# PVC Chicken Tractor Row Crop Cultivator



## JLMissouri (Dec 12, 2012)

I tested a chicken tractor built to fit between 30" rows this year. Most of my garden is mulched, although this year I planted an expanded garden using a two row planter set up on 30" rows. I use the same planter for my fields, and it makes light work of planting a garden. Since I moved this year I didn't keep the garden weeded much, a perfect test bed. The garden only got weeded one time when I used a row cultivator on it in the spring.

The chicken tractor is 27" wide and 10' long. Perfect fit between the rows. I figure the chickens not only kill every weed in between the rows, they also provide a bug control and a noce side dressing of fertilizer. The tractor is triangle to let it fit under the corn when it starts to canopy. It also has a 2" tube along the top back that has a nipple waterer. The tube exits the back of the coop and goes up with a cap on it. The cap makes a lid and it holds 1 gallon of water, enough for a couple days in hot weather. Towards the front is a food bowl shelf that is screened off so the chickens can only get their heads to the bowls, same method I use on my big PVC chicken tractors.



The pvc chicken tractor cultivator worked very good. I plan on building several more, although I don't think I will ever cultivate my fields this way entirely it is great for a garden. Here is a pic of before cultivation:



During cultivation:



After cultivation:



As you can see it works well. It is four chicken power and has been tested for over a month. I used roosters to power it, no need to worry about eggs. The corn is smoke signals popcorn, it is my seed crop for planting a field next year. The smoke signals is smaller than field or sweet corn. 

Before building this I searched online for someone that has done it before. I found a few threads of people talking about it on forums, but couldn't find anyone who actually tested it. I gave it a try and it has passed my test. I have used my big PVC chicken tractors by parking them until the chickens scorch the earth to prep gardens before, but I think this is an equally good use of chicken power.


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Brilliant! So if they need shade, do they all fit inside the covered part at the end?

"It is four chicken power...." :hysterical:


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Nice chickens too. I always feel that a little project that gets done is better than a big one that can't get started and out of my head. Good work.


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

How often do you move it? Does that keep up with the grass and weed growth?

geo


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## k9 (Feb 6, 2008)

Genius!


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## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

Is the larger pvc pipe on top to put feed in?


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## JLMissouri (Dec 12, 2012)

Yes all the chickens can fit in the back coop. I move it about every two to three days currently, if the grass and weeds were not so thick it would be quicker, I could also put more chicken power in as well. The big tube coming out the top is the water reservoir. I am sure it could keep up with the weeds, just depends on how much ground it can cover. Since I didn't get this done in the spring I am not sure how much it can keep clear. I would guess somewhere around 1/6 of an acre +/-.


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## jacqueg (Feb 21, 2010)

Very nice. And a good use for the boys too. Retired layers would also work, if you're the kind of person who gets sentimental about your hens (I plead guilty...)

About how many passes per season do you think would completely control your weeds, or do you have an opinion yet?


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## JLMissouri (Dec 12, 2012)

As I didn't have this in the spring to keep the weeds from getting overgrown I can only guess how many passes. I would think three would keep it managable. 

Next spring I plan on doing a side by side comparison of the chicken powered cultivator vs a regular tractor powered cultivator. I am curious of the outcome, my guess is the chicken cultivator would give better results, but that hasn't been tested yet.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

This is brilliant!:goodjob:

I have all the stuff laying around here for this. I think I may make three or four this winter. 
I'm wondering, do you think this might be a good way to house, feed Meat birds? As much as they like to eat....
Thanks for the great idea!


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## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

I really like your idea JLM. I am thinking on building me one or two. Thanks


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## doingitmyself (Jul 30, 2013)

I like the idea a lot! Brilliant! If you get that kind of results with only 4 chicken power just imagine the results with a full blown tractor of 8 chickens!!! Were talking turbo power now!!! LOL:hysterical:


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

That's pretty impressive weeding.

Do those waterers put out more than a drip or do they flow as long as they are pushed? I'm curious how a chicken can get enough water. Obviously they do.


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## JLMissouri (Dec 12, 2012)

Thanks everyone, 

Chickens do a great job of weeding and I plan on increasing the number a bit in the cultivator to six next spring. I plan on building several and will try weeding an acre or two.

It seems to me that hens do a better job of scratching around. So I may compare young hens to roosters. My theory is the hens need more energy, and they are more ambitious because of that need. Young hens that are not laying would solve collecting eggs from the cultivator which is not setup for that purpose.

The water nipple works like a hamster waterer, when you press the metal pin water flows as long as it is pressed, although it would take a long time to get any quantity. I water all my chickens this way, and if you try it you will never go back. The only down fall is freezing weather, which I am testing ways around that.

I think it would be a great way to raise meat birds, although I am not sure how well Cornish x would work, as from what I have heard they don't have much ambition. I have not kept any solely meat breeds before, only dual purpose heritage breeds, so I cannot say for sure which meet breads would work best.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Thanks. I just bought 20 waterers on eBay. I'm looking forward to clean water for my chickens. They always seem to manage to poop in the waterer within hours of putting out clean water.


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## Grumpy old man (Aug 6, 2013)

I will be putting more than a few of these to work this next season , Sometimes you look at anothers Idea and think Why didn't I think about that while pulling weeds this year ? i think I'll try the same basic idea and fashion a layer box to the end to keep those eggs coming in at the same time . And there is nothing better than chicken nipples for watering birds i use them now with 3 to each 5 gallon bucket and they work great . Found mine on ebay our local tractor supply didn't carry them .


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## bja105 (Aug 25, 2009)

I don't know if the meat birds would scratch enough to get as many weeds as the layer breeds, but they sure eat some weeds and leave plenty of manure. 

Here is a nipple waterer I made for my smallest portable pen.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

The waterers I just bought say they are 360 degrees but it looks like they would function better with less waste if pointed down.


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## Grumpy old man (Aug 6, 2013)

we talked about this idea last night and decided to build a few and have them work over the garden for the next few months and put them up at night as long as the weather holds . I think this idea could save time and energy this next season ! Another smart use of CHICKEN POWER ! what other animal works so hard and tastes so good ?


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## wayne miles (Mar 13, 2008)

I see holds in the bottom rail in the top picture, are they there to zip tie the wire...?


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## PurpleToad (Jan 23, 2011)

I was just looking at the pictures of the before and after. Have you considered putting a layer of mulch down (such as lawn clippings) after the chickens have gone through. I would think that would help keep the weeds down and preserve moisture. If the weeds to continue to grow through the mulch, just put the birds back on it as you expected to anyway. I went with the mulch after weeding this year and it seemed help a lot. I've been looking at ways to make the chickens do more work around my place, and a version of this could be the answer.


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## JLMissouri (Dec 12, 2012)

PurpleToad said:


> I was just looking at the pictures of the before and after. Have you considered putting a layer of mulch down (such as lawn clippings) after the chickens have gone through. I would think that would help keep the weeds down and preserve moisture. If the weeds to continue to grow through the mulch, just put the birds back on it as you expected to anyway. I went with the mulch after weeding this year and it seemed help a lot. I've been looking at ways to make the chickens do more work around my place, and a version of this could be the answer.


I use mulch in my garden, but mulch in the popcorn field wouldn't work the best. I don't have many lawn clippings as I hay my property except directly around the house. Too much field and too little mulch and time. I agree that covering the cleared area with mulch is a good idea, and that is exactly how I prepare my garden beds with the full size chicken tractor.

Wayne Miles, I am not sure exactly what you are referring to, but will answer your question if I could understand what you are asking about. So if you could explain differently, thanks,


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Just bumping this up, as construction on ours begins this weekend, and i had a heck of a time finding this thread.


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## PrincessFerf (Apr 25, 2008)

I have raised meat chickens in a tractor and it works so-so. They don't scratch much and tend to "snack" on the weeds more so than my layers do. 

I have used a similar method in my garden and I like using my older laying hens for this purpose. Nothing destroys plants like a laying hen. They will get the root system up after eating everything above ground.


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## JLMissouri (Dec 12, 2012)

I am planning on having a fleet of three and seeing how well they can keep a small corn field clear.

My big tractors did well clearing a small garden, but they couldn't get the entire big garden clear before planting time.


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## JLMissouri (Dec 12, 2012)

Off to a good start, two more cultivators coming on line this week. Going to beat those weeds this year. I am also doing a side by side comparison of regular machine cultivation and chicken powered cultivation. I am also considering getting the geese involved when the corn is older.


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## BobbyB (Apr 6, 2009)

I really like this. I have one I built out of lumber that is heavy as all get out. I just drag it around the yard.

Im going to build one or probably 2 like this for the garden.


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## uncleotis (Mar 14, 2005)

Great idea, wish I had some chickens now.


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## Joeydpga (Jun 17, 2013)

Do you leave them in over night?


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## bja105 (Aug 25, 2009)

Looks very good, you could use some more.

Do you get strong wind? Our big PVC pen could be blown over. I used rebar pushed into the dirt to hold it down.


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

I wish I would have seen this thread a long time ago.
What a remarkable idea, I think I need to build a couple. Would be a great job for young hens who haven't begun to lay yet.


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## JLMissouri (Dec 12, 2012)

Yep chickens stay in it while in use. It is there house until fall.

I have been moving a little more than once a day. My corn rows are about 180' long and I think each row will need a chicken tractor cultivator. I am pretty sure by the time I get to the end it will be time to start back at the beginning again. I am going to start the others going opposite directions so that they can hang a u-turn and start down the other row that just got cultivated. It is a good thing I have some free chicken power, I have a big group of teenage chickens ready to get to work alongside my older hens.

At times it gets really windy here in the fall and spring. I run several different styles of PVC chicken tractors and they are all pretty aerodynamic and I have never had a problem. I get a lot of people asking about the wind though. I had an 16' aluminum boat blown off its trailer, but nothing happened to any of the PVC chicken tractors. The row crop cultivator is the lightest and smallest of the group though, and I could see it as a possibility, but pretty unlikely. If it gets that windy my corn is probably toast anyway.


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