Coop/tractor question

[creekrocket]

Im new to the chicken thing....I am looking to get some meat birds and house them in a coop that I saw on this website. Ive noticed that a lot of yall are keeping them in 'tractors'. Is this the way to go with meaties, or can I keep them in a coop? This the coop that I would like to build for my backyard.

Will this be fine for meaties?
Thanks

 

[PotterWatch]

You certainly can keep them in a coop like that. The biggest advantages of a tractor are that the birds will get fresh grass every day and they won't be pooