Building Joel Salatin Chicken Tractors. Raising Chickens without a barn.

I’m really thankful that you guys are watching. More videos coming soon. I’m pretty far behind on editing this chicken growing process. In this video, my siblings and I build four Joel Salatin-style “Chicken Tractors” to pasture raise 300 cornish cross meat birds into. This is our first step into regenerative agriculture. I am super passionate about this.
We have since processed the birds that were in these shelters, and now have a second batch in them now, and the third batch is ordered as well. I’m hoping to do more videos soon, breaking down the price of raising Cornish cross where we are, in an efficient Joel Salatin model. If you haven’t read Pastured poultry profits yet, you need to.
Pastured poultry profits: www.amazon.com...
My Society6 art: society6.com/h...
You can support me here. / havendezeeuw
Follow me on Instagram: @hdezoo
Music: All music was downloaded from the KZbin Audio Library
-Gold in Them Hills by Nathan Moore
-Take It Easy by Bad Snacks
-Lottery by Anno Domini Beats

[@acanadianineurope814]

Interesting channel name, but what sold me was the socks in flip flops routine during construction.

[@hdezoo]

Those are my safety sandals and safety socks.

[@legacygroup2012]

Amen

[@johnmoyer5515]

If you ever had a nail go through your foot you wouldnt wear sandals yes its about safety

[@TheMab144000]

😂😂😂😒

[@hdezoo]

I've had one nail go through my foot before, but now I know not to step on nails.

[@yolo4dolo28]

Lord I'm 45 in a couple days , all i want is good health and the drive a guy like this has in this video 😁

[@PrivatelyHanging]

I'm locally grown and raised, I see these when I head to town. They look really good and it's awesome to see raising pastured chickens taking flight. We need much more of this in the area and I think there is a sail wind bringing it in.

[@hdezoo]

1,000 watched this?! That's insane! You guys rock.

[@hooversoutdoors]

65k!

[@hdezoo]

It's crazy. I can hardly believe it.

[@rasolaqfa5051]

120k Well done!

[@lepsaniiriders6592]

175k

[@hdezoo]

211,000 people watched this? That’s insane. One year flew by so fast

[@toddkoedyker1447]

I love how down to earth you guys are and honest

[@TheSeasonalHomestead]

Great tweaks on the 'original' Salatin design :) We made one following his plans this year, already plan to make the next one a bit more like yours. Nice job!!!

[@hdezoo]

Thanks! I’m glad I could help.

[@JoeGraves24]

I’ve made 3 of these now. Kept working on the design to refine it. Got it down to a few ripped 2x6s for the bottom and ripped deck boards for the top. Ripped 2x4s for all uprights. No diagonal bracing. Used hardware clothe like you did. Very light and doesn’t sag.

[@hdezoo]

I would cut back on material for sure if I were to do it over again. After I pulled them for two summers, I decided they are heavier than I would like.

[@JoeGraves24]

As Joel Salatin says: they’re not pigs or cows, they don’t need heavy a built structure. You’re just keeping lightweight predators out. If you look at what he uses they look like they might fall apart at any moment lol

[@bennyrhoads3273]

When we have the rains here in southeast Texas that really stands, we shove hay or straw under the tractor wall, then move the tractor forward about halfway, and the chickens immediately crawl up on the hay out of the water. Works for us.

[@hdezoo]

That’s doesn’t sound fun.

[@morganewing304]

@@hdezoo any concern about uneven ground or holes in the ground creating access points for predators to get in under the walls?

[@hdezoo]

For sure. I keep some wood scraps on the shelters to shiv in any divots, but our pasture is quite level. I rarely have to patch a hole with scrap wood. It I was in an area where there were weak points every day, I might enclose the shelters with electric netting for extra protection.

[@morganewing304]

@@hdezoo thanks for sharing your video 👍

[@hdezoo]

Thanks for watching!

[@domenicozagari2443]

For the water you can get a container with a cap at the top and a tap at the bottom, you close the tap at the bottom and fill the container with water, then you close the cap at the top so no air can get in, you place the container on top of the cage and run a piece of hose from the tap to a cup on the floor, open the tap and the cap gets water for the chickens to drink and stop, as the water gets consumed air will go up the hose and some water will fall in the cup, it will be automatic water feeding, all you got to do refill the container.

