacks. Was thinking about trying a lever to raise wheels up and down.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

slingshot said:


> I'd do it too!
> 
> One of the most important parts of this venture is asset management. Knowing when and how to spend money determines if you succeed.
> 
> ...


Ya gotta figure labor to really compare. I love to build things because I find it fun and satisfying..._and _so I get exactly what I want.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

aart said:


> Ya gotta figure labor to really compare. I love to build things because I find it fun and satisfying..._and _so I get exactly what I want.



I have a bit of a differing view than most on labor costs.....

I disagree that all time equals money, it doesn't. Time is just time UNLESS it's keeping you from doing something directly that you would get paid for. 

Free time is just that, if all I was gonna do is watch a football ball game, then there's no labor that can be attached to me building something. 

Plus I look at it as an investment in myself and my business. I build things to last, but reasonable as well. All of my building have paid for them selfs in the first season of use including the greenhouse coop. I'll get many more years of profit from them with no additional money out of pocket.


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## TraderBob (Oct 21, 2010)

slingshot said:


> I have a bit of a differing view than most on labor costs.....
> 
> I disagree that all time equals money, it doesn't. Time is just time UNLESS it's keeping you from doing something directly that you would get paid for.
> 
> ...


I agree, that's how I see it too.


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

slingshot said:


> I disagree that all time equals money, it doesn't. Time is just time UNLESS it's keeping you from doing something directly that you would get paid for.


Be that as it may, it still makes the comparison of a building you built (in which you figure no labor costs) and a building somebody builds for you (which includes labor costs) skewed.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

marusempai said:


> Be that as it may, it still makes the comparison of a building you built (in which you figure no labor costs) and a building somebody builds for you (which includes labor costs) skewed.



I don't want to get too far off track....

Anyway, On a completely black and white comparison I guess so. However there is no possible way you could buy the buildings I built for the money it cost me to build them. That's the great equalizer. 

I've been offered $3000 for the red coop, it's not for sale but makes my point. 

On a strict monetary basis it makes sense to build your own almost always. The one exception is if you don't have time because your working. But even then it's very basic construction, most of which can be accomplished with basic tools and a few you tube videos, lol. 

You save money and gain experience, win-win


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

marusempai said:


> Be that as it may, it still makes the comparison of a building you built (in which you figure no labor costs) and a building somebody builds for you (which includes labor costs) skewed.


Yes, thanks marusempai, this is what I meant. 

Agrees with slingshot that, the value of our own labor for ourselves can not often be measured in the currency of cash money.


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## MeatCountry (May 20, 2015)

slingshot said:


> I'd do it too!
> 
> One of the most important parts of this venture is asset management. Knowing when and how to spend money determines if you succeed.
> 
> ...



Its not the tools its the skill set. I could never build what you did your chicken coop looks professionally done. Lol could have fooled me for not being a carpenter.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

MeatCountry said:


> Its not the tools its the skill set. I could never build what you did your chicken coop looks professionally done. Lol could have fooled me for not being a carpenter.



It is professionally done....

It's a mind set, if your going to do something you might as well do it right. 

Sometimes that's confused with extravagance or over the top additions that add no value and add expense. You can do things the right way and save money.

It's far more expensive to throw things together haphazardly and having it fail or cause problems. If it's not secure you can loose all you animals in one attack. Then it's a complete loss. Worse is having to tear down and rebuild, that more added expense and wasted material. 

The only reason you can't is because you think you can't.


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## Mike CHS (Apr 3, 2011)

I couldn't tell from the pictures but did you have to attach nailer strips or anything to the ends of the wrap or on the two ends?


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## WildernesFamily (Mar 11, 2006)

This is the one we built a few years ago. I don't know how it compares in weight to yours, we used a hog panel over the top and then used canvas tarps over that. It works great, but it HAS flipped once in very strong wind when it was full of broilers. It killed a few of them. I can't pull it on my own, but with the help of another person it is moveable. We usually move it with the garden tractor with another person on the inside to move the chickens forward. 

I can't think of any better way to raise broilers than in a setup like this and moving it to a clean patch of pasture each day. We have also used ours as a birthing pen for goats and for winter housing for geese and ducks.

Between the goats and the cow in the field they did destroy the expensive tarp, but it was a desperate measure at that time.


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## slingshot (Jun 25, 2014)

Mine have took 50 mph gusts and were ok....

I had it skip in the wind one time when I tried to move it in about 50 mph gusts, that was fun! 

Mine are heavy enough to withstand the wind with out moving. That's the beauty of the jacks, they make it manageable to move and I can go slow if I have a "slow batch" of birds. Some just don't ever really get it lol


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