L.W., Texas

With the Chicken Tracker wheels, I noticed they left no ridge between the rows like the original press wheel left. This proved to be very beneficial because when we got a rain after planting with the Chicken Trackers, the ridges didn’t wash down like they did with the regular press wheels and put a crust on the wheat plants that were emerging or ready to emerge.

After all the rain we had this past spring, a better stand emerged with the Chicken Trackers, and we didn’t have to replant due to crusting problems. The Chicken Tracker wheels also did not build up with mud like the regular press wheels did after the abundance of rain during planting.

Schaffert Mfg. Co. made the Chicken Track rods 5 1/2″ between spokes. On the side with the arm coming down alongside the spokes they angle cut the rods so they run parallel with the arm, which left from 1/2″ to 3/4″ of room between the arm and Chicken Tracker wheel. This kept them from plugging with trash and residue.

To mount the new Chicken Tracker wheels, I used a 5/8″ x 4″ bolt with a 7/8″ nut over the bolt for a spacer bushing between the press wheel arm and the Chicken Tracker wheel hub. It was one of the best things I did to improve the John Deere 455 grain drill.