[@westonpm]

Thanks for taking the time to share, video, and explain 🤙👍

[@tonibercha7045]

I can hear my daddy now, “cover them toes up before you lose them!” A friend of mine made a really similar coop out of an old truck bed cover.

[@hdezoo]

Ha! Those are my safety sandles.

[@Xxcody3232xX]

@4:11 "ill edit out all the bad parts" hilarious

[@swffej]

Thank you for the video!! and great fashion statement with your slippers 😜

[@mayshomesteadchronicles]

Awesome chicken tractors. These looks great. Wish I would have build a bigger tractor for our chickens

[@omma-llama7860]

it would be awesome to get plans and a cut list if you got em! this looks better than most versions of this tractor. id love to try it.

[@hdezoo]

I'll hopefully make plans for it when I have the time. Thanks for watching!

[@n.s.7223]

@Phoenix Bear - Gravy Boat is this book also for a small farmer who doesnt have so many chickens?

[@xXGENDAMAGEXx]

Chinesium, Kungflu, darn I cannot think of the third one right now. I love those. I noticed some differences I believe on your build. But like he says. He’s not telling you how to do it. Do what works for you.

[@ordinarypete]

I just bought the books... looking to make the move. Great vid

[@hdezoo]

Thank you!

[@dallasbillet8273]

I would highly recommend swapping the steel for aluminum. Steel will retain heat from the sun as aluminum will dissipate much faster. Which in turn will not over heat you birds to death

[@majinvipergaming]

Well done!

[@kwhatten]

Joel Salatin concurs.

[@JoeSenger]

Where does a farmer find aluminum siding these days? Here in Montana, it's impossible to find. Are you aware of a national source?

[@forcesightknight]

@@JoeSenger check with a gutter supply/installer, they get aluminum on rolls and make their own products from stock with a bar break table. There is also a product that is much more durable called poly core aluminum face sheeting (or something) , used for signs. It is awsome, light, and very stout. Good luck sir.

[@TitanIapetus]

I'm having problems with finding the aluminum. Would the white PVC corrugated roofing panels work you think? I live in Eastern Washington state and we do get some 100+ degree weather from time to time. Although, 90 degrees through July/August is much more common. I'd hate to cook my birds prematurely. ;)

[@Justgolden]

Nice work ! Just subscribed. Who would downvote this ? I always want to meet these people and smack them. Looks great guys. really nice.

[@hdezoo]

Thank you!

[@CelticRootsFarm]

We’ve tried both and my wife and I lean more heavily towards the A -frame style. These are nice because you can hold more, but we found them a little more difficult to move around. Good video though!

[@hdezoo]

Celtic Roots Farm They are more difficult to move, that can be true, but a good dolly or cart makes a world of difference. These shelters would be difficult for a child to move, or even a person smaller than I am.

[@CelticRootsFarm]

@@hdezoo Yes, we found a dolly definitely helps. It's not bad, as long as you are going in a straight line. Which is why we put wheels on two sides of the tractor, so we could move it in either direction.

[@hdezoo]

@@CelticRootsFarm If I were raising birds for just myself, I would probably go with a Suscovich style tractor. They seem to be lighter, and easier to get into if you want to see all of your birds at once.

[@CelticRootsFarm]

@@hdezoo Yes, we agree. Although it doesn’t hold quite as many birds, we still prefer it because of the things you mentioned. 👍

[@ronaldharmon9891]

"KUNG-FLU", "Sweet-N-Sour-SICKEN" you guys kill me🤣 great video!

[@Marcus-hw5il]

yeah, you always wanna make sure it’s a nice, neat hole

[@VanDenZion]

Interesting build, good idea

[@hdezoo]

Thank you, and thanks for watching.

[@tyronherman4963]

Big respect for u no matter what who say

[@cloudnx147]

Nice safety sandals

[@amandaguidry4242]

LMAO no sweet & sour sick'em in it! Y'all kill me

[@hdezoo]

A few people have though that that is what I said, but I actually said "sweet and sour sicken". But I'm glad there are still people with a sense of humor.

[@amandaguidry4242]

@@hdezoo either way, it was great lol. I feel the same way, it's good to know some people can still laugh at the absurdity of our world. I'm glad to have found your channel!

[@mar91942]

It takes more acreage but I love raising chickens like this! Super easy and it's a lot cheaper to start if you already have the acreage. I use this type tractor in the cooler months and the Suscovich model tractor in the warmer months

[@hdezoo]

For sure. After raising chickens this way, I would never raise them in a barn.

