How much room would 25 meat birds need?

[daniel-delarosa]

Im wanting to order some meat birds, Im thinking of getting 25. I havent built anything to keep them in yet. I just dropped 500 in my first coop for my first chickens. I dont want to do that again. I want to keep it simple this time. Maybe like one those tractors that you can move around. Is there a common area per bird to go by with meaties? Anyone have any pictures of their setup?

 

[SillyBird]

I think if you have the space it's a good idea to let them have it. I think there is a misconception about these birds that they don't want to move much and therefore are just fine with very little space. Their top-heavy bodies and huge feet...make it hard for them to move fast...and it's rather sad really. However, from what I've seen, there is no doubt about it that they do appreciate, enjoy, and are healthier when they are given the opportunity to move around and enjoy some of the natural things that other chickens do...like a bit of hay to play with/lay in, some sawdust or sand to bathe in, a bit of room to run and scratch the ground, and simply some space to be in without being crammed next to the others. When we took our meat kings to the processing plant last year we were told they were in the best 'condition' of the birds killed that day. That was such a compliment. She also suggested that grabbing them by their legs to move them from one location to another, is not advisable. We picked up each bird gently around their big bodies and placed them in the crates to move them. I'm not bashing the way other people do things, I just wanted to express my thoughts on how we do it. These poor animals are with us such a short time, it's nice to know that they were raised with care and thoughtfulness. : )

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Normal chickens it's 4 square feet per bird. So for 25 meaties..you could go 10by 10 area, or you could cut it down a bit. Considering the age of slaughter I don't think it will make a huge difference in their health in that short of time. BUT, that's just MY opinion

If they were mine I'd likely go for 2 and a half to 3 square feet. Meaties generally are lazy and stay by the feeders anyway from all I have heard.

 

[bigredfeather]

I provide 1.5 sqft/bird in my tractors.

A smaller one:

 

[daniel-delarosa]

Quote:
I like that design! Thanks for the pictures. How many birds fit in it?

 

[bigredfeather]

Quote:
I like that design! Thanks for the pictures. How many birds fit in it?

Around 80 in the big ones and 35-40 in the smaller one.

 

[countrychix]

I would go with 100 sq. ft. myself unless you plan on moving the tractor several times a day. That's what we used and after 24 hours the grass was a absolute mess. I also wanted mine to have some room to move around as they grew older, plus I personally don't like the idea of my birds laying in their own waste- yuck!

 

[JerseyHen]

Quote:
How do you keep the predators out or do you roost them somewhere else? Around here that would be chicken dinner for a bear, coyote, racoon, possum, skunk, mink, etc....

 

[belgie]

we built an 8x12 coop to house the 6 layers we just got and were planning on putting a wall up to make room for the 25 meaties we have coming in a few weeks, but after perusing this site I think we may build a tractor. What are the dimensions of the small one?

 

[belgie]

oh sorry I also wanted to ask how often you move it, and (sorry if this is silly, new-be here) do the chickens just shuffle along while your moving it, or do they have to come out and be put back in?