4 inch PVC drain pipes split length wise, in the shape of a C, and then place and screw a 4" deck board inside that C. With the PVC side down, the tractor slides easily on the grass.
Looks a lot like my tractors. I have the same kind of lids but raised the middle by running a board across the center on top of the frame which gave it a little pitch.
Another option to consider for making it easier to move without the front edge catching would be to install retractable caster wheels, which allow you to raise the entire tractor ~1” and then roll on the wheels. Only real issue with that solution would be depending on the sogginess/muddiness of the soil where you are grazing. In my PNW area, early spring could be a challenge when the ground is still pretty soggy in places and the wheels could get rutted down. Still something to consider.
I've used large pneumatic wheel that give me 1" of lift when they are filled and allow the the tractor to sit on the ground when I let the air out. It's only for a very large tractor that we keep 40+ chickes in, but it works decently well.
Rolling that wire out might be fine for your small numbers. Right now I have almost 900 in tractors. The hours and cost of that wire would be crazy amount. Every thing is in tractors momma's to butcher size. Nothing beats the 1 inch chicken wire for floors. I have been using tractors about 30 years so been down every road
@thehomesteadconsultant no but have tried about everything and went back to the normal tractors with wire bottoms. The does are just in 2x6 foot pens with boxes build in one end
I use my tractors for turkeys and egg layer chickens, so I need the hight. It also gets to hot where I am that I know several people who have lost rabbits to heat stroke and the high roof helps reduce radiant heat :)
the wood slats help keep the rabbits dry and the rabbit should eat grass above the slats to not eat below the top of the grass i just made a wired second level for shelter and a safe place for the rabbits to be when moving on wheels to not lay the grass down
We have had no issues, the angle braces make them ridged and i used 3/4" numatic staples to secure the chicken wire so an animal would have to dig under or be able to lift the whole tractor to get under it.
Chicken wire can be torn apart by raccoons, 🦝 if you have a pack of wild dogs, 🐕 you’ll do better to get something more secure like a hardware cloth or the heavier duty wire like he shows on the flooring. An LGD will be your best option because you don’t know when your livestock will be encountering the predators. As well, lights- move them regularly to thwart coyotes. We’ve dealt with wolves, neighbor dogs, coons, 🦨 skunks, possums, etc. The old adage, ‘Good fences make good neighbors’ is true and a good dog is even better! Once your predator finds an easy meal, they will continue to be back until that source is exhausted. If you have a loss, move them, don’t make it easy for them to take more!
Why do you build the tractors so tall? Seems like wasted material since the rabbits or chickens don't need nearly so much headroom, and it makes it more difficult for a person to get into the tractor for any sort of maintenance. Instead of having to dedicate 50 or a 100 feet of welded wire fence, just have two sections, one under the tractor, one on the next spot, slide the tractor over and leapfrog the first piece into the second spot. With less than twenty feet of welded wire fence you have a limitless length of travel for your tractor. I do think that you have something with the idea of a floor that's not attached and I will very likely be trying it when the weather is more appropriate ;) Currently in a winter storm watch with several inches of snow on the ground.
The hight is because we wanted to be able to use them for turkeys and because it gets so hot here that a metal roof that close to rabbits could cause them to over heat in the summer. The reason I don't recommend shorter pieces of fence is that they tend to curl up at the ends and make it very hard to pull the tractor over them. You can use shorter pieces, but they are much harder to manage.
@@thehomesteadconsultant what I did with my chicken tractor was for the top, I used quarter inch plywood with a few 2x2s on top of that and the tin roofing on top of that. This leaves an air space for air to flow through between the plywood and tin. This setup cuts the heat down from the top.
I take my regular short pet rabbit cages and just use the tops in the grass. I use old stove or fridge shelves for the bottoms because the holes are long and skinny and let the grass in better than a square. Imo squares big enough for grass to come in properly are big enough for them to dig out when talking grow outs. I use a plastic tote lid for the tops to keep them shaded and dry. I have used dog kennels big enough but they are taller and its harder to just shade them from the top but they do get more air. I turn the dog crates upside down because the holes on the bottom are too big I don't worry about too much heat in the summer here so most of the time the bottom tray for the dog crate can be used as a top. Held on with a rock Simple but it's been very useful having my rabbits on the lawn eating grass and pellets. Depending on the food you need both pellets and grass and plants to get weight at the desired size
4 inch PVC drain pipes split length wise, in the shape of a C, and then place and screw a 4" deck board inside that C. With the PVC side down, the tractor slides easily on the grass.
Do you have a video on building the tractor?
Yes :) th-cam.com/video/AQUTMqOvF0E/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Qyuealpk2V1RYMo_
Good idea, I’m gonna give it a try in the spring
Hope it works great for you!
Looks a lot like my tractors. I have the same kind of lids but raised the middle by running a board across the center on top of the frame which gave it a little pitch.
Good idea. There is nowhere flat around here so no mater where I put them they have pitch :)
Great idea buddy, much appreciated!
