ChickShaw 3.0 | the Perfect Chicken Coop Just Got Better 

Love your videos. Keep them coming. We have been homesteading for over 40 years, but always something new to learn. We are now "retired" (hubby was an EMS helicopter pilot for a lot of years) and now we are on a fixed income. Thankfully, we have everything paid for, but still we have to watch our pennies. There was no pension w/my husbands job, but we managed to put a lot of our income away. We are now in a position to do some traveling across this great country. Our son farm sits for us when we are gone. Now is our time after raising 3 kids. We have 16 grands and we are teaching them about becoming the "crazy chicken lady" and the "crazy plant lady". They love it, out kids come help out when needed and our little homestead feeds three families plus hubby and I . Thank you and your family for showing us new and better ways to do things! We always make it a point to learn one new thing a day. At least ONE! We also have made it a point over the years to improve the way we do things at least a little every day. Thanks for being some sunshine in this world where people like us are no longer being seen as "weird or out there". LOL

Just finished chapter 3 in THE ROOTED LIFE, I highly recommend anybody who has even had a thought about gardening/homesteading to buy his book. Very well done! Wish you guys the best!

We would love the plans! We have chicks coming in a month, and haven't settled on a coop design!

I enjoyed the way this content was put together, your showing us the day instead of explaining it. And its refreshing to see. Great job!

You guys just amaze me what you build. And to help others in the process. Inspires me. Without you and other homesteaders this could not be possible. With all your inventions. Thank you for all that you do. To make farming more easier.

I could watch those cute chidlers for hours! Love the Rhodes family! 🌻

@justin Rhodes.. quick suggestion. is to fill 1/2 of that big square space in front with shade cloth. this would give the chickens more area to get in out of the heat

I would love plans! We're getting meat birds for the first time this year!! That looks great, nice work

You should use a wire shelf (with holes like this llllll) as the flooring under the nest boxes. Having long thin holes allows straw to fall through.

Your handyman is a TREASURE! May God keep him safe and protected at all his projects. : )

Excellent video. I love the “build” videos. The Rhodes children are growing up!! They are very special.

Smart changes. When I built mine I got rid of all the metal L brackets and so many other additional parts you had on the list. Just overlapped the 2x4s instead and modified how to get the mesh sides on. My only complaint was stepping over the handle to get to the door, so this eliminates that. Nice work

I'd like it even better if the coop had upper levels for roosting, made with simple dowels. Justin mentioned that the larger coop could house as many as 50 chickens! If all huddled together in cold weather, they might each get some time getting warmed when in the middle of 50 sleeping chickens. But, in really hot weather, having more head room with several roosts to spread out on might help them survive, with more space & better air circulation. I love how the whole family gathered & got involved.

Beautiful design and beautiful family, all working together and creating precious memories! That’s what I love most about this channel! BTW, it amazes me how smart and capable the little ones are at such a young age and Jonah is going to be a Jack-of-all-trades no doubt!👍🏻👍🏻

Such a slick solution, just making the carry handles longer. I love the innovation and on the spot planning, great teaching for the kids as well

Oh yeah, I will buy a set of plans when you get this dialed in! It’s already better than the one I designed.

Hi.... Justin Rhodes, thank you for showing your video homestead 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 🏡🎥👍👍👍

Watch you everyday you post. You’ve inspired me more than I can tell you and I’ve been at this homesteading thing since before it was called “homesteading”.

One test you forgot to give it Justin. How well does it perform when going up the side banking from the lower pastures onto the road? Surely the extra length on the handles will make the angle too steep to get it all going upwards before the backend bottoms out … or am I seeing this all wrong! I love the way that you guys put your heads together and makes exceptional designs even better. It’s fascinating watching the thought processes and development as it happens.

Chicken Man does it again! Great Job Justin

Your family is amazing at the amount of work you get done in a day. Thank you for all you do!

Awesome. I was just about to build version 2.

