[Billy]

We ran into the same exact problem a couple years ago and had to apply The same solution you are recommending. We just put the axle on two by fours to increase the elevation. It works perfectly!

[NoahC]

A lot of people use guard geese to discourage birds of prey

[Toni]

I’ll have to look into that! Thanks.

[Toni]

Awesome! Thanks! We were a little concerned about the weight capacity differences, so good to know that it’s not unworkable.

[TJean]

You want the birds to be able to get under the shaw, which is why the 24″ wheels. 20 ” is fine if you adjust the frame to give the birds the clearance.

Concerning the weight. The rim is not the issue but the actual tire. I use tires meant for wheelchairs that I get from a bike shop because I farm from a wheelchair. Cheap tires that puncture on sharp gravel will drive you crazy but so will heavy solid tire when you are hauling the thing up hill full of birds over rough terrain during mud season.

Mine is built on a collapsible bike trailer that I’ve pulled behind my wheelchair with groceries. It gives me a base I can refine my prototype upon as I figure out what works for me.

Also, consider just how far the birds can go from the top and your hawks et al, and size accordingly. Will you need more netting so they birds don’t hop the fence? How will you discourage the hawks from using the shaw as a fresh nuggets fly through? How are you going to stop the thing rolling down the hill or blowing over in the wind?

So if you use 20″ wheels, what else will you need to adapt to your conditions?

[Toni]

Firstly, kudos to you for following your passion regardless of less than ideal circumstances!! That’s just awesome in my book!! 🙂 Thanks for all the great tips and things to consider! Our plan is to follow Billy and Michelle’s set-up with a few modifications – we’re using cattle panels with chicken wire attached instead of netting, setting up lanes in our garden for this year and running them through the cover crops while providing feed the whole time since our first chick order was for cornish cross and cornish roasters… we missed the memo on that breed not working well with the chicken tractor on steroids. We hope to try his complete plan next spring and have ordered buff orpington hens and roosters this fall to breed and then incubate and grow out for meat birds next year. We plan to use the orange netting overhead as they show in their videos and we actually do have live owls on our property also, although a plastic one might be purchased depending on how things go this fall. Again thanks and looking forward to seeing more about what you come up with here!!

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by  Toni.

[AiNt-RiTe-Acres]

The wheelchair wheels.. what an awesome idea. I have an older wheelchair myself that’s in too bad of shape to donate. Using those wheels for a chickshaw or chicken tractor is simply brilliant. I love this place already!!

[TJean]

Some of the hawks in our area will see his set up ad the fly through lane, but the big guys (owl, bald eagles, osprey). The little ones though are agile! A peregrine flew over a net fence, under a mature lilac 4′ away, into the door of a dog crate, snagged a 7 week old runner duck, and flew out again without moving a leaf. With me being ten feet away.

So keep you eyes open.

[Toni]

hmmm, well I suppose it wouldn’t be too hard to repurpose some shade cloth and just cover the whole darn thing… will run it by my hubby and kids. Thanks!!

[AiNt-RiTe-Acres]

We use weed guard over our chicken run, our chicken tractors and rabbit tractors. Helps shade and protect them. Started doing it that way in GA because of the summer sun. Moved to the Ozarks to be a little cooler and found 104° summer days 🤷‍♂️. Still worth it though.

[Toni]

I’m not familiar with weed guard, will have to look it up! Thanks!

Sorry your move didn’t give you any relief from the heat!!

[AiNt-RiTe-Acres]

There’s an adjustment curve wherever you go and I was told those temps aren’t the norm. Didn’t slow the critters down so we didn’t let it slow us down. Well hell I’m disabled so I have to go to sleep to get any slower anways lol.

[TagNBee]

We used old wheel chair wheels to create a harvesting cart. Works great.

[Toni]

Mentioned this to the hubby. He’s looking into it! He’s an engineer so that’s just what he does, hehe.

Thanks!

[Billy]

Great discussion!

[Mottshillhomestead]

today i took up some advice you, billy, gave in past youtube video. went to the processor who processes my livestock, who is absolutely swamped due high volume and no workers, i volunteered to work not for the money but for the knowledge and skill of takeing an animal from kill to cure. he jumped on it, i start next week!!!!!!

[Pukalani-Farm]

That is wonderful!

[Barred-Rock-or-Brahma]

That’s really encouraging, thanks for sharing. I think I’ll try the same thing!

[AiNt-RiTe-Acres]

That’s awesome and quite encouraging.

[Squashmania]

Way to use your initiative and gain skills. That whole, “teach a man to fish” analogy

[Galley-Cat]

I was telling my mom not “one” of us knows everything but many of us know “everything.” The synergy of this platform is compounded to the “n”th degree!

[Squashmania]

I have a chickshaw 2.0 (Justin Rhodes plans) and I am blessed with an abundance of hawks. I take a 6×8 or 8x 10 tarp and make a lean -to off one side or another depending if they need weather or sun protection. I will use tent stakes or fibertuff poles to hold down the ground end, and sometimes a slanted pole underneath to hold shape, especially in rain or snow. I use bungees to hold it at roof level, or lapped over the top of the shaw. The birds really like the extra cover, and tarps are pretty inexpensive. You could also do a hinged corrugated pvc “awning” off the shaw that would stand out, as well.

[Billy]

Sounds like a great idea!

[dflint1873]

Could you post the plans or a link to them as well as well as your experience with it. Is it working well. Any suggestions for improvement.