[@homermcclain4599]

What is the social watch cage system look like and how many chickens

[@genevievemalouin6284]

We’ve had raccoons rip apart chicks by sticking their arms under the tractor and pulling on whatever body part they could tear off. It’s awful. We have to put electric wire around each chicken tractor. Also, it gets very hard to catch the chickens under the aluminum when it’s time to dispatch them so I strongly suggest putting a second hatch on the covered part too.

[@adrianakuzmikova1697]

the main thing that surprises me the most is that these cheap flip flops can handle so much weight :O

[@hdezoo]

Lol

[@davidgambler1591]

Love those construction boots, lmao comfort 1st, I would have started with saw-horses :-)

[@hdezoo]

Haha, I like to live life on the edge!

[@Nurk0m0rath]

Huh. Interesting build, although after referencing Joel Salatin's design in the title I was hoping you would talk more about what changes you made and why. Also whether or not you made the dolly to move those tractors and whether or not one person can move them with the heavier wood. I also didn't notice any mention of where you're located, but I did recognize wood sorrel in the grass, which reminds me of my youth in Maine. Anyway, guess I'll have to check out the next video, and see if I can find answers to my questions there.

[@greenmoneybag8935]

You should put the steal on an angle and add a gutter that fills a water reservoir 👌

[@hdezoo]

There’s an idea.

[@deedahl2866]

I notice that you're using the wire mesh on the sides, so that cats and other predators are not going to be able to reach through and grab the poultry. GOOD IDEA. :)

[@hdezoo]

Thanks, and thanks for watching!

[@patburgard2115]

Love the water system.

[@hdezoo]

Pat Burgard They worked ok for this summer, but they started falling apart near the end of our third batch of birds. We'll be doing a different watering system for next year.

[@patburgard2115]

I will keep watching and see what you come up with 👍

[@user-dp1fb4dg9y]

wow, amazing I've never seen anything like this before.

[@livewithsamyoder7465]

Enjoyed it. It's great watching a farm boy video, just plain and simple and funny. Wanting to do this type of deal soon. Them Amish sell cheap wood. I should know being a Yoder myself 😆

[@hdezoo]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@buynsell365]

Kung Flue and Sweet and Sour Sickening .......... I love it !!! LOL

[@jasonhatfield4747]

Nice work. I hate carpentry because I suck at it. I would pay someone to make me a couple of these this nice.

[@hdezoo]

Well thanks! We made it up as we went. I had a picture of what I wanted in my head, and it came together really well.

[@mike623030]

how do you stop foxes from digging under I made one of these in austraila and the fox burrowed under took 12 chickens I was thinking of just putting weld mesh around the outside 30cm (1 foot) long

[@hdezoo]

I’ve heard people who have done that and have it work for them. Some guys put an electric wire a few inches high (6-8 inches or so) around the shelters.

[@mohamedadel-tw8sf]

very informative and helpful

[@hdezoo]

I’m glad you think so!

[@JonathanWilson83]

I subscribed after you said, "These were ordered before the kung flu." haha!

[@hdezoo]

Thanks for subscribing!

[@MrLukaszKaiser]

Yeah sandals & socks guy must be from Poland ha ha ha ha:-) we nów that cubots are not just sandals this is the way of live👍 pretty coop easy made wwooowww!!

[@wisdomest]

awesome men, your work is inspiring!

[@hdezoo]

Thank you!

[@joshwilson6514]

did you mention the size this is? great stuff, we are starting our 10x10 joel salatin tractor soon!

[@hdezoo]

These are 12x12x2

[@andyzumwalt3632]

Haven I like your videos

[@hdezoo]

Thanks for watching!

[@christiensgarden3325]

Absolutely fabulous

[@hdezoo]

Thank you!

[@kalinbankov9737]

Hello! If there are long periods of rain, for example 4-5 days, and the pasture is soaked, how do we keep the chickens from getting wet and sick while in the chicken tractor? If we don't have a dry shed built nearby, is there a solution related to the construction of the chicken tractor?

[@fischi2742]

i aways wonder with the chicken tractors do predatoers not just easy dig under it to get inside ?

