From Coop to Tractor - We Saw a Difference in Our Eggs in Just 3 Days!

Hello there

Hi! I’m Raychel, a Minnesota native, with a love for animals, homesteading, and being outdoors! My husband, daughter and I live in a tiny home (200 sq. feet) on a 6th Generation Family farm, and we are in the process of building a Grain Bin Home! I'm so happy your here as we share our journey of farm life chaos, joy and the never ending project list.

Initially, my chickens were confined to a static coop and run, dependent mostly on store-bought grain for nourishment. After our last horrific episode with a pack of wild raccoons ravaging through our coop and taking out half of our precious layers, I was determined to keep them safe. So to the confined barn they went.

After doing some research and finding the incredible difference that the environment has on the actual food outcome of not just chickens, but every animal we raise for food, I decided it was time to change it up.

We moved our chickens from the coop to a chicken tractor, and I was shocked by how quickly it changed the quality of the egg. Like noticeable visual difference (see the video here).

A chicken tractor is a movable coop that allows chickens to graze on fresh grass, peck at the soil, and enjoy a more natural environment. So many great plans are available for purchasing and building your own, but we decided to create our own version made of PVC pipe, netting, and wood.

I have kept a few of the eggs from when the chickens were in the coop, and I will do another update and comparison after a few more days—I can't wait to see if I continue to see results and changes!

Regardless, I am super happy with how the new tractor turned out and with the quality and health of the chickens, which reflects directly on what we are eating.

Where it All Started on the Farm

April 23, 2024

"Your crazy" were the exact words my now husband, said when I wanted to have our wedding on his 6th Generation Family Farm, in a poleshed, that was filled to the brim with decades of junk and farming machinery. Now looking back 6 years ago to where it all started, I can't believe he listened to me and still wanted to marry me. We have worked extremely hard to get the farm to where it is at today and looking back makes me so happy that we didn't throw in the towel and give up.

Bin There, Building That! We're Building a Grain Bin House

By Raychel Kildahl • April 23, 2024

It all started with a fun idea and dream, until we found a Craigslist post for two beautiful, identical bins for sale... and then it became a reality. We drove 3 hours to pick up the grain bins from a farmer who had them already taken down and sorted. It was super convenient, instead of having to disassemble one ourselves. To prepare the site we had to get local permits, soil testing, sewer permits, and elevation permits. Once we got the documents, my husband dug out the ground for the frost footings. Instead of using a round form, we used one round of the grain bins as the base and form for the cement pouring.