TheKerrCenterChickenTractor1.

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DescriptionandPartsList


byCortneyLoyd
StudentIntern2010
September2010

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Chickentractorsaresecureandmovablestructuresthatallowchickensaccessto
sunlightandfreshair,whileallowingthemtoforageandscratchthegroundfor
food.Chickentractorsaremobileandaremovedregularlytoallowthebirds
accesstofreshforage.Theyareoneofseveralhumaneandhealthyalternatives
togrowingpoultryinconventionalconfinementbuildings.Smallchicken
tractors(likeKerrCenters)appeartobeespeciallypopularinurbanand
suburbansettingstoproducehomegrowneggs.Theyaresometimesrotated
overvegetablegardenbedswherethebirdscantillthesoilanddevourinsect
pests.

Therearemanydifferentdesignsforchickentractors;partialandcompletekits,
andDIYplansforsomeofthemcanbefoundontheWeb.AtKerrCenter,we
(AndyMakovy,MaryPenick,andCortneyLoyd)designedandbuiltourown
fromscratch.Thispaperdescribesourchickentractorandincludesinformation
foranyonewantingtoduplicatewhatwevedone.

Photo#1belowprovidesasideviewofKerrCenterschickentractorand
illustratessomekeyelements.Shelterednestingboxesareraised20abovethe
groundtoallowtheentireareaoccupiedbytheunittobegrazed.

NestingBoxes
&enclosedshelter
Sunshadecloth Ramp

4X4X10
Runners

REAR FRONT

Photo 1

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Thebaseoftractoris60wideand80long.Itstands55tallatthefront,72
tallattherear,and76atthepeakoftheslopedroof.Thebaserunnersare
4x4x10timbers.Weldedwireisusedtosealtheunitagainstpredatorsandto
keepthebirdsconfined.

Photo#2showstheinsideoftheshelterwithnestingboxesontheleft.These
boxesarebuiltabout12abovetheflooroftheshelter.Apopholeleadstothe
rampontheright.Nestingboxesare11wide.

Photo 2

Theycanbeeasilyaccessedfromtherearoftheunitbyraisingthedoorflap
showninphoto#3below.Thisallowsforeasyegggatheringandcleaning.

Photo 3

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Photo#4belowshowsthisdoorflapintheclosedposition.Entrytothegrazed
areaisthroughonelargehingeddoorlocatedforwardoftheshelter.Thisisused
dailytoprovidesupplementaryfeed,water,andforgeneralaccess.

Photo 4

Arampdescendsfromthemiddlefrontoftheshelter,extendingalmosttothe
ground,asshowninphoto#5.Thispicturewascapturedwhenonlythesmall
popholewasopen.

Photo 5

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Thissmallpopholeisimbeddedinawiderhingeddoor(showninPhoto#6)
which,whenopened,allowsgreaterairflowtothenestingboxesinhotweather.

Photo 6

Theshelterhastwoside15X10windowsforcrossventilation.Thewindows
featurebothflaps,whichcanbeloweredininclementweather,andweldedwire
forsecurity.Theroofoftheshelterisslopedtothereartoshedrain.Anarrow
gapexistsbetweentheroofandthetopoftheshelterforaddedventilation.A
durableshadeclothcoverstheremainderofthetop,whichisalsoenclosedin
weldedwireforsecurity(seephoto#7below).

KerrCenterschickentractorisconstructedmuchstrongerandheavierthan
manyofthecommercialkitscurrentlyavailable.Onereasonistheverystrong
windscommontoourlocationinOklahoma;anotheristhethreatfromlarge
dogsprobablyourworstpredator.

Photo 7

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 Photo 8

Becausethechickentractorissoheavy,wemoveitusingaKawasakiMulean
offroadutilityvehicle(photo8).Asshownbelow,acableattachedtoeyebolts
ontherunnersishalftwistedandloopedovertheballhitchforpulling.

Photo 9

Weestimatethatitcostusapproximately$290.00toconstructtheKerrCenter
chickentractor.Itwillcostlesstoduplicateifrecycledlumberandhardwareare
used.Apartslistfollows.

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 PartsListfortheKerrCenterChickenTractor

25pieces2x4x8lumber
4sheetsplywood
2pieces2x6x10lumber
2pieces4x4x10lumber
2sheetcorrugatedroofing(or
equivalent)
1roll48x10014Gaugewelded
wire
2largeeyebolts
8mediumeyescrews
4largestraphinges
9mediumhinges
7mediumlatches
4drawerstylehandles
Outdoorwoodscrews
Mediumnails
ShadeCloth(60width)
8plasticzipties
Smallrollnyloncord

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 CortneyLoydisoriginallyfromWister,
Oklahoma.ShegraduatedfromEasternOklahomaStateCollegewithan
AssociateinAnimalScience.ShereceivedaBachelorinAnimalScience
ProductionfromOklahomaStateUniversityinDecember2009.

CortneyisaninternatKerrCenterin2010.Shehasagreatinterestinthemeat
goatindustry,whichshehaspersonallybeenpartofsince2002.Atthecenter,
sheisworkingwiththemeatgoatandthepasturedpoultryprojects.

Reportpublished2010byKerrCenterforSustainableAgriculture;available
onlineorbycontactingthecenter.
FindoutmoreaboutKerrCenterprojectsonlineatwww.kerrcenter.com

KerrCenter
POBox588Poteau,OK74953
918.647.9123mailbox@kerrcenter.com