"MegaChickenYard is a success!

Worked great! Wife and chickens are very happy!

GREAT PRODUCT!!!" - Mason

Hi, new here and excited to start using makerpipe fittings on a few farming projects! I moved to a property with a few old metal pipe structures (some trellises, a large canopy/shed, etc.) and measured the OD to see what I’m working with. I have a lot of pipe that is 1 3/16” diameter. Don’t know if that’s some standard unit in a particular arena, but it doesn’t fit neatly into makerpipe’s offerings. Wondering if I can get away with using 1” fittings, or if they’ll be too tight to hold?

Check out Michael's sweet temporary chicken tractor!

"Here is another photo of this concept connecting three pins together each pen has 12 chickens one lays brown eggs, one lays green eggs, one lays blue eggs. These are temporary pens as they are not yet as they are not yet def egg producing age. I have connected  three panels with one rod.  I will break these down and produce individual tractors with enclosures and nesting boxes."

"It was time for an upgrade - out with the old and in with the new. I'm not a welder, so Maker Pipe made it possible to build a new chicken run without using one piece of lumber - I will not have to rebuild in my lifetime. This latest addition allows us to gradually integrate the new flock with our two adult hens.

We have welcomed 11 newcomers. I constructed an indoor area so they can be close to each other, and when the moment is right, the divider can be folded away, allowing the entire flock to unite. If you have questions during your build, you can be confident that they will be answered. My number one criteria for dealing with any business is customer service. Maker Pipe set the bar! It is so refreshing to communicate via email with a real live person vs. the impersonal help from AI chat bots." - Dennis

"We thought you might like to see what we built with all those connectors we bought from you back in November last year!  We finally finished the project.  it's a two-compartment walk-in chicken coop/chicken recreation yard, (total: 6' tall, 7.5' wide, and 18' long) of our own design, with the frame built using your makerpipe connectors and tools; dozens of 10' lengths of 3/4" EMT pipe, four 3ft wide x 50ft long rolls of 1"x1/2" 16-gauge wire-fencing mesh, hundreds of extra heavy-duty black-nylon cable/zip ties to hold the wire mesh to the frame (on all sides, and top and bottom), three walk-in aviary doors (from WIngz / KW cages), some hardware-store angle irons and 2-hole 3/4" emt-pipe connectors to better mount the angle irons doors to the emt pipe, and finally, far more labor than my wife and I anticipated.  But we finally finished it!  This is and was our first MakerPipe project. We didn't exactly start small!  

In the pictures, you can also see two "Eglu Go-up" coops (purchased from Omlet.com), some hanging chicken waterers, some bucket-type chicken feeders, and a couple of inexpensive plastic doghouses (from Walmart) to provide the chickens with additional shade.  

 Anyway, thanks for providing your fine product to the DIY community.  We (and our chickens) are happy with how the project turned out.  Keep up the good work." - R & D

"My build went beautifully, thank you for you help, and your awesome products! I attached some photos of the finished bunny tractor!" - Anne

Chris shared this cool build with us! It is a windbreak/shade that he put together for his cattle. Here's what he said about the build.

"It worked really nicely. It pivots so I’ll be able to use it in the summer too. Gonna be testing out in the field and will probably make a few improvements but overall the connectors made it a breeze."

Do you think super-sizing the kayak carts would work for a 55 gallon drum? I have plants 1/10 mile from the nearest spigot that need watering. My plan would be to put larger wheels on the kayak trailer. There would be 1x 90 degree union and 2x 135 degree unions that form the side braces and rests for the barrel. These would be tied together by the axle and cross bars (just like the kayak cart). A drawbar might be fashioned from a long member with a cross union and T union where the end was pounded flat to allow a bolt with washers and wing nut as a hitch pin.

Would 3/4" conduit be strong enough, or do I need 1"? 55 gallons of water will weigh over 400 lbs. The terrain is fairly flat but there are slight rolling hills and some bumps to overcome.

Check out this awesome hen house from Matt!

"I'm currently working on our second major project with maker pipe. I did a greenhouse a few years ago and am currently working on an outdoor area for his chickens. Love the products"

We wanted to build a chicken tractor to pull around the yard and keep laying hens. Over a couple of months we have adapted our ideas and finally ended up with this structure, which has far more connectors than if we had 1) bought a bender and done hoops or 2) made it a shed roof style. It is 10ft plus connectors long and 8 ft plus connectors wide, and about 5.5' tall in the middle. There is wire bracing along the sides at the door end and in the door itself, which uses the eyebolt hinge idea. To get it braced strong enough for being lifted and moved (or used by children as a jungle gym while we built it) it took a fair amount of bracing and we didn't have much of our ten sticks of 3/4" conduit left at the end.

