Michael and Courtney Gutschenritter operate Three Brothers Farm in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, where they specialize in producing pasture-raised eggs, 100% grass-fed Shetland lamb, and wool products. Just a short drive away in Walworth, their friend and fellow farmer, Levi Power, raises pasture-raised pork, chickens, turkeys, and cattle. Together, these farmers are working to support the sustainability of agriculture in Southeastern Wisconsin.
The Problem
Every day, as part of their rotational grazing strategy, these farmers move their animals, including their hens, to fresh pasture. This practice has been part of their strategy for sustainability for many years, along with planting prairie, developing pollinator habitats, and planting trees.
Faced with the labor-intensive task of fencing and moving their pastured poultry daily, the Gutschenritters and Power embarked on a mission to find a more efficient solution, leading to the development of their new sliding electric fence system.
The Solution
With support from a $24,498 NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher grant, they designed and built the HenPen sliding electric fence system. Attached to the poultry coop and mounted on lightweight plastic pipes, the fence slides along with the coop as it moves. Gutschenritter designed the system around the PrairieSchooner chicken coop but noted it can be adapted to fit any large skid-style coop. He uses a 75 hp tractor to move the HenPen, as a lighter 30 hp tractor was damaging the pasture.
Benefits of the HenPen System
One of the most significant benefits of this sliding electric fence system is the substantial labor savings it offers. Traditionally, pastured poultry farmers spend a considerable amount of time and effort moving heavy portable electric netting. This process can be both time-consuming and physically demanding, often requiring multiple people to complete the task efficiently.
The Gutschenritters reported a dramatic reduction in the time and labor required for this task with the new sliding fence system. The system allows the fence to move seamlessly with the poultry coop, eliminating the need to manually pick up and reset lengths of fencing. Whereas they used to spend 75 minutes per day moving fences and hens, they can now move them in less than 20 minutes. This innovation not only saves time but also reduces the physical strain on farmers, making the daily management of pastured poultry more sustainable and less labor-intensive.
With this system, Gutschenritter can now move the entire 3,000-sq. ft. unit in less than 5 minutes, compared to the 75 minutes it used to take by hand. The ability to move their flock to new pasture each day meant they could increase their flock from 1,800 to 2,800 birds. As a result, egg production rose from 1,400 to 2,400-2,500 eggs per day.
Implementation
Farmers interested in adopting this sliding fence system can follow these steps:
- Design the System: Plan the layout and determine the length of the plastic pipes and the area to be covered.
- Prepare the Coop: Attach mounting brackets to the sides of the poultry coop to hold the plastic pipes.
- Install the Plastic Pipes: Cut and attach the pipes to the mounting brackets, ensuring they are level and aligned.
- Set Up the Electric Fence: Attach the electric fencing to the plastic pipes and test the system.
- Test and Maintain: Move the coop to ensure smooth operation and regularly check for wear and tear.
Materials Needed
- Lightweight plastic pipes
- Electric fencing materials
- Mounting hardware for attaching the fence to the poultry coop
- Tools for installation and assembly
- 75 hp tractor dedicated for moving coops
“We have overcome the obstacle of excessive labor demands on our farm with laying hens,” said Michael Gutschenritter. “We have saved nearly 8 hours of physical work per week. The egg enterprise has become way less demanding, encouraging us to grow our business. The time we saved was immediately invested into improving the winter housing for the hens (which led to an automated feeding system).”
Building on the success of this project, the Gutschenritters are currently working on a second SARE-supported project to develop and install automated grain feeders in their mobile pastured poultry coops. This new initiative aims to further reduce labor demands and improve efficiency on their farm.
Dig Deeper
- Farmers can access a detailed overview of the sliding fence system, including motivation, project goals, results, and general construction with pictures, through the Sliding Fence System Overview. This resource, created by Michael Gutschenritter, provides valuable insights and practical guidance for implementing the system on their own farms.
- With original ideas for marketing poultry products and additional expert resources, SARE's 16-page bulletin, Profitable Poultry, offers a jumping-off point for new producers.
- Michael Gutschenritter joined NCR-SARE on their Farming Matters YouTube series to discuss the project details. Watch the video below.
Ordering Information
https://www.3brothersfarmwi.com/manuals
Michael Gutschenritter
3brothersfarm@gmail.com
Three Brothers Farm LLC
N87W34229 Mapleton Rd
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
https://www.3brothersfarmwi.com/manuals
(262) 470-4429
Want more information? See the related SARE grants:
- Design and build a sliding electric fence system for pastured poultry (FNC21-1275)
- Automating grain feeding in mobile pastured poultry coops. (FNC24-1416)
This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.