The Stress-Free Chicken Tractor Build: Part 1

[@Yeshuaschosen]

I want one but need more lumber!

[@gailrhodes2859]

So sorry about bunny

[@gailrhodes2859]

Love the door design

[@batpherlangkharkrang7976]

Hi.... Thank you for sharing your video homestead 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 🎥👍👍👍

[@toomanychickens1771]

Nice build.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+TOO MANY CHICKENS - thank you very much!

[@terencegillespie6675]

Nice job.

[@RoosterSpur]

How do you join your door joints? Pocket holes?

[@FarmAlarm]

This video was stress free too, i wanna build a few of these. Thanks bro.

[@markissboi3583]

what a great life away from the city & bustle 👍

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Mark Arnott - thank you, Mark!

[@SimpleTek]

love thee chicken tractors!!!!!!!

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Simple Tek - yes, they are our favorite of all that we’ve seen or made!

[@guderian1570]

Thank you شكرا

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Guderian - you're welcome! Good luck with your tractor build!

[@smallblockfuelie]

After watching you duck to get in and out of the chicken tractor I’ve started building mine, but am making it a foot taller. The hardware cloth comes in 36 inch widths so it won’t add much to the project. I needed another 8 feet of 2x4 and 4 more feet of the 1x4. The extra weight and cost should be nominal and help keep me from smashing my forehead into the thing. Thanks for the videos.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Smallblockfuelie - that's smart... I wish more things were built for us 6-footers!

[@jbm0745]

That part of the bender that sticks up and faces you it for you to put pressure down with your foot as you pull up. That will make much nicer even bends.

[@oldchickenlady]

what a great design! I don't have the tools that you do so I add hardware cloth with screws and washers. It works great and then when it's time to have to disassemble whatever you have built, it just unscrews! Sure beats trying to pull staples!

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+oldchickenlady - very nice. Why do you need to disassemble it?

[@jimhuskins8506]

Glad to see someone doing half laps on end walls. I see no reason to not do do.

[@ahandmadehomestead]

We built Johns tractor also, and have used it for 2 years. We love it! It’s heavy, but durable.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Journey Through Love Farm - 2 years for us as well from the first one we built... great design. It'd be fun to tweak it at some point, but it's a great way to get a chicken tractor built well in a few days' work

[@cassityart7001]

Really nice! Great space to build. Thanks.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Cassity ART - thanks! I was lucky my father-in-law had that area I could work in. At our house, there's no space indoors to work on projects.

[@AGREENERLIFE]

Thanks for the video!

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+A GREENER LIFE - we appreciate it!

[@Pinkenstein]

Excellent work!!

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Pinkenstein - thank you!

[@hitmanch47]

nice work

[@juliatodhunter6454]

Thanks, this was nice. I have purchased Mr. Suscovich's plans, but haven't build one of the coops yet. It is really nice to watch the process......lowers my stress level ;)

[@whitehouseonthehill]

Glad to help! Let me know if you have any questions that I didn't cover when you go through the construction!

[@rodneyhendrix1292]

Good evening, just a note; when you're using green treated wood most times it will be wet when you pick yours up at the box stores. So my advice is to wait for the wood till you've got the time to do a full construction. Then as the wood dries the tractor will be a lot stronger & hold it's shape. I learned from building a new set of banister's. Just trying to help.,... thanks

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Rodney Hendrix - makes sense, thanks for the tip!

[@karagultavukculuk2478]

Hello, can you give me the measurements of the coops

[@MrSouthofBoston]

Taking a break from building mine. I've got to get my broilers out of my garage!!! :)

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Rockin' G Ranch - Power through it! Getting the birds out has always been my motivation to get the tractors done quickly. Good luck!

[@Hiker63]

👍

[@whitehouseonthehill]

👊

[@MrSouthofBoston]

White House on the Hill I just finished. John needs to add some additional details in imho. For those who are going to attempt this project I recommend flattening just slightly the end of the pipe that attaches to the frame so it is easier to drill your pilot hole for the screw.

[@MrSouthofBoston]

The pneumatic stapler is a must. You can find them as low as $37.00 on Amazon.

[@jimclaire7996]

Nice video, great ideas.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Jim Claire - thank you, Jim! Are you looking to build a chicken tractor?

[@ede2225]

I'd definitely add a 2nd floor in the back half of it for laying and perch planks toward the front. That way you're using all the space and your girls can sleep in the tractor at night--especially important for us who just have a few chickens and don't want to build a 2nd coop. Just my thoughts. Love your channel, btw. Keep 'em comin'!