We intend to add more tarps or plastic as needed for weather and cold protection, but since I found an idea for very nice weather proof feeder (eye-bolt with toggle on the bottom of the bucket), we don't need to worry as much about keeping feed dry. We used zip ties to fasten the hardware cloth (1/2 x 1/2 critterfence) and crossover clamps and pipe clamps to fasten the wheel lifts. (Eddie Bauer scrollers are strong and a bear to take apart, just FYI. Probably would have been simpler to get a couple more lawnmower handles and front wheels.)The predator guard is probably overkill, made of pvc we had and heavy duty 1" x 2" fence from Tractor Supply. Still working on the latch idea, but I think we'll just add two sliding bars or pipes, one inside and one outside so no one can easily get locked in. Maybe it will have a bungee or hook to prevent accidental/racoon sliding. We will also wrap the outside of the laying boxes with hardware cloth and plastic to keep rain and thieves out.

“The specialty fittings available here made my design work! I could find nothing comparable at the local hardware or even the evil Amazon. I really appreciate the resource. Chicken tractors are doing great however I did not plan on my sheep climbing up them and denting the tops. They are still functional despite looking crappy from the sheep traffic! The 3/4 inch EMT is very robust and still lite. Thank you Maker Pipe!” - Brian

"Hello, I thoroughly enjoy constructing projects using your product. I’ve fabricated an overhead structure for my poultry enclosure, which they prefer over their coop." - Carlos

I have an enclosure for my chickens when they're not in the coop. It is approximately 6.5x9.5, with the peak of the roof at about 6.5. There are no rafters or struts between the outer frame of tube-steel for the roof. This is fine for the chicken wire/hardware cloth. However, for winter, I need to cover it somehow to protect them from heavy snowfalls. I was using a tarp, but with our first 2-inch wet snow, it was sagging a lot. So now my plan is to put polycarbonate panels on top to act as a winter-time roof.
This will require additional supports. So my thought is that I would buy some clamps and tube-steel to add some structure across each side of the roof. The roof will be 3 panels wide on each side, so I was thinking 2 sloped supports on each side, and possibly 1 horizontal support on each side to keep the structure better. I assume because of the additional weight, I will need to add some vertical supports to each side of the structure, which has no mid-way supports except on the side with the door.
To do this, I think I will need 2 of the double-ended adjustable angle (I haven't measured, but believe it's about 110 degrees total), 12 of the 90 degree angle for the roof. and then 2 x90 degree for each vertical support I add on the end panels, 1x 90 degree and 1x adjustable degree support for each vertical on the long sides that support the angled part of the roof. Does this sound right? I've never worked with pipes before, only wood. But I'm not interested in wood for this.

If anyone else has done similar (or perhaps a greenhouse), can you please chime in with your opinions and recommendations? This is a big step up from the foldable cold frame that I made for my last project.

Thanks for the review Richard!

"I had been planning to use Maker Pipe to build a Dahlia cage last year but never got to it. This year, the predator pressure on our meat chickens got so bad that I had to build an iron clad chicken tractor with angle iron and chain link. It kept them from going through but then a clever fox burrowed under and the results were the same, chicken reduction. So we decided to build easy to move panels to keep the coyotes and foxes out. I purchased a Maker Bundle in 1" and approximately 15 sticks of 1" EMT from the local Home Depot.

Maker pipe is very easy to use and adjust as you work through a project. Panels are 2' x 10' and 2' x 14'. I ended up setting critical pieces with set screws (3/4" self tapping) and it is very sturdy. The layout is shown in the pics and all 4 panels will be hinged for pick up and moving once I receive more hinge material. The chicken tractor has to be moved every two days. I have video evidence of disappointed foxes now trying to get to chickens after installing the panels. One suggestion to those planning projects-I use a 1/4" ratchet with a 5mm 4" driver and a speed bit in my small drill. You really need both, one for assembly, one for final tightening so you don't strip threads on the bolts. Customer service is excellent."

ATV Canopy

Cool project from Paul!

“The project is done. It is a mobile foot treatment unit for my sheep. I set this up between paddocks and they go through it to get back to water, mineral, and shade on a prior paddock. This helps prevent foot scald, which is an infection of the feet. We needed a mobile solution as we move our sheep every 1-3 days. The top is bent on the jig by hand. The 3/4 EMT isn’t strong enough on its own, but the 3/4” plywood makes it very strong when attached with the one hole straps. I have seen 500 lbs of sheep in it with very little, if any flex. I needed a roof as the treatments can be dry powder or a solution, but either needed a moderate protection from the rain. I appreciate your product and videos. I spent a month watching projects before I bought any product. I was definitely ready to go. The project took less than a day to build.”