[@hdezoo]

We are about to start our third year growing chickens here in Michigan this way and we have yet to have anything dig under the shelters. We have coyote, fox, possum, and racoon, but none have dug underneath. I’ve heard some people say that because they are moved every day, it throws the predators off, but I don’t know. It could happen, but it hasn’t yet.

[@reneebrown2968]

Those would also make awesome rabbit tractors.

[@JayTX.]

Yeah them 2x2 get pretty wonky without loads of support for sure

[@icebear2814]

Very cool!

[@pastureworks3773]

Bro, I used the same exact flip flops and impact!

[@hdezoo]

It’s a trade secret

[@jerryroberts631]

Just once I'd like to see someone video moving one of the behemoth chicken boxes on day 3 or 4 of a week of heavy rain and still think it's a good idea.

[@hdezoo]

Jerry Roberts the ground we had them on was sloped and drained very well. It's really important to put the shelters in an area that drains well. And is slightly sloped, preferably. We had a few weeks where we got 4 or 5 inches of rain or so and our ground was not spongy at all.

[@jerryroberts631]

@@hdezoo I could see where well drained land would be a God send, lol. I've seen these things sunk halfway in mud. The smaller ones with the skinny tires are no match for saturated soil either. Yours look to be well built and wishing you guys success with your chickens.

[@mjfanta1915]

My cousin has tractors this big, and, lawd. If it takes two people to drag one and I still end up injured, I'm not sure you can really call it a "tractor." More like big-ass box-on-the-ground.

[@hdezoo]

You’re not wrong. I use a cart that is placed under the back wall to make it roll easier. A roller thingy is a must.

[@marthabenner6528]

Lovely

[@hdezoo]

Thank you!

[@bruceswabb7145]

I built an 8x5 and it is solid and easy to move. Will make the next one 10x5. The Salatin design seems way too big to me.

[@hdezoo]

If I was just raising broilers for myself, I would make the shelter smaller as well. I think we will swap out the steel roofing for pvc roof sheeting this spring to make them lighter as well. I also want to make a different cart/dolly to make moving easier.

[@toddkoedyker1447]

Great job guys How long will it take you to get them to my homestead?

[@dibiodepaint]

Bagus

[@chrismoodytile9805]

I’m gonna build the same exact chicken tractor, video is super helpful, thanks man! It’s a year later from when you made it, is there anything you would have done differently?

[@hdezoo]

Yeah, for sure. I would have used aluminum instead of steel. We got the stew for free, and we couldn’t find aluminum where we were, so we used steel. It’s much heavier than aluminum. You want to make it as light as you can. That’s pretty much it though. That, and a good cart or dolley design to put under the back edge that lifts the back off the ground when you pull it. That is a must.

[@HATEgoo-gle]

Why don't they use a workbench to do the pre-fab work and save their backs?

[@hdezoo]

We didn’t have a workbench to build the workbench on.

[@thomascorbett2936]

How fast does a chicken tractor go ?

[@hdezoo]

Zero to sixty in 2.7 seconds.

[@thomascorbett2936]

@@hdezoo wow, that's fast .

[@mrsclfb9697]

"...built like Fort Knox." The only thing that can get in is a politician.

[@ThisThatLittleFarm]

Great Video Gents!!!! Keep it coming!!! Perhaps a rough estimate of the cost per tractor? Thanks again!

[@hdezoo]

When we built them, about 250 or so

[@ThisThatLittleFarm]

@@hdezoo Thank you much friend!

[@earlsdaughter]

Brilliant!

[@patrickbateman783]

Nice work 😎👍

[@hdezoo]

Thanks!

[@tonycerviver2123]

So, what I am gathering here is A Stationary Chicken Coop is soon to be an antique. Very good guys, I am very impressed with your craftiness. Is the Coop Mobile on wheels? Or just scraping the ground when it is moved. Please help out this City Slicker, all I grow is sweet Potatoes.

[@hdezoo]

We have a small cart with wheels that I slide under the rear of the shelter. It keeps the back edge about 2-3 inches off the ground so the chickens feet don't get caught under it. I pull it from the front, and the wheels make a huge difference.

[@jamespenton9874]

hey you should of put wheels on your chicken tractor it will be easy to move

[@hdezoo]

I made a cart that I put under the rear of the shelter to make moves easy. I need the shelter to sit tight to the ground so predators can’t reach under it.