[@mr.skeptical3071]

Did I put your welded wire on the inside? Looks like the conduit bars would be in the way on outside

[@clivefrancis3546]

What size tube is that?

[@brandonbritton8420]

Great video, well done and keep up the hard work.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Brandon Britton - thank you so much! Are you making this tractor?

[@gerrymarmee3054]

Enjoyable !

[@MoonBusters]

As an electrician it hurt to watch those bends... good job though!

[@imjamesiridebmx]

Moon Busters i came here to make this comment. Lol. Elevator guy here though. To make your bends more pretty: put pressure with your foot on that little peg at the bottom of the bender while bending the pipe. 😎

[@karaneal]

I'm so sad I'm not sure if it's my connection or what but alot of your videos that are older I can't even get through a minute without it saying there is a bad connection I'm trying to see how you got where you are now. Does anyone have any suggestions to help me please?

[@wp4246]

Nice video! I am only on my second one of his tractors, and I like what you did to the door. - I will have to copy that - I see you use the half laps on all the vertical supports like I am too. Just a FYI that I found. I found if you bend the conduit from both sides to make the peak you get a real nice bend. I also dropped the conduit size down to 1/2 in. I did this because the directions call for 3/4 in on the purchase chart but the build part calls for 1/2 in. keep it up looks good!

[@whitehouseonthehill]

Thanks for the comment! I noticed a lot of inconsistencies in the supply list... I'll post my supply list in the description for future use. I'm not good at bending that conduit. Seems like I always under- or over-bend the stuff.

[@amyfitzpatrick6298]

I have a fue questions. What was the budget for this project? How long does this coop last? Does this make a good permanent home? How many chickens does this coop house?

[@dugnantz6140]

Mine cost just over 200$ to build in 2020 and it took about two days to build. I liked it enough to build a second one. I keep my egg birds in a Justin Rhodes chick-shaw. It’s better for long term and much more mobile. I run batches of 30 meat birds in mine and around 35 in the chick-shaw

[@LifeOnBeagleRoad]

Did you use his plans or did you make your own. I like the way you did the doors on yours. I built one this past fall... its nice, but way too heavy! Luckily, I just use the Kubota to move it. Its not meant for meat production, just to keep our chickens protected in the yard. Too many predators in a short amount of time.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Life On Beagle Road - we used John's plans and modified the door to fit the peak of the roof. We've never had an issue moving ours, but you're right, it's pretty heavy.

[@LifeOnBeagleRoad]

White House on the Hill word...ours is more of a hoop house style. We over built it I think. I might add wheels just make it easier...you know, when its not sub zero temps outside here. Lol.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Life On Beagle Road - right on... wheels will help!

[@dixsigns1717]

Thank you so much for this video link! #White_House_on_the_Hill

[@luigiprovencher]

How do you predator proof it?

[@GoldShawFarm]

Jake, Do you think it's possible to attach greenhouse plastic on a Suscovich Tractor? I'm in a colder climate (Vermont) and I'm considering using it year round as a mobile duck house.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Gold Shaw Farm - absolutely! We use one of them at our house year-round as a 2nd coop/home for teenage chickens. We kept greenhouse plastic on it over winter so they'd stay warm, but now that's it's getting into the 80's or 90's in there, they are looking for shade, and we'll have to switch it out for a colored tarp. Good question! We keep about 15 chickens in there comfortably. That actually would be a really good idea for our ducks, I might have to implement that.

[@GoldShawFarm]

Yeah..I've been researching the heck out of the idea and it seems like nobody is doing it yet. We have a 6 1/2 acre orchard in its infancy here at our farm. My plan is to rotate the ducks through it all summer long for insect control.

[@hennalisa454]

How do you attach the pieces of the door to each other? I wish I could see more clearly what you do to attach the parts of the frame of the door. Thanks for the awesome video!

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+hennaLisa - I use wood glue and a nail gun. With 1" x 4" you can't get a screw in there too easily.

[@hennalisa454]

@@whitehouseonthehill Thanks. Do you mean that you straddle the nail gun over the seam of the two boards to attach them together? Is your door just 1 inch thick or do you sandwich two 1x4's together?

[@stuarthampton4175]

Hi Jake, Follow on question to Rachel and henna Lisa. How are you joining the pieces for the frame and the door? Thanks.

[@fritzkeller7567]

Time and money or craftmanship and precision? Or both probably.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Fritz Keller - I don't get your question. What about time, money, craftsmanship and precision?

[@YellowjacketFarms]

Great build video! The only reason I didn't try one of the Suscovich style tractors is I was concerned about weight. How much would you say the entire tractor weighs? Love the channel! Subscribed!