Check out this chicken tractor from Michael!

“Finally finished my chicken tractor. I made one out of PVC a couple of years ago but it didn't hold up. I learned the hard way that pvc is not UV resistant. I'm sure this one made of 3/4" EMT will last much longer. I'm so glad I discovered your products and your bending calculation tool to create the arches. I would have never been able to construct this otherwise!”

I want to build a roof over my existing equine hay ring. I don’t have a tractor, so I installed a wheel by the pipe of one section and all I need to do is pull the pin, open that section like a door, then roll in the hay and shut the “door”. So I need a roof in 2 sections.

Check out Steve's chicken tractor!

"Really great product. Used these connectors to make a mobile chicken tractor and so far so good. Lighter than wood, easier to move and should last forever. Looking forward to future products with Maker Pipe."

I would like to build small run for my city chickens. With pipe and connectors, small area for sun, and snow cover, we live in the city.

Hi All - i am trying to bend conduit across this chicken coop to put a tarp over it. The coop is 8 feet wide and i'm struggling with the bends on the ends to where they line up flush where i can screw them in. The conduit is 10 feet long and the middle height needs to be no taller than 2 feet. any suggestions on what bends i should use?

"We used the fittings to make grooming stands for our kids 4H calves. Worked out great! They are so much lighter than the welded racks other kids have to haul around." - Julie

Thanks for the review Jennifer. Great build!

"The t-connectors are exactly what I needed for my custom panels inside the trailer."

Just finished the video on a chainsaw mill build that I did. I used maker pipe for the saw carriage as well as the log holders. The application for the log holders was new to me, and it took me awhile to figure out something that worked. I needed a tee connector to slide well when loosened but then also remain tight when the bolt was tightened. What worked was removing one of the friction bands.
https://youtu.be/B5qPZF5YKCg

Jo shared this build with us on Instagram. She made a hay feeder for her goats. It looks like they are loving it!

Turkey Roost

Rain barrel all done. 125 gallon barrel for whatever I need. Put cheese cloth on the end of the cap for the reservoir so I could filter everything out.

Almost done! 125 gallon rain catch barrel. Going to get this hooked up to the gutters for emergency water storage.

My first Maker pipe project and it turned out so cool! I like a low profile divider to my chicken run, so my original design was made out of string and poultry netting. I now replaced the structure with maker pipe components for a cleaner look and more durability. Love this community and the different ideas. For the vertical pipes to ground anchor, I used 12-15" pieces of 1" conduit that served as drop-in posts (drill drainage holes into it and hammer-flatten one end of it like a spike. I drove them flush into the ground and now was able to simply drop the full length 3/4" conduit into the sleeves instead trying to drive a 8-10' long pipe from above into the ground.

I'm wanting to get back into meat rabbits or quail. Has anyone made a meat rabbit or quail "tractor"? If so how has it worked out for you and any pictures you can post would be great! Thank you for your time in advance!

Raising Chickens: Part 2 ...

When chicks get to a certain size, they have GOT to go outside. Also, when introducing new chicks or chickens to a flock it's a good idea to keep them apart but where they can get used to each other. I used conduit and Maker Pipe connectors to build a removable partition I can set up in our chicken run.

It consists of three 4'x6' panels that can be arranged as desired and are just joined to each other and the sides of the run with zip ties. Two are plain and one has a door. Where I put two panels next to each other in the same plane, I inserted a length of 1/2" conduit into them at the top and bottom to help them behave as a single panel. (I meant to get a photo of that and forgot.)

The whole enclosure is big enough to include a small coop we use just for chicks. You can see the end of the main coop in the last picture. Once all the chickens are integrated I can easily disassemble it for storage. So far it's working very well. I hope to use the latest door latch hack to put a proper latch on the door soon.

Raising Chickens ...
My two latest projects are related to raising new chicks. First up, when they're little we keep them in a stock tank (set on a bathtub in the bathroom, yes it's dusty). To make it easy to reach in for cleaning, feeding etc. and at the same time keep the chicks IN the tank I made a hinged lid (well, pair of lids).

Bending conduit on a 12" radius takes practice. The first one, left side in all the pics, I kinked it and didn't quite get the right size. The second is better but not perfect. This isn't the kind of project anyone will see so I didn't bother to try again. For my strawberry cages I had a bender with a 3' diameter. My kingdom for a 2' diameter bender!

One design requirement was that I not put any holes in the tank or attach anything permanently to it. Another was that the lids be removable for storage. For the hinges I used scraps of 3/4" pipe and some clamps I found in the electrical department that had a rubber coating. I ran out of time to figure out a good way to attach the clamps to the conduit so I used the handyman's secret weapon, duct tape.

Anyway, I'm pretty happy with these. They quickly clip onto the side of the tank, stay put while in use, and easily pop off for storage.

Another Maker Pipe Project... I have a sub-compact tractor and there is a product called "The Big Tool Rack" (BTR) that can mount to a quick hitch compatible device. (https://www.bigtoolrack.com/ultimate-package). There are two problems with this rack.. 1) The $1999 price and 2) It weighs 300 lbs. The company making this rack has put a lot of time and engineering into the rack, but I do not need something so expensive and so heavy that I will only use occasionally. After my first Maker Pipe build (below), I plan on making a tool carrier for my tractor to mimick some of "BTR" functionality.. Wheels, quick hitch compatible, places for tools/equipment, and something much lighter that can still hold a lot of weight. I think the entire build should cost no more than $250 (maybe less). If it works well, there is a community of tens of thousands of tractor owners that are mostly DIY people that would give Maker Pipe a try. Comments welcome.

Update... It took about 4 hours to complete this build. Total cost is about $120 and the weight is less than 40 lbs. I kept it simple. I am sure I will add on to the tool rack as the need arises. If you want to see the rack in action (quick hitch on and off), this is a link to a brief video.

Another Maker Pipe Project... I have a sub-compact tractor and there is a product called "The Big Tool Rack" (BTR) that can mount to a quick hitch compatible device. (https://www.bigtoolrack.com/ultimate-package). There are two problems with this rack.. 1) The $1999 price and 2) It weighs 300 lbs. The company making this rack has put a lot of time and engineering into the rack, but I do not need something so expensive and so heavy that I will only use occasionally. After my first Maker Pipe build (below), I plan on making a tool carrier for my tractor to mimick some of "BTR" functionality.. Wheels, quick hitch compatible, places for tools/equipment, and something much lighter that can still hold a lot of weight. I think the entire build should cost no more than $250 (maybe less). If it works well, there is a community of tens of thousands of tractor owners that are mostly DIY people that would give Maker Pipe a try. Comments welcome.

Update... It took about 4 hours to complete this build. Total cost is about $120 and the weight is less than 40 lbs. I kept it simple. I am sure I will add on to the tool rack as the need arises. If you want to see the rack in action (quick hitch on and off), this is a link to a brief video.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PsPqpsrKfPys5ZcH9

MakerPipe chicken run
90, 180, 45 t connectors. Made door hinge by not overtightening two t connectors.

#MakerPipeBOTM

Thanks to MakerPipe I was able to build an affordable enclosure for my goat trailer. Our business is called Goats of Dover. Got weeds? Call G.O.D. — get it? Now my herds are riding in style.

It's worth noting that many of the materials used to build this trailer were salvaged. The side panels are all pallet wood—a little sanding, staining, and poly do wonders.

A little boy recently commented: "Your trailer looks like a farm on wheels." That's exactly what I was after.

Quail and Rabbit Indoor Cage Rack System.

Installed a small chicken run in our tiny NYC backyard space. Maker Pipe was the perfect solution with how versatile it is and with the scarcity of pressure treated wood. The run sits underneath an awning with the coop outside of it. The frame went up quickly with most of the time spent on wrapping and attaching the hardware cloth. Thanks David Schlitter for the input along the way!

I built a chicken enclosure for my 4 chickens that is hawk proof. The enclosure is 11 ft sq and 7 feet high. I put deer fencing on the sides and strung fishing line in a grid across the top. It's been up for a year and I have had no issues from the hawks. The frame is very sturdy with MP connectors. We have had a few terrific wind storms in south NJ. Thank you MP!!! Best wishes for your continuing success.

Ever since one of our chickens was taken by a hawk, we had a "playground" enclosure attached to the secure overnight house for our chickens and pigeons. It was originally made from PVC tubing and not very stable.
I decided to replace it with Makerpipe connectors and metal tubing and the results are great. Very secure and I was able to install roosts and platforms, which was impossible with the PVC pipe.
A friend of mine already ordered parts for a similar project to build an enclosure for her raised beds.
So easy and quick to make and adjust.