I hope you have a lot of success with it!
Agreed!
Another option to consider for making it easier to move without the front edge catching would be to install retractable caster wheels, which allow you to raise the entire tractor ~1” and then roll on the wheels. Only real issue with that solution would be depending on the sogginess/muddiness of the soil where you are grazing. In my PNW area, early spring could be a challenge when the ground is still pretty soggy in places and the wheels could get rutted down. Still something to consider.
I've used large pneumatic wheel that give me 1" of lift when they are filled and allow the the tractor to sit on the ground when I let the air out. It's only for a very large tractor that we keep 40+ chickes in, but it works decently well.
Rolling that wire out might be fine for your small numbers. Right now I have almost 900 in tractors. The hours and cost of that wire would be crazy amount. Every thing is in tractors momma's to butcher size. Nothing beats the 1 inch chicken wire for floors. I have been using tractors about 30 years so been down every road
Do you have any videos on your system? Sounds like you have a good amount more experience and I'd love to learn form you!
@thehomesteadconsultant no but have tried about everything and went back to the normal tractors with wire bottoms. The does are just in 2x6 foot pens with boxes build in one end
I’ve been doing this for years. My tractors are only 2ft tall and 8ft long with metal roof and auto waterer
I use my tractors for turkeys and egg layer chickens, so I need the hight. It also gets to hot where I am that I know several people who have lost rabbits to heat stroke and the high roof helps reduce radiant heat :)
I like it.
the wood slats help keep the rabbits dry and the rabbit should eat grass above the slats to not eat below the top of the grass i just made a wired second level for shelter and a safe place for the rabbits to be when moving on wheels to not lay the grass down
That's a good option too
You invented the first .........
RABBIT TANK!
All you need to do now is wrap the welded wire around the top so that it loops around like a tank tread.
😆 that's amazing! I'm 100% onboard with this idea
@@thehomesteadconsultant So how could it be built? Do you think it is feasible?
How’ve those tractors held up against predators? I’ve got stray dogs picking my chickens off and need a solution
We have had no issues, the angle braces make them ridged and i used 3/4" numatic staples to secure the chicken wire so an animal would have to dig under or be able to lift the whole tractor to get under it.
Chicken wire can be torn apart by raccoons, 🦝 if you have a pack of wild dogs, 🐕 you’ll do better to get something more secure like a hardware cloth or the heavier duty wire like he shows on the flooring. An LGD will be your best option because you don’t know when your livestock will be encountering the predators. As well, lights- move them regularly to thwart coyotes. We’ve dealt with wolves, neighbor dogs, coons, 🦨 skunks, possums, etc. The old adage, ‘Good fences make good neighbors’ is true and a good dog is even better!
Once your predator finds an easy meal, they will continue to be back until that source is exhausted. If you have a loss, move them, don’t make it easy for them to take more!
Why do you build the tractors so tall? Seems like wasted material since the rabbits or chickens don't need nearly so much headroom, and it makes it more difficult for a person to get into the tractor for any sort of maintenance. Instead of having to dedicate 50 or a 100 feet of welded wire fence, just have two sections, one under the tractor, one on the next spot, slide the tractor over and leapfrog the first piece into the second spot. With less than twenty feet of welded wire fence you have a limitless length of travel for your tractor. I do think that you have something with the idea of a floor that's not attached and I will very likely be trying it when the weather is more appropriate ;) Currently in a winter storm watch with several inches of snow on the ground.
The hight is because we wanted to be able to use them for turkeys and because it gets so hot here that a metal roof that close to rabbits could cause them to over heat in the summer.
The reason I don't recommend shorter pieces of fence is that they tend to curl up at the ends and make it very hard to pull the tractor over them. You can use shorter pieces, but they are much harder to manage.
@@thehomesteadconsultant what I did with my chicken tractor was for the top, I used quarter inch plywood with a few 2x2s on top of that and the tin roofing on top of that. This leaves an air space for air to flow through between the plywood and tin. This setup cuts the heat down from the top.
I take my regular short pet rabbit cages and just use the tops in the grass.
I use old stove or fridge shelves for the bottoms because the holes are long and skinny and let the grass in better than a square.
Imo squares big enough for grass to come in properly are big enough for them to dig out when talking grow outs.
I use a plastic tote lid for the tops to keep them shaded and dry.
I have used dog kennels big enough but they are taller and its harder to just shade them from the top but they do get more air.
I turn the dog crates upside down because the holes on the bottom are too big
I don't worry about too much heat in the summer here so most of the time the bottom tray for the dog crate can be used as a top.
Held on with a rock
Simple but it's been very useful having my rabbits on the lawn eating grass and pellets.
Depending on the food you need both pellets and grass and plants to get weight at the desired size
Pvc great idea but rabbits chew
Yall do know rabbits dig right? Lol they will dig their way out.
The whole point of the video is to explain how to keep them from digging out
Comments before watching the video