lorihadams
Always doing laundry
No problem...it'll give me an excuse to go get my daily dose of vitamin d! 
Colowyo - grudgingly settling in :P
- Thread starter colowyo0809
- Start date
lorihadams
Always doing laundry
Okay babe....ready for pic overload?
Here is the tractor...the bottom dimensions are 11'6" x 11'6". No fancy math, we had some 2x12 lumber that had been used somewhere else and by the time we trimmed the ends off that was what we were left with. We had 65 meat chickens in there with extra room.
The inside is made from 2x2s. We cut the ends at a 45 degree angle and screwed them into each other on both sides and then ran braces along the top edge and cross ways.
Here is how we attached them at the bottom....we cut small chunks of 2x2s and screwed them into the bottom 2x4 rails and then put the angled 2x2 top piece on that chunk and screwed it into place. You'll need some extra hands to hold everything in place until you get some of the bracing in place so it won't move.
We put 2x4 pieces in the corners to brace it too as well as putting a 2x4 down the center of the whole thing to help keep it strong. We also put 2x2 braces on the end triangle to help frame it up.
Now for the door. We got a screen door hardware kit with a spring and framed up the opening to create braces to attach the door, also made from 2x2s. Here is a pic from the inside looking out.
We attached chicken wire all the way around the bottom with staples. The next layer up is overlapped and secured with zip ties in the open spaces and stapled to the 2x2 pieces. Go up as high as needed and then lay the tarp over the whole thing. We completely covered one side and 3/4 of the end. We just folded it and stapled it down so it was smooth. It won't be perfect. On the top of the tarp we screwed in additional 2x2s to help keep it in place cause we get some strong wind gusts up here.
We bolted some wagon wheels on the ends and voila!
Here's everybody in the tractor at 3 1/2 weeks old.
Here is the tractor...the bottom dimensions are 11'6" x 11'6". No fancy math, we had some 2x12 lumber that had been used somewhere else and by the time we trimmed the ends off that was what we were left with. We had 65 meat chickens in there with extra room.
The inside is made from 2x2s. We cut the ends at a 45 degree angle and screwed them into each other on both sides and then ran braces along the top edge and cross ways.
Here is how we attached them at the bottom....we cut small chunks of 2x2s and screwed them into the bottom 2x4 rails and then put the angled 2x2 top piece on that chunk and screwed it into place. You'll need some extra hands to hold everything in place until you get some of the bracing in place so it won't move.
We put 2x4 pieces in the corners to brace it too as well as putting a 2x4 down the center of the whole thing to help keep it strong. We also put 2x2 braces on the end triangle to help frame it up.
Now for the door. We got a screen door hardware kit with a spring and framed up the opening to create braces to attach the door, also made from 2x2s. Here is a pic from the inside looking out.
We attached chicken wire all the way around the bottom with staples. The next layer up is overlapped and secured with zip ties in the open spaces and stapled to the 2x2 pieces. Go up as high as needed and then lay the tarp over the whole thing. We completely covered one side and 3/4 of the end. We just folded it and stapled it down so it was smooth. It won't be perfect. On the top of the tarp we screwed in additional 2x2s to help keep it in place cause we get some strong wind gusts up here.
We bolted some wagon wheels on the ends and voila!
Here's everybody in the tractor at 3 1/2 weeks old.
- Thread starter
- #343
colowyo0809
Lovin' The Homestead
lorihadams said:
glenolam
Lovin' The Homestead
Those kids looking at the chickens look a lil big for 3 1/2 weeks!?! 
- Thread starter
- #345
colowyo0809
Lovin' The Homestead
I was thinking the same thing, but I figured she got all the measurements and pics and everything and I was happy so I wasn't going to criticizeglenolam said:Those kids looking at the chickens look a lil big for 3 1/2 weeks!?!
lorihadams
Always doing laundry
Hardy har har.....
Oh I forgot, hubby drilled 2 holes under the door and tied a rope through it, drilled holes in a piece if 2x2, ran the rope through that, then tied the other end in the other hole for a handle to pull it. Its hanging on the front of the door.
Oh I forgot, hubby drilled 2 holes under the door and tied a rope through it, drilled holes in a piece if 2x2, ran the rope through that, then tied the other end in the other hole for a handle to pull it. Its hanging on the front of the door.
- Thread starter
- #347
colowyo0809
Lovin' The Homestead
I don't even know where to start. My nerves are beyond shot, and its mostly all my fault.
