Tractor Chain Harrows & Drag Harrows for Pasture Maintenance
Shop tractor chain harrows and drag harrows at Everything Attachments for maintaining livestock pastures, spreading manure, breaking up surface soil clods, and preparing ground for seeding. These flexible, tow-behind harrows are versatile tools for farms, food plots, horse paddocks, and pasture maintenance.
Our Hackett flexible chain harrows allow you to change ground engagement by repositioning the chain mat. Use the tines facing downward for more aggressive harrowing, or turn the mat over for gentler dragging, smoothing, and lightly covering broadcast seed.
Available in multiple widths, these drag harrows can be pulled behind compatible tractors, while smaller models may also be suitable for ATVs and utility vehicles. Their flexible chain-mat construction follows uneven ground, making them practical for routine field and pasture care.
Hackett flexible chain harrows are versatile agricultural tools used for maintaining livestock pastures, horse paddocks, food plots, and prepared fields. Also known as drag harrows or pasture harrows, these tow-behind implements use a flexible steel chain mat with ground-engaging tines to spread manure, break up surface soil clods, remove accumulated dead vegetation, and lightly work the soil.
How Does a Tractor Chain Harrow Work?
Unlike rigid disc harrows or cultivators, a flexible chain harrow follows the contours of uneven ground as it is pulled across the surface. The steel tines drag through the upper layer of soil and vegetation, helping redistribute loose material and smooth minor surface irregularities.
One of the advantages of the Hackett chain harrow is its ability to operate with different levels of ground engagement. By changing the orientation of the flexible chain mat, the operator can use the tines in a more aggressive position for breaking apart manure piles and disturbing surface soil, or turn the mat over for lighter dragging, smoothing, and covering broadcast seed.
Benefits of Using a Chain Harrow
Pasture Maintenance & Manure Spreading
Chain harrows are particularly useful for livestock pasture maintenance. Dragging the harrow across a pasture helps break apart and distribute manure piles rather than leaving them concentrated in one location. This spreads organic material over a wider area, encouraging more uniform decomposition and nutrient distribution.
Light Soil Preparation & Seed Covering
After broadcasting grass seed, clover, or other suitable pasture and food plot seeds, a chain harrow can be used to lightly disturb the surface and help improve seed-to-soil contact. It can also break apart small surface clods and level loose soil after previous tillage operations.
Chain harrows are intended primarily for surface work. Deep soil compaction should be addressed with equipment such as a tractor ripper or subsoiler when appropriate.
Thatch Removal & Surface Vegetation Management
Dragging a chain harrow through established pastures can help loosen accumulated dead grass, light thatch, and surface debris. Under suitable conditions, more aggressive tine settings can also disturb small, newly emerging weeds. Care should be taken to avoid damaging desirable vegetation, particularly during sensitive growing conditions.
Common Chain Harrow Applications
Maintaining cattle, horse, and other livestock pastures.
Breaking apart and distributing manure piles.
Dragging horse paddocks and suitable riding areas.
Lightly covering broadcast grass and food plot seeds.
Breaking up small surface soil clods after tillage.
Removing loose dead vegetation and light surface thatch.
Smoothing minor irregularities in loose, previously worked soil.
Choosing the Right Chain Harrow for Your Equipment
Hackett flexible chain harrows are available in different working widths to suit a variety of land-management applications. When choosing a drag harrow, consider the width of the area being maintained, the pulling capacity of your tractor or utility vehicle, the terrain, and how aggressively you intend to work the surface.
These Hackett models use a tow-behind drawbar connection rather than attaching directly to a tractor's 3-point hitch. Check the harrow's size, weight, and connection requirements to ensure compatibility with your tractor, ATV, or utility vehicle before ordering.
How to Maintain a Hackett Chain Harrow
Flexible chain harrows are relatively simple implements, but regular inspection and proper storage will help extend their service life.
Remove accumulated mud, vegetation, and debris after use.
Inspect the chain links, tines, and drawbar connections for wear or damage.
Check that the harrow is properly connected before each use.
Replace damaged or excessively worn components when necessary.
Store the harrow in a dry location when practical to help reduce corrosion.
Whether you're maintaining livestock pastures, preparing food plots, or lightly working the soil after seeding, Hackett flexible chain harrows provide a straightforward solution for routine surface maintenance. Their flexible design and adjustable ground engagement make them useful tools for a variety of agricultural applications.
