So many times I find myself having to invent a solution to a problem. Whether it is keeping in an animal, or coming up with a low tech solution to a high tech problem. So how about sharing your farm inventions here. At least those you don't plan to patent. Last year I built an a-frame PVC chicken tractor. It worked, but it needs more weight, stronger glue, and smaller wire. However, it did get my chickens raised. I wish there were solid plastic poles that fit PVC couplers. Anyone know of any such thing? Has anyone here built fence from sawmill slabs? Are they strong enough?

Little Bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brightok.net), July 03, 2003

Answers

That information is very helpful Jay. Did the sand make the tractor hard to move around? Did you add wheels? I was thinking it might be very effctive to come up with some sort of removable wheels. I think, if they were attached all the time, it would create potential for escape. What do you think?

Little Bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brightok.net), July 09, 2003.

The PVC pipe used to build lawn furniture is pretty tough. WE used old aluminium pipe found at the salvage yard (.08 cents a pound) Have you ever tried the socalled welded wire. Our Lowes sells it for $39.95 100' (4 or 5 foot tall) the holes are smaller so it keeps chicks in and varmits out. Also make good Kennel wire for dogs, goats, etc.

Kenneth

-- Kenneth in NC (healthwizard@surfbest.net), July 06, 2003.

I built a chicken tractor for a neighbor and added weight to the PVC tube by filling it with playbox sand and plugging it with hotglue to keep the sand in place before inserting the tubing into the couplers and cementing

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), July 09, 2003.

I thought of that Jay. Did you only do this with the base pieces or did you fill the entire thing with sand. The tractor I made was A- frame in shape. We were putting older chicks into it, so I used two inch chicken wire for the covering. The chicken wire didn't add enough strength to the frame work. It would cost a mint, but I think hardware cloth is a better option, or at the very least 1 inch chicken wire. I was also thinking about adding small bolts along the length of the PVC to wire to. One of our problems was wire slipping and moving around. This was due in part I am sure to the lack of ridgidity of the wire we used, but it also had something to do with the fact that the PVC was to slick.

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brighterok.net), July 09, 2003.

I filled all pvc sections on the sides. To hold the wire in place , we installed anchor eyelets in the pvc before sand filing it.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), July 09, 2003.

We used adjustable lawnmower wheels so that they can be click raised above the base when not being moved and lowered to allow 3 inches of clerance for rolling.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), July 09, 2003.