I decided to make a double decker duck brooder like what Wifezilla made, for five ducklings, and then move them into it today. Got the brooder put together. Decided that I needed to replace most of the bedding in the big brooder with new stuff because the amonia smell was horrible, and there was too much buildup - more on this in a bit.
So, I got the duck brooder put together. Put water in it. Put the five ducklings, the five meat chicks, the 10 hamburgs, and the one quail all in it (anyone see where this is going yet?). Put the two older chicks in a box together. Proceeded to get most of the old, bad, icky bedding out, put new in. Put the smaller waterer and the trough feeder into the big brooder. Grabbed SO to help me put the babies back into the brooder. Lifted the lid on the duck box, and what do we see? Most all of the occupants are damp, or wet, or soaked. Two of the hamburgs, which I had bought him for his birthday, are down and appear to be dead.
My heart stopped.
I had just killed two of my SO's birthday present. And its not even his birthday yet! 
He grabbed one, I grabbed the other, and I grabbed some towels that were in a package, still unopened (i don't know why, other than apparantly something was saving it for this very moment) and we toweled them off. He took those two into our bedroom, which has a south facing window, and put them on the sill in the direct sunlight. Meanwhile, I grabbed everyone else and put them in the big brooder under the light, chased the stupid cat out of the room (she crawled under the spare bed! ) and yelled at my SO even though nothing was his fault. I also punched a wall because I had too much energy, nervousness, guilt, etc and needed a quick release. My hand is fine, although the wall isnt 
and at the moment everyone is ok. We dried off the babies as best we could, CJ brought the two most affected back from the brink, and at the moment everyone is ok. However, I have the light on the ducks at the moment, as they were complaining, and now the chicks are in a ball together. They aren't like in a pile, just all in a group, so for the moment I judge they are ok. However, never again am i doing babies inside!! They will be outside, raised by a broody!! Frack this is nerve racking! 
I decided to make a double decker duck brooder like what Wifezilla made, for five ducklings, and then move them into it today. Got the brooder put together. Decided that I needed to replace most of the bedding in the big brooder with new stuff because the amonia smell was horrible, and there was too much buildup - more on this in a bit.
So, I got the duck brooder put together. Put water in it. Put the five ducklings, the five meat chicks, the 10 hamburgs, and the one quail all in it (anyone see where this is going yet?). Put the two older chicks in a box together. Proceeded to get most of the old, bad, icky bedding out, put new in. Put the smaller waterer and the trough feeder into the big brooder. Grabbed SO to help me put the babies back into the brooder. Lifted the lid on the duck box, and what do we see? Most all of the occupants are damp, or wet, or soaked. Two of the hamburgs, which I had bought him for his birthday, are down and appear to be dead.
My heart stopped.
I had just killed two of my SO's birthday present. And its not even his birthday yet! He grabbed one, I grabbed the other, and I grabbed some towels that were in a package, still unopened (i don't know why, other than apparantly something was saving it for this very moment) and we toweled them off. He took those two into our bedroom, which has a south facing window, and put them on the sill in the direct sunlight. Meanwhile, I grabbed everyone else and put them in the big brooder under the light, chased the stupid cat out of the room (she crawled under the spare bed! ) and yelled at my SO even though nothing was his fault. I also punched a wall because I had too much energy, nervousness, guilt, etc and needed a quick release. My hand is fine, although the wall isnt and at the moment everyone is ok. We dried off the babies as best we could, CJ brought the two most affected back from the brink, and at the moment everyone is ok. However, I have the light on the ducks at the moment, as they were complaining, and now the chicks are in a ball together. They aren't like in a pile, just all in a group, so for the moment I judge they are ok. However, never again am i doing babies inside!! They will be outside, raised by a broody!! Frack this is nerve racking! glenolam
Lovin' The Homestead
I'm sorry you had a rough start! I hope everyone pulls through
TanksHill
Super Self-Sufficient
It ok. Things happen.. I think they will all come around. The sunshine was a great idea. That or in your bra like OFG!! hang in there!!!
g
Farmfresh
City Biddy
Live and learn. I will not tell you how many baby ducks I drowned before I learned that baby ducks are not waterproofed yet. 
As for "My hand is fine, although the wall isnt " ... that is how I learned to sheet rock.
Another day will bring the sun.
I will not tell you how many baby ducks I drowned before I learned that baby ducks are not waterproofed yet. As for "My hand is fine, although the wall isnt " ... that is how I learned to sheet rock.
Another day will bring the sun.
