COOP SIZE ADVICE

[aart]

Does anyone know if blackhead disease is
prevalent in central Indiana?

Might ask in the Indiana Chat thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/indiana-bycers-here.730582/page-5563

 

[123RedBeard]

I'd skip on the turkeys for the first year ... they are much different than just "big chickens" ...

There is a sharp learning curve with chickens, don't complicate it by adding in turkeys.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Well after reading more and digesting the advice given I think I will change gears on the coop. I have a large barn already. I think it will be only a minimal amout if work to enclose one bay of said barn to keep my birds in there. If I need that bay for large animals (which I currently do not have) later on I figure I will know a lot more than I do today (which is not much) and can use that gained wisdom to build what I need for the birds much more efficiently.

So the bottom line here is I now have a 12' x 30' space (300 sq. ft.) for my chickens. Since I now have more than enough space for the chickens, I am thinking of trying a couple of turkeys in there as well.

Does anyone know if blackhead disease is
prevalent in central Indiana? the USDA office is closed due to the govt. shut down and I know no one in my area that raises birds..?

Turkeys in general are best kept in their own pen. They can kill chickens.

 

[Alaskan]

My other initial animal purchase will be a couple of LGD's.

Watch what breeds you pick, and if they are older how they have been trained. Some LGD are great with sheep and goats but will eat every chicken they see.

An LGD that is good with poultry is however an EXCELLENT idea.

I wanted to make the coop on skids so I could move it w/ the tractor.

As soon as a moveable coop is a nice size, it is a bear to move IMHO

I do really like small moveable coops just for my grow outs or for meat birds.

When you are breeding and hatching your own it is helpful to have multiple small coops for the different sets of chicks.

. I have a large barn already. I think it will be only a minimal amout if work to enclose one bay of said barn to keep my birds in there.

Sounds excellent. I would dig down a bit all around the stall and wrap it with hardware cloth. If you have lots of rodents, weasels and snakes I would go with 1/4 inch holes, at least on the bottom (even though yes, all of those critters can climb.... 1/4 is annoyingly tight and a bother if used all over)

Pros and cons.

 

[123RedBeard]

I also found turkeys rather frail/fragile and stupid the first couple of weeks, then turned into bullies when kept with my meat birds ...

They really should also have their own feed ... different nutritional needs than chickens ...

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

the USDA office is closed due to the govt. shut down and I know no one in my area that raises birds..?[/QUOTE]

Ugh, what a shame.