Selling and going big -- 100+ chicken ideas

[Alabama Jack]

We put up 1x6 boards on the outside and stapled from the inside.

 

[Alabama Jack]

Got some more done. I think 5-6 more hours of work and it will be secure enough for the chicks.

All the exterior HW cloth is done. At least the big stuff...





Built a screen panel to go behind the rotten barn doors.





Next up is finishing all the small gaps with HW cloth and wood. Then the roosts, move the chicks in, then the nest boxes... Coming along, and it's a good thing, as the chicks are getting BIG!

 

[aart]

Slick screen panel!
Is there another egress door into the barn or is that screen on hinges?

 

[ScottandSam]

I love the old barn. wish we had one on the property. Looking forward to the nesting boxes

Scott

 

[Alabama Jack]

Slick screen panel!
Is there another egress door into the barn or is that screen on hinges?

There's an entrance into the barn, big enough for a tractor, and then man doors into the coop. The screen is screwed in on two additional doors on the exterior, and the plan is to take it out once a year to clean out the deep litter with the tractor.

There's also the door to the run, from the outside.

 

[Alabama Jack]

I love the old barn. wish we had one on the property. Looking forward to the nesting boxes

Scott

Thanks Scott. I'm not looking forward to the nesting boxes... But seriously, I am looking forward to it, but it may be a month or two. Need to get some projects done for the sheep first, and I figure we have a couple months before we need them.

 

[Alabama Jack]

Finally got the chicks out to the coop this last weekend. The first batch is four weeks old and the second batch is three weeks old. We counted them as we moved them, and counted 100 exactly. We thought we had 95...!

Chicks coming from the coop to the run for the first time.


Chicks in the run.



Next up; roosts and poop boards. Anyone have thoughts on spacing for 100 birds? I know the rule of thumb is 1 linear foot per bird, but wondering if bigger numbers drive the total space requirement down... Have the space, but wondering how much to do.

 

[aart]

Awwww....always a great day when they get more room!
Are there cleats on that ramp?
Did they go back in by themselves at night?

Not sure for numbers that size, I know the square footage for floor space can be somewhat reduced with larger spaces and numbers of birds.
They do use less roost length to sleep in winter when it's cold but they'll spread out when it's hot.
But they do use that 'extra' space to fly up and get settled during the nightly RoostTimeRumble.
Might depend on the configuration of your roosts and boards, many of mine sleep on the 2x2 edge of board.
Maybe build in sections so you can add more later if needed.
Just some thoughts.

 

[Alabama Jack]

No cleats, butI made it a really shallow angle, by putting bricks under the ramps. They all went back in on their own!

Got some of the roosts done. Poop board is 36" off the floor and the back roost is 24" above the board. 12" spacing between the roosts. 24' x2 of roost space. Roosts are made out of rough cut oak 2x4.






They were flying up to it, but I built a ramp anyways

 

[Alabama Jack]

Chicks look pretty small up there!