Coop Space?

[19disbre]

I know this has been beat to death but can I put 50 chickens in a 10 by 10 coop they will be meat birds and will be let out everyday at sunrise and back in at sunset. There will only be water in this coop, no roost, no feed. I plan to raise it up off the ground 3ft and make it slope from 3ft to 2ft for the roof and shingle it because I will have lots of shingles after we re-do our house. The sides it will be all wire of some sort but the bottom might have to be solid? I am afraid predators will grab there feet. Then the side will be hinged for access. I know this want be optimal but will it be sufficient?

 

[Dixichicks]

You may have some fighting with your hens being in such a confined space for that many. If you can put some sort ladder type thing inside so they can perch, it would give them more room and will be off the ground so safer as well.

 

[justplainbatty]

How long till finish? Are you going to slaughter a few at a time or all at once?

 

[19disbre]

Hmm it would not be hard to make it 4 ft tall and 2 story? I was thinking meat birds wouldn't roost more that a foot of the ground anyhow? With the ladder you would need more vertical space, which then I think I may do 2 stories because it doubles the space but I may also do a ladder like you said, How much head space do they need? like how close can you put the highest run to the ceiling?

 

[Folly's place]

Definitely a solid floor, or the ground. Bedding. More space and very low roosts. They can't jump up or down that far if you are getting Cornishx birds. They will have fractures and torn ligaments and be unable to walk at all. Freedom Ranger type birds will fare much better. Get straight run chicks to spread out processing dates; the cockrels will be larger and go first. Mary

 

[19disbre]

How long till finish? Are you going to slaughter a few at a time or all at once?

I think these will be about 8-10 weeks it will be 25 RR and 25CX they will be free ranging and I am going to try and be stingy with the food and make it last, I don't really know how I am going about slaughtering I an either going to do them all once my smallest one reaches an acceptable weight or I will take the biggest ones and weigh them and say when they hit 7.5 lbs slaughter them because then I should end up with about 5 lbs carcasses I think. I think the 2nd because I may have to spread the out a little and do like 5 or 10 each weekend

 

[19disbre]

Definitely a solid floor, or the ground. Bedding. More space and very low roosts. They can't jump up or down that far if you are getting Cornishx birds. They will have fractures and torn ligaments and be unable to walk at all. Freedom Ranger type birds will fare much better. Get straight run chicks to spread out processing dates; the cockrels will be larger and go first. Mary

I forgot about bedding, I just thought could you spread a 1-3 inch layer of dirt across the whole thing?

 

[Folly's place]

Stingy with food is a very bad idea, as as been mentioned before. The Cornishx birds will finish FAST and need to eat a lot per day. The RR chicks grow slower, will be more active, and will range a bit. Waiting to do them all at once will not work for the Cornishx birds. Do them first as they get big, then the others. mary

 

[19disbre]

Not that I am doubting you but why is being stingy with food a bad idea? I just want them to eat more forage an less food, I will not be starving them but I am going to go but the industrial chicken feed numbers, I want to keep costs low. Also,the cornish i was thinking would be more aggressive feeders so if they hog the food from the RR the RR should make up for that in foraging. My plan was to but 500 lbs of food and make it last there entire life. I think I will take your advice on butchering

 

[Folly's place]

Cornishx are aggressive eaters, not the same thing at all. They are built for a single purpose; sit in one place, eat full time from the feeder, and die young. I think it's pretty sad, but that's who they are. More normal chickens will forage, eat, and grow slower. They will be healthier and taste better because they will be a little older at slaughter weight, maybe twelve weeks old. Mary