Here is my very frustrated thoughts on the 2.0 coop design since the comments were turned off for some reason. This is better for meat birds in my opinion and from my painful experience. We built the 2.0 and all our birds (egg layers always with a rooster) just wanted to perch on TOP of the roof!!!...instead of inside. We tried so many solutions. We clipped a wing on every bird, piled obstacles on top all around the edges, tried enticing them to perch inside by building higher roosts, and even had to prop the roof up at roosting time. Ultimately, we always had at least a few that would still get up there, and we had to go out there every evening and move them into the coop! And this happened with more than one flock of birds. We definitely couldn't move the coop near any trees, because they would use the roof to get up into the trees too, even with a clipped wing!!! So we ended up replacing the roof with a modified version of the Suscovich tractor roof. It really looked like crap but worked to keep the birds from flying onto the roof. I'm back at the drawing board now, because the modified version was way too drafty and it can't take heavy winds very well. For the price of this whole thing (probably close to ~$1,000 after modification), I would have much rather built a stationary coop and compost run for a regular flock of egg layers much like Paul Gautschi. My second note is the rough terrain we live on. This is NOT easy to move if you live on a slope. I had to have my husband move it in the more slopy areas, because it is just too heavy (I think it was a bit lighter with the Suscovich roof but not by much). We always sought to position the coop in the most even spot, but still, the wheels began to warp from being on uneven terrain, and we had to add blocks to the wheels sometimes to keep it from rolling away. BTW, we used the same wheels in the design. It's just more trouble than it's worth. My husband and I have had many arguments over this coop. We sold and replaced entire flocks over it and have nearly given up on keeping chickens altogether. Building a new coop is not a cheap endeavor, but here we are, years sooner than we expected to be. I appreciate the design being put out there, and I know it works for many, just not for us.

Great timing for 3.0, we will be building one in a couple months! Thanks for sharing.

Awesome! Randolph and the kids did a great job! Justin, now you can build another one since you wanted to help some more and grow more chickens all at once! 🤗🤗💜🤗🤗

Great timing! I am in the process of gathering materials for a Chick Shaw 2.0 build and would love to incorporate the 3.0 upgrades.

offroad trucks use spacer blocks to lift the vehicle increasing the ground clearance for things like approach angle, for 3.0 give it some added space then you wont have the issue with drag

Miss the run of the mill vlogs but I appreciate what you are doing with the new style of video. 💜

A family that moves chickens together stays together!

I love the jazz music 🎶 during the chick shaw build 🌹

Hooray on the chicken tractor remodel. A family project with Randolph. Little Henry is so cute. 💖

Well, you turned the old cage into a nice new cage.❤👍

How wonderful to see you get ready for pasture chickens. Where I live we still visit our neighbours by snow scooter.

I enjoy all of your videos. Don't matter what others think of you, you be you. Don't get too caught up in social media, I know it's a good thing and very useful to us as viewers, but as you said family and health FIRST. Best wishes, C.

Woo! MOTIVATE ME MOTIVATOR! I am finishing my first ChickShaw! Wheels should be in soon! Thank you for linking the designs! It inspires me to do some designs of my own!

I definitely want the plans, please! I built my own stationary coop in 2013 and it has served me well. But the predator load this year makes free ranging very hazardous. Switching to The Chickshaw coop with mobile electric net fencing will be ideal!!

Very clever to show your children how to problem solve and also to let them be involved in the actual process but I loved the most when all of you got inside it biggest one and started pulling together… That is a great memory forever!! And last I like to say, how kind of you to give away your plans for free to anyone who is interested because I think there’s gonna be a lot of people who love your design and use it with her chickens and what else geese ducks rabbits😊❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️

Only problem I could see would be the legs catching on the ground while towing on uneven ground. Just something you need to watch for. Nice!

Yes! I have built the 2.0 - Love the improvement!

You guys have the best sweeties kids you must be so proud of them .

Great timing. My chickshaw just got a spring bath as well. I took the roof off to make the cleaning easier. I agree on pulling the dust bath plywood and need to do that. It catches poo. I keep a bin outside the coop for baths. I use an extra milk crate for the support to stop it from tipping. Seems to work. I will probably set it up as a 5th nesting box.

What a great masterclass for Jonah to work alongside with Brother Randolph! I think with Jonah's visualization & building abilities, he will be able to glean a lot of skills from the experience of Randolph lifetime of building. Josiah with his engineering mind up to this point, he will increase in his craftsmanship with this project & those to come with Lily & Gideon watching mindfully. And of course us as well!