[@russellwood8750]

Please excuse me I’m a city guy I’ve lived in many different cities around the world and no next to nothing about country life. But I find myself drawn more and more to maybe having a Homestead so a bunch of different channels like yours to learn stuff. I just have a couple of questions I like the idea of the steel covering for security and adding weight to the structure so it doesn’t move around so easily but on hot summer days would that not become an issue. Watching some videos on chickens I’m told they like to roost you have not giving them any purchase for them to rooster on. Also do you plan to put in some little laying boxes so they can lay their eggs. And you put it in a lovely lush green pasture I thought it would go into a pasture after the dairy cows had cleaned it out this way the chickens would fertilize the ground again as they go. Watching videos I’ve learned that ducks enjoy the grass however chickens prefer a much more stripped down terrain therefore what day not to be better off in a pasture that has already grazed your cattle. These are just some questions I have I could be completely wrong this is not my area of expertise just trying to learn as I go.

[@hdezoo]

It’s great that you’re learning. KZbin is a great place to learn and is where I learned a lot about this. In this video, we are building shelter for broiler chickens, also known as Cornish cross, also known as meat birds. They are a breed of chicken that are bred to grow very quickly, and be butchered before they reach the age of egg laying. We butcher them at 8 weeks old, and they average about 6.5 lbs of meat and bones a piece. Cornish Cross is the breed name, and they are also called broilers, because they can be cooked quickly under high heat (broiler setting on an oven or fried) and still remain tender. We did use steel roofing, and I designed the shelters so the entire rear of the shelter folds down in order to maximize ventilation on hot days. We would have used aluminum, but we couldn’t find any in our area. These meat birds grow so quickly, they can’t really jump up to roost if they are older than 5 weeks or so old. They are happy to sleep on the grass. We do not graze any cattle in the pasture, although we would like to get some beef steers to graze the grass in front of the chickens in the future. The chickens love the clover in the pasture, and eat the tender tips of the grasses as well.

[@russellwood8750]

@@hdezoo thank you for answering my questions much appreciate you sharing the knowledge means a lot. Sorry I've been watching so many videos I thought maybe someone said you looked after dairy cows so I figured you had cows out pasturing that's why I mentioned what I did about the chickens looking forward to seeing you get cattle however and seeing how you manage that. As I said I'm very interested in the homestead lifestyle and when I save up enough money it will be something I'll be looking into . This winter I got a side of beef and a whole pig for myself butchered it up and processed it and put it all in the freezer I have also been doing canning and making other forms of my own food and I'm very much enjoying it looking forward to raising and growing my own food in the future. Keep making the content I am learning lots from you guys.

[@hdezoo]

Sounds like you’re doing great already. Thanks for watching!

[@jimroccasano8068]

Love the work shoes

[@hdezoo]

I like to live life on the edge 🤓

[@OnSiteTrav]

lol great build!

[@hdezoo]

Thanks

[@jjarredondo6130]

I want switch to milwaukee now

[@colivingmelbourne346]

I can see those chickens already being devoured by those tastebuds

[@user-xo4hz4rv6n]

Здорово!

[@RaisingRoosters123]

How do you keep pests out? We have raccoons that would easily take out our chickens unless locked up at night.

[@hdezoo]

The only way for the raccoons to get in would be to dig underneath the shelters, which they have not done the two years we have grown them this way. The hardware cloth is 1/2 inch, so raccoons cannot get their paws through it to grab any chickens.

[@pameladenlinger8807]

My field is not very flat, so I'm not sure how safe this would be keeping out predators. Any suggestions?

[@hdezoo]

You could have an electric fence around the shelter.

[@mandiegarrett1706]

Yep, I was thinking about our land has LOTS of rocks of all sizes including big ones so it's hilly, rocky, bumpy, etc.... Great build but definitely we need to put in security fence before bringing in animals.

[@kwhatten]

Wonder whether these tractors could be used with other fowl (ducks, guineas, turkeys) if the ceiling height were greater?

[@hdezoo]

They could be very versatile, although if I added much more material to the shelters, they would be a bit too heavy to move comfortably.

[@conradhomestead4518]

Dude ! Your video is flying 😳

[@hdezoo]

And I have no idea how. For some reason, the mystical algorithm looks favorably upon that video.

[@achsahkaleb4844]

would love material plan, specs and sizes a real BQ bill of quantities

[@hdezoo]

Joel Salatin published a book last year called Polyface designs, and that book has detailed plans, hardware lists, and building instructions for this structure. We built these before that book was out, so we built it on the fly with no plans. We just started building.