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Yellowjacket Farms - it's heavy... but it has wheels on one end and it's fairly easy to lift and move. I think it's the perfect balance of weight so it doesn't blow away and light enough to move. You could lighten it with 2" x 3"s instead of using 2" x 4"s, but I really think it's the perfect weight to do the job.

[@marythibault9032]

Question: Isn't his design geared more towards meat birds and not egg production?

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Mary Thibault - there's no reason this wouldn't work for either. Many people use these tractors for layers.

[@smallblockfuelie]

So it seems like you covered the tarp differently on your tractors. Which do you prefer?

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Smallblockfuelie - heavy duty tarps in the summer for shade, greenhouse/clear tarps in the winter to allow some sunlight through for warmth

[@smallblockfuelie]

White House on the Hill do you like the tarps all the way to the ground, or just to the bottom of the pipes?

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Smallblockfuelie - we've tried both ways... all the way down blocks the wind better, part way up allows better airflow. We've also tried to make it movable so we can adjust it when needed.

[@AGREENERLIFE]

Currently building this chicken tractor following your roof pitch for the door! Are those all 2x4's you are using? For some reason in the video the wood looks thinner than a 2x4.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+A GREENER LIFE - 2 x 4s on the outer frame, 1 x 4s on the door to fit into the notches on the front of the frame.

[@hennalisa454]

Could you explain the changes you made to your cuts in order to make the pointed door? I love it, but am not sure how to alter the cuts listed in the book .

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+hennaLisa - I just do it piece by piece to match the pitch of the roof. I hold each board up to the door/roof and mark where I need to cut them. Then I put it together one piece at a time until I have it all in place. It's not the easiest thing to do or explain - especially because I am not a proficient woodworker - but it comes together if you work on it one piece at a time.

[@clintkneip6023]

@@whitehouseonthehill The door is awesome. How did you attach the pieces? With screws or staples?

[@heyitsrachelgrace]

Is there any difference in wood size or length for making the door peak like yours than what is in the book?

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Rachel Smith - good question. I think I used 3 - 8' boards for the door, regardless of which style I did.

[@heyitsrachelgrace]

@@whitehouseonthehill Thanks! :) How did you secure the boards together to make the door frame and door?

[@pasqualesuero461]

Hi! Thank you very much for this explanatory video! I’m from Italy, I have issues in ordering your plans on amazon, is there another way to purchase them? I also have an important question, how do you prevent predators from digging beneath your chicken tractor?

[@dennismott9183]

What size is this chicken tractor? 10 x 5 or 10 x 8?

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Dennis Mott - 10' x 6'

[@TheLongsFarm]

How wide and long is your tractor? I'm building one for laying hens, need max sq. footage and still be able to move it by hand.

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+The Longs - it is 10 feet long and 6 feet wide. So it’s 60 square feet - John Suscovich puts 30 meatbirds in his, giving them 2 square feet per bird. I use it for 15-20 chickens at a time, and I’ve built a total of 4 of them, so I can use one for teenage chickens, one for meatbirds, and the others are being used by turkeys right now. It’s a great size to move by hand, my wife does just fine with it. Any bigger and it would be tough for her to move.

[@kittysquader7487]

I have one question. Is it predator proof?

[@sakiskyriakou563]

Hey buddy I bought the book, I have few questions. Why we need to make it so high ??

[@mariatrevino7467]

So you can get in and out easily

[@Prezzo1990]

How much money did you spend build this coop?

[@jeromeproctor1668]

What are your dimensions for this tractor

[@shawneeward2570]

In your future videos I have seen that you have used these tractors for raising your Ayam Cemani's and your Pheasants and Silkies! I was wondering, are these only seasonal, or do you use these as mobile coops for your cemani's, pheasants, and silkies throughout the winter? I would love to build a few of these but I want to know if they are seasonal only or if they can be used throughout the year!

[@darren7979]

What are the names of the metal pipes you use for the conduit?

[@whitehouseonthehill]

+Vexnnn - just metal conduit in the electrical area of a hardware store - we used 3/4" thick conduit.

[@darren7979]

@@whitehouseonthehill Thanks, haven't really looked here in Ireland but I think they're a bit hard to find as we have no big shops like Lowe's. If I can't find them I'll just use some pvc. Could you recommend what size pic pipe?

[@iarellano27]

@@darren7979 Any progress yet?

[@darren7979]

@@iarellano27have some of the materials but no money😂😂😂

[@lenansidhe9946]

[@richardloch8872]

HI What is the measurements of the the tractor an how many chickens will fit in