Three years ago, Greg had a vision to create a poultry tractor for the meat chickens and turkeys. It is a movable pen that is 10’x20’ and made out of PVC pipe and chicken wire. It’s meant to do a few things. It keeps the birds ‘relatively’ safe from predators. It allows the birds fresh grass to eat while simultaneously fertilizing the same area. It also separates the specific meat bird’s feed from the feed of pasture birds. This poultry tractor has both a portable feed box and an automatic waterer that is moved with the tractor.
Variations of tractors 
Greg decided to make it out of ¾” PVC. That made it light enough to pull manually with attached rope at each corner. Being light, it does not need wheels; it just slides like a sled along the grass. The frame, hoop cover and chicken wire wrapping were constructed by Greg and a buddy over a weekend.
It has a door that is wide enough to get a dog crate in and out because we often use a dog crate to transport birds. We installed an automatic water system (here is a link of how to build one) in the tractor with a quick release and shutoff valve. This has recently been modified from a tractor supported system to a stand-alone ground supported system.
Greg created a big feed box on wheels with a slanted board inside to allow the feed to fall. It holds up to 300 pounds of feed. This must be wheeled along as the tractor is pulled and moved to its new location.
We have covered half the tractor with plastic to provide shelter from rain and sun depending on what time of year it is. This must be replaced every year just from sun damage and wear & tear.
The structure itself must have a fair amount of PVC connections fixed or reinforced every year due to misc. damage. Some years, it is more than others. For example, one year, our two cows accidentally got into the poultry pasture and trampled all over the turkey tractor.
We will have to rebuild the poultry tractor in the near future, but Greg continues to stitch it back together. A future poultry tractor will most likely be a little heavier and stronger. Adjustable pneumatic wheels will probably be added to accommodate the added weight.
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