Best wheels for chicken tractor? Where to look?

[NuckollsFarm]

Essentially, the wheel is attached to an arm which pivots on a pin. When you move the arm one direction (towards the front) it is free to rotate far enough that the wheels are off the ground. When you move the arm towards the back there is a bolt that prevents the wheel assembly from moving too far and so it kind of locks the wheels in a raised position.

I PM'd you a link to the plans.

 

[McChooky]

The type I made for my chicken tractor requires little effort to raise or lower.Pressing the 1st lever down with my foot lowers or raises the axle and engages or disengages the wheels. The 2nd lever locks it in place for rolling.Unfortunately I had to reset my computer so I don't have any pictures sorry

 

[McChooky]

Heres a video I found on YouTube

 

[Krugerrand]

Heres a video I found on YouTube

Thank you so much for posting this!

I tried to do something like this using scraps I had on hand .... lawnmower wheel and 1 x 4. It didn't work too well for me, as they twist too much. I think I'm going to take another stab at it with better materials.

Figuring out the specific wheels and bolts used was a big question for me. The same person had those details in this video:

 

[McChooky]

Thank you so much for posting this!

I tried to do something like this using scraps I had on hand .... lawnmower wheel and 1 x 4. It didn't work too well for me, as they twist too much. I think I'm going to take another stab at it with better materials.

Figuring out the specific wheels and bolts used was a big question for me. I found those details on this video by the same person:

You will get better results if you use pressure treated 2 x 6's instead of 2 x 4's for axles and levers for the wheels .Softwood has too much give and the wheels won't roll as well .Hope this helps!

 

[McChooky]

Thank you so much for posting this!

I tried to do something like this using scraps I had on hand .... lawnmower wheel and 1 x 4. It didn't work too well for me, as they twist too much. I think I'm going to take another stab at it with better materials.

Figuring out the specific wheels and bolts used was a big question for me. The same person had those details in this video:

Glad it helps.I ended up making my tractor predator proof and it was too heavy to roll on sloped land. I can still use it to house excess cockerels so it wasn't a total loss Lol

 

[Krugerrand]

You will get better results if you use pressure treated 2 x 6's instead of 2 x 4's for axles and levers for the wheels .Softwood has too much give and the wheels won't roll as well .Hope this helps!

I have some 2 x 6's on hand.

Here's what mine looked like before I 'finished' it.

I only use it as quarantine / isolation and haven't needed it for a while. But, I'd like to fix the wheels this summer so that I can move it around more easily. I have the wheels pretty well at the center of mass, so it pushes really easily when they work.

I used welded wire fencing around the edges as a movable apron. Critters checked it out but nothing ever got in.

 

[McChooky]

Nice!

 

[Dariotimoteo]

It works, FINALLY!!! Thank you so much, Notiones, for posting the pictures and information about your wheels.

Years after the original posting, this thread helped me complete the mobile piece of our tractor. After three different types of wood paddles (designs found various places on the internet), some reinforced with steel mending plates, two different locations on the frame, and several different combinations of hardware to attach them to the frame.... the 1/2 inch square steel tube setup similar to what you have pictured has our tractor mobile.

When I initially decided to go with a tractor, I had visions of something light enough that I could move it around on my own without having to depend on my (much stronger) husband to move it for me. He talked me out of PVC framing and into wood, then talked me out of 2x2's in favor of 2x4's, and since we had a couple bundles of asphalt shingles, we might as well give it a "real roof". Granted, it is likely much sturdier, will probably last longer, and the coop portion will be better overall for the chickens... but it weighs a ton! The weight was the key that was preventing all my earlier wheel designs from being successful.

For anyone who may come across this later, if you've built a solid/heavy coop and run, probably larger than ideal for a tractor, don't waste your time with wood paddle type designs for attaching your wheels! Start with the steel tube and place them under the middle of the coop for the best weight distribution! Too far forward and the weight of the coop will raise the run off the ground and make it difficult to move, and too far back will make it extremely hard to pick up the run end and move the tractor.

I will take and upload a few pictures of our finished - finally mobile - tractor when I can. Maybe this thread will continue to be useful to people like me!

Hi, I’m working on my chicken tractor now and attaching the wheel is the most frustra part of it. I’ve try different methods but all failed. Do you mind sending some pictures?

 

[Krugerrand]

Hi, I’m working on my chicken tractor now and attaching the wheel is the most frustra part of it. I’ve try different methods but all failed. Do you mind sending some pictures?

This member hasn't been on in almost 8 years. I doubt you'll get pictures.

Take a look at post #53 above to get some good ideas. (Parts are listed in the video in post 54.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...en-tractor-where-to-look.608390/post-27589952

I'm going to try and redo my wheels this summer ... but too many things are on the list ahead of that at the moment.