If you angled the back of the chick shaw there wouldn't be a place for the poo to collect under the nest box and you would have better clearance

We've got a few chicks coming in April. Definitely considering building the chickshaw in prep for that! You had mentioned in an older video regarding the chickshaw, that the plans would continue to get better as others voluntarily helped (catch typos, etc.). I am a graphic artist who will very willingly share anything I see that could be improved - graphically or textually. Though, I would think by now, the plans are pretty much void of any typos - but certainly will look them over well. God seems to be blessing your family richly in so many ways - thank you for sharing the talent and knowledge He has given you!!! Prayers for your continued success, good health, and prosperity.

This is great and perfect timing! My layers will be ready to go out on pasture very soon and I was looking for the perfect set up for our eggmobile! Thank you!!!!!

Excited to get plans, we are going to build one of these!

Lift the bar you are holding on to. Supper simple. Supper easy.

I love the coop you all have created. Thank you so much for offering the plans to all of us!

If you made your handle higher instead you would not have to adjust anything else. a higher handler would reduce the angle you pick up the shaw and you would be able to move it and still have plenty of clearance. It would actually be easier too because you would not have to bend down as low.

LOVE the hitch addition!!

Would love to have the plans and make a chicken shaw!! What a great way to ensure your chickens are safe and yet mobile according to their and your needs!!

I have been enjoying The Rooted Life book and today I got your autograph and basil seeds in the mail. Made my day up here in Massachusetts. Thank you!

Thank you Justin! Can't wait to build one and put it to use.

Brings “Togetherness” to a while new level. Name that chick Shaw Together” lol

Thank you for always sharing your knowledge and skills. We look forward to seeing the plans.

We could use a Randolph on our homestead🙃 . He's such a blessing!

Great job and great news for we are going to get 100 layers and we were thinking how to remodel for 50 layers. Thanks to you and your beautiful family 🙏🏼🧿❤️

Go with dual axel. Put a removable steer wheel in the front. Just some thoughts. Cool idea for those with the space.

We have a static coop now, but your plans would be of great help so that our chickens could work the garden soil for us! Thank you, Justin! Love to you and your family ❤

What a great picture of all of you pulling it together.

Justin, i did notice the thumbnails changed. i noticed your vlogs were shorter, but more focused. i am not sure if i like that or not. i am an A+ member. but, i have to tell you i don't go to A+ often, because the posts come on RU-vid about the same time. and, i haven't noticed that i get more out of your DAILY's on A+. when you do a slaughter and say "see the unedited version on A+", i've never actually found that. And, i can't comment to you there. just want you to know, i support what you do, and will remain a member. this is just intended to be feedback, so you can continue to improve your game! me, i love just watching wholesome family stuff. when i started watching 6 years ago, like the nightly news, i NEVER thought i'd be joining a herdshare and milking a cow today. I just started a month ago, and when the cow calved, i felt like i knew what to expect. i'm hooked. thank you for all you and your team do, to entertain, inspire, and educated us all at the same time!!!

We are using the 2.0 and excited about the next version!

Your the best. Thanks for sharing your ideas. You could save some weight by replacing the diagonal supports with cable. Just a thought. Also, why not build it so the entrance is on the side and eggs are on the other side? Less walking over boards in the front to get to either eggs or door. That way it could store more compact being like 4x8 so only take up 4ft side space in a barn. Just trying to think of improvements as I'm building some more but I don't make videos.

Jonah is one impressive young man. Josiah isn’t far behind. Well done Mom and Dad.

YES! Please, oh PLEASE send me your plans for this Chickshaw 3.0. Thank you so very much! Much Love and Blessings All~Ways to you All 🙏 ❤️ 🙏

There is another way to alleviate the need to lift it so high and therefore force the back to drag. Simply mount the handle at the top, just under the roof. I would suggest that you incorporate the handle into the basic box by using headers that are 3’ longer than the rest of the box and putting a handle across the front. You would only have to raise the handle an inch or two to clear the grass.

Oh no! I literally just purchased all the supplies for the Chicksaw 2.0 and now you’re making a 3.0 🤦🏻‍♀️

What if: You added a box on top of chickashaw with a solar panel charging an electric fence ....the box could be water proof or a plastic sun proof box ....and could hold fencing and portable poles, so you could attach your fence to each side of chickshaw maybe with a gate that comes off from chickshaw...and set this up anywhere....or use it in fields like you usually do, with your usual fencing, or use its solar fence in a smaller garden area.

MAYBE... you should think of the Chick Shaw more like a reversed wheelbarrow, and put the wheels all the way to the back. If done right when you lift you can hit the sweet spot where most of the weight is balance on the wheels.

Just ran across your channel a few days ago after watching some of Joe Salatin's videos and boy I am inspired! I can't wait to get my house built on the 10 acres I have and get the woods pigs and chicshaw going!

1st thought - double axle! Ohhhh they fixed it! Woohoo!

Thanks for my book signature and Basil seeda I got on Friday! Love the chickshaw 3.0! Yes I'd love those plans! Thanks so much for this Uncle Justin!

Wish you could mark up some plans of the MiniMe in 3x3x2 footprint for those of us with smaller plots.

Yes, I would love the plans! Thanks! I love & watch your vlogs/posts a lot! You've got so many great, inspiring content!

❤️ thanks

Love it. Definitely need those plans & already signed up. Told my husband he needs to build it for me so we can get more of the chickens out and not have so many in the run thru the summer *Been having major predator issues so far this year and not looking good for the upcoming rest of the year*

I would love the plans for that chicken coop. am planning on getting layers soon.. would make it alot easier with plans.. thank you for your generosity.

Yes please I would love plans! My goal is to be ready for our first chicks by next year🐣

Thank you for sending me the plans when they come out. I am still trying to find property. Property is very expensive here. You inspire me.

Your plans for shaw 2.0 WERE NEVER READY - YOUR PLANS DONT EXIST

We built the larger original version (added two kickstands at the rear due to the wheelie issue, toward the left and right, with eyehook catches to put them up for moving). Now, since we've reduced our flock, I'm looking at cutting that down to half the size. It will be an interesting project, as I don't want to disassemble the entire thing and put it all back together again.

So smart! I would love the new plans, as well! Thank you!

Great video! Loved the music! Respect the use of a current design & redoing to make it better. Baby Henry growing up so fast! Will never forget the baby born in a gas station. Wonderful group of children working together. :o) God bless!

I'll be making one of those as soon as we get on our new property. Can't wait!!

You *can* move the wheels back some; the lifting isn't that different, there's no kickstand, no pop-a-wheelies. You've got plenty of leverage on the hitch/handle sticking out to lift and move it no problem.

throw in some arduinos to keep temp log, low water notification, proximity sensor, ect.

What if...on the neck you have it hooked into a latch on the frame. Then you can turn tighter on side by side...? And of course get lily to paint it beautiful garden colors 😇

just a thought you could tie a rope to pull from ... that will decrease the lifting angle while pulling it by hand

To keep the back end of the chick shaw from dragging, 4, 6 or even 10 foot long - simply move the axel closer to back. Go as close as 4 to 6 inches. Then your pivot point is fixed and the added length will be toward the handle to be lifted.

Yaaaaaaayyyyy! We’ve been patiently waiting for this moment…. awwwww, darn. Nevermind, still waiting on the pretty shaw with auto door. ;)

I had to be careful with the wire mesh as flooring. If any sharp edge or wire is exposed it can cause bumblefoot and infection. Just something to keep an eye out for!

Sow the Land has plans for their chicken tractor as well.

My husband just asked me for the plans for the Chickasaw but we will definitely need the ability to tow with truck or side by side to go up the hill from lower side of property to higher since I have gardens on both side. Unless I get to to make 2.....

I signed up for the 3.0 plans when I originally watched this video, and you said we could pester you if the plans weren’t ready by 4th July 2022…. *pester pester* :) Would love to build this these holidays, and running out of time to get the latest plans! Thanks again for the awesome content and sharing.

Yes.... very interested in the plans for new mobile chicken coop.

Definitely want those plans! Thank you.

You & Your family are truly inspiring! Would love the plans for this!

You can put small wheals in the back

I want one! You all are amazing. I signed up for the plans. I can't wait!

Love the chicks haw! May I have plans for the 3.0. My coops are stationary and I would really like to be able to move my chicks. So much healthier. Thank you!!!