How to Add A Metal Roof to Suscovich Chicken Tractor | Chicken Tractor Plans for 25 Chickens 

I would add something to take the roofing down to the ground. When you get bad storms it is really worth it to have the covering go all the way to the ground to give hte birds a safe place to get out of weather and cross winds.

Heres why this guy is good. He makes the mistakes that some of us (like me) would make - then he fixes them. I dont like videos of perfection where everything goes perfectly... because it never does in real life!! Thanks for showing me how to do this

Leaving a second comment with an update: we just finished this today and it’s great, your instructions are spot on. The only thing we did different was that our roofing panels were 6 feet long (they came in 12 footers so I cut in half). Since they are slightly longer they hang off the side and create an awning. Also, our top piece was 10 feet long so did not need to do a makeshift one on the last foot or so. We stained the whole tractor with semi transparent Salamander Green from Benjamin Moore. Looks amazing with our silver metal roof. Thanks again for posting this video, helped us out a lot!

I am about to attempt building one of these and have the JS booklet. I appreciate the idea of a metal roof as I live in a very windy spot and the tarp would be under too much stress. I note that John comments that the side could do with enlcosing too, so I am planning on doing that too. Thank you to both of you for posting on RU-vid and sharing your skills and knowledge.

Love you too buddy! Great video.

Mine is SOOO freaking heavy with the metal roof panels. I did make it taller than the original - 6ft at the peak. Should make a bomb-proof shelter for the winter tho!

I’ve done something very very similar and love it. But check out pipe maker. You can buy some of their straight brackets and even 90s for the top. And use little short pieces of Emt. Mine came out great. And it’s a little lighter than wood. I’m glad to see someone had a like minded idea. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

One little time saver might be to use a hole saw to drill 3 holes the needed size for your pipes in the lumber before cutting it down the center making your 2x2. You only need to do this 3 times and you have round notches for the pipes.

I have another good answer for you the skill saw you were using save the doll blades and put it on backwards. It will cut right through it like you would not believe but put it Ear muffin in ear… it’s loud

Love the idea of a metal roof. I'm researching building one of these (I built a Joel Saladin Chicken Tractor last year, hated it = way too heavy to move and we've got rolling pastures). Like you I don't like the idea of a tarp roof, and I've got a bunch of sheet metal laying around that I can use for the roofs like you did. Thanks for sharing this.

I love what you have done. I built a tall chicken house on a trailer. The roof is metal, but what I did that you may consider is running the roofing horizontally. You start at the top with the 3 ft wide piece evenly divided along the ridge. You run the ribs of the roofing along the length of the tractor. Then you add horizontal roof pieces until you make your way to the ground. You tuck each piece underneath the edge of the one above it. Car ports use this design. Its really strong because of the steel ribs running perpendicular to the trusses.. I would consider just making trusses using 2x2 treated wood and then eliminating the conduit and all of the conduit bending. This would also eliminate cutting the metal roof.

Really love the metal roof idea. Not a fan of tarps also. They only last a couple of years in my area at most. Will be doing the metal roof on mine. Thanks for the video and idea.

Use a dull blade turned backwards on your circular saw to cut your metal roofing. I will get smooth cuts. Be sure to use hearing protection.

Love your life ❤

Good build! You can look it up on youtube "cutting metal roof backwards saw blade" if you want to see examples of how to save a lot of time and headache on that step

You can use a skill saw and flip the blade works great brother to cut steel just wear face protection

Hello From Scratch Farmstead, how are you today? I'm watching you from Turkey. In which country do you live? I really like the chicken tractor you made. Especially the roof covering was magnificent. Healt of your hand and your efor (This sentence is a folk expression used in my country to appreciate those who do good and good work). I congratulate you on this successful update. I would appreciate it if you could write down the dimensions of this tractor's width, length, roof height and side wall height in feet. I offer my love, respect and greetings to you and your family from Turkey.

Great addition

Hey, this is a great video. I’m just wondering how come you didn’t put the two by twos on the outside then you went ahead to cut into the two by twos for the pipe you could’ve shot a screw through the pipe into the wood inside.

Very nice. Like this better than tarp

Little note: first you make the holes (28 mm) than you cut them in half. Bote sides have the savings.

Perfect. It’s what I want to do as well

It just dawned on me... here in Northern Colorado / Southern Wyoming the wind will destroy these and send the chickens to Kansas... and then Toto will get them. The last few days have been 50+ mph winds and I have large drifts of tumbleweeds everywhere. I am pretty sure I have to do a traditional pole-barn ("post frame" to be fancy) coop. That's ok. Maybe I can combine it with the in-ground and "Chinese style" greenhouse with dirt insulating the north wall and maybe a bit more.

throw a makeshift pvc gutter on it for water collection

The roof screw goes on the mountain not on the valley. My field of expertise en galvanized roofing. Love, Antigua Guatemala, OsoYolo.

Genius! Been watching these hoop coop videos all to get some ideas and came across this. Definitely doing this!!

THAT'S VERY NICE I NEED ONE BAD

Make it taller and a bit bigger Make it multi purpose A green house A brooder A egg laying coop Meat chickens Instead of metal use the clear greenhouse plex Collapsible wheels Cattle panels as well . I’m working on this Use it for multiple uses Pulled by human or a any type of farm vehicle But yes a bit mor expensive but I like multi use But glad you all do these videos I used about 6 videos to get my ideas of all types of the coop / tractor stuff Oh and I’m doing a rain catch gutter for the water . Well I hope so

Very nice! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks I like the idea. I think 4’ sides are better. Glenn

If you are going to put steel on the roof I would just hand frame the roof with wood material and scratch out the conduit piping

If you got a worn out circular saw blade you can put it on backwards and cut metal with ease.

Does this make it more difficult to move around? I really love the metal roofing idea and getting rid of all the plastic pieces altogether!

Ok so I wasn’t the only person that thought about this. I was thinking about aluminum (less heat) like Salatin uses but in this shape

10:25 jigsaw works well too

Curious why the 2x2's we're notched and mounted under the EMT. Could these have been added on top of the EMT or is the gap at the bottom too large? I do like this style of CT better than the other low- profile CT that is also popular. Good video

You made me so nervous using the table saw like that! Save your fingers and thumbs by taking a few minutes and making a couple push sticks out of scrap. Otherwise, great addition!

I am building a hoop coop with cattle panels instead and was wondering you thoughts on using this roofing but rounded with the ribs running in the the horizontal position. looking for advice from you or your followers. I too don't want to use a tarp.

Thanks so much! I want to do this and also use hardware cloth and add a predator apron around the bottom. What do you think? Thanks 😊

1 cut in the center, leaves short eves

Metal roof is a great idea, but you didn't go far enough. Consider getting rid of all the wood and replacing those parts with metal or PVC. Wood is not going to last.

Do the chickens sleep in there or do you move them to a coop at night?

How much does this add to the weight? I’m moving the tractor by myself. Thx.

I don’t like the doors square to a triangle. Need those smooth fit

Screw the pipes just use wood Or cattle panel

Where did you purchase the metal roofing? Just curious.

I live in a cold area with lots of wind. do you transport your chickens to coop at night?

How about a video showing how you wife can still move the tractor everyday by herself?

Green absorbs too much heat

Poor design