[@achsahkaleb4844]

@@hdezoo thank you so much for helping me out. God bless

[@zoumboulakis6652]

Excellent work!! Is there any danger/precautions to take in the case that predictors dig from the sides to get under and in the tractor? Thanks and keep up the good work.

[@hdezoo]

I’ve heard that puting an electrical wire six or so inches tall, all around the shelters keeps them away, but you have to keep the grass low under it so it doesn’t short. We have yet to have anything dig underneath them, and we have been doing it for 2 years. Some people put fold down flaps on the side of their shelters that fall flat outside the shelter for a few feet. That way, anything that wants to dig has to dig several feet in one night.

[@bbtruth2161]

Took all of maybe a month or so with this style before mink dug under and killed most of my chickens. Back to the fortified coop and run with mine.

[@alextownsend6662]

These are meant to be moved daily, most predators can’t dig through in one try.

[@conradhomestead4518]

Nice job! Those tractors look good. Chineseum, haha 😂 Thanks for sharing! How old are the birds now ? How much feed are you giving each bird , each day ?

[@hdezoo]

Conrad Homestead those birds are in the freezer now actually. I'm way behind on editing. I have a lot of footage I have to edit. We fed free choice 24/7, and 300 birds ate 2,500 lbs of feed to get to 8 weeks old, and average 5.6 lbs dressed. We actually processed 150 from the batch after the one in the video, today. We are about to package them. And we are doing the other 150 tomorrow. EDIT: sorry, not 2500 lbs, 2.5 tons, so 5000lbs

[@jahangheermoosa5685]

👌👌👌

[@hdezoo]

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@Farmerbob843]

Cornish cross? Our first year we raised them but found that they are all dry breast white meat. heritage birds take longer but the meat is more tasty.

[@hdezoo]

We have heard that as well. I’ll be ordering some freedom rangers this summer to raise for ourselves, and we will do a side by side comparison.

[@Farmerbob843]

@@hdezoo I would love to see a video on it! Thanks

[@9252LIFE]

Are you shooting with a Cannon M50? My screen goes black to and is very annoying

[@hdezoo]

This video was shot on a GoPro Hero 5, but would probably looked just as good, and sounded better if I shot it on my iPhone. The reason I didn’t shoot it on my iPhone is because I didn’t have a lot of storage left on my phone. I do have a cannon rebel T5i that I use if I’m filming stuff at my desk that I like very much.

[@SteveDoesEverything]

What's the purpose of the flip down metal flap on the backside?

[@hdezoo]

It allows me to regulate the temperature in the shelter a lot easier. I leave it up when the birds first go to pasture in the spring, because it can get below freezing at night for the first few weeks. Then when it’s hot, it’s left down so the entire back of the shelter is open, and sends a nice breeze across every bird. It could also act as a digging barrier when it is down. The birds generally sleep under the roof among the back wall, and the flap is two feet of steel that a predator would have to dig under in order to get at the chickens.

[@SteveDoesEverything]

@@hdezoo ahh ok. Makes sense. Thanks for the reply

[@demoe5676]

Great video, I might make a few and try this in Tanzania. Nice channel name btw; are your ancestors Dutch? Question: how much feed, you reckon, you save by raising chickens this way?

[@conradhomestead4518]

Do you have issues with algae in the clear tubing that you use for the waterers?

[@hdezoo]

We did a little. It didn't seem to gunk up the drinkers we had too bad. We would have used black tubing, but we couldn't find any online or at the hardware.

[@jessaminecrisostomo7914]

What if you just fence the whole field with plastic fence and just let the chickens roam in the field. Probably they’ll eat the grass Then at night, they go back to their cages.

[@hdezoo]

This breed of bird is very lazy, and they don't like to walk around a lot. I have heard from people who tried to free range them that they would wander away from their shelter, and then bed down somewhere else in the pasture for the night. And then if it gets cold or it rains in the night, they get wet and freeze to death. Free ranging works a lot better with what some people call "freedom rangers". Freedom rangers are a meat breed of chickens that grow slower than the Cornish cross.

[@TitanIapetus]

I really like the way you built the back panel. Does having that wide open like that help mitigate any extra heat you may be absorbing from the steel? Also, how's the weight? You guys seemed to be handling it alright. Aluminum panels are a bitch to find.

[@hdezoo]

Yeah, we could not find any aluminum sheeting when we built these. The reason we made the back like we did is because we had to use steel. We heard that steel is a lot hotter, so I wanted to be able to vent the shelter very well. We haven’t had any issues with birds overheating in these shelters. We’ve been very diligent to make sure they don’t run out of water, and if it gets above 90 or so I will come out at about 2 o’clock and get them damp with the garden hose to keep them cool until evening.

[@TitanIapetus]

@@hdezoo Thanks! I saw your video about this after I had asked the question.. I think I'm going to end up using PVC. My main concern is durability but we'll see. I never expected aluminum to be that difficult to find! 🤷‍♂️

[@loosegear4345]

I am making one for only 15 chickens. Laying boxes? Roosting rails?

[@hdezoo]

These are for meat chickens, so there are no roosts or laying boxes.

[@thomasturner3834]

How many can you put in each cage. Also how big are the cages. Great work!

[@user-io5hj4uz3h]

Where did you guys get the cups you used for this?

[@hdezoo]

We bought them off Amazon. I do not suggest them at all. They are very flimsy after a summer in the sun. May become brittle, and break if they are nudged by a full grown broiler. We now have Plasson poultry waterers, also called Bell waterers. These are extremely sturdy, and fell way less often than the old ones we used. They cost about $80 apiece when we bought them, but they are worth every penny. water is the most important thing when it comes to chickens.

[@TT3TT3]

Covering for when there is big rain?

[@hdezoo]

Yeah, keeps them dry.

[@hiteshreddy4510]

Hey, I'm just wondering, what happens when it rains heavily, the entire ground gets muddy right, so is that ok for chickens hygiene-wise?

[@hdezoo]

The ground we have them on is pretty sandy, and drains very well. It is also on a knoll, so the water cannot pool around the shelters. Also, to my knowledge, it has never been cultivated, the grass sod is very thick and holds the soil together very well. It’s for all these reasons we decided to choose it as our chicken pasture. If we were to seed a low lying crop field to pasture, and started running broilers in this system on that ground, we would probably have a lot of issues with water, but the ground we have them on is very well drained.

[@hiteshreddy4510]

@@hdezoo That clarifies it, thanks for the response man, looking for more interesting content on homestead and self-sufficiency.

[@jbradley4448]

$5 for the person who finds the 4 leaf clover @ 13:01 😆

[@kellenkvidera3792]

What are the dimensions

[@MattyIceTrades]

Aren’t you supposed to use aluminum?

[@colebarnett199]

Awesome build. Two questions if you have the time: 1. What is the size/location of the hose you used for the waterer? 2. What kind of wire cage is that? Looks rectangular instead of square like 1/2” hardware cloth would be.

[@hdezoo]

1: my brothers house and we’ll is about a quarter-mile down the road from the pasture. There are heifers in a few barns over at his place so there are water lines underground. We tied into those water lines with 1.5 inch waterline, and trenched it to the edge of the pasture with a backhoe and have a frost free hydrant there. From that hydrant, we have garden hoses running on top of the ground to wherever the chickens are at. 2: the mesh is 1/2inch by 1 inch hardware cloth on the top. We used it because we had bought every roll of 1/2 inch hardware cloth within 30 miles of us, and that was the next best thing.

[@colebarnett199]

@@hdezoo so cool. I loved the little racks with water cups so I’m thinking of integrating into a couple of hoop coops I’m making for my laying hens. Rock on!

[@hdezoo]

After a yeah of using those drinking cups, I wouldn’t recommend them. They get busted when the chickens get older and they get leaky with age. I recommend the bell-style waterers. They are pretty pricy brand new, but, but chicken houses sometimes rotate out older ones and you can get a good price on a used one sometimes.

[@colebarnett199]

@@hdezoo awesome intel!

[@elcomunicador3722]

i live in the rainforest of peru with strong winds sometimes in storms. does such an enclosure fly away? What can I do to prevent this from happening?

[@hdezoo]

If you had winds much stronger than 30 miles an hour, I might consider tethering the shelters down with something, maybe a three foot or so pole with a loop at the end, driven into the ground, with a ratchet strap over the top of the tractor to synch it down?

[@donnamays24]

New sub! Love the content! 🙏🏻

[@hdezoo]

Thank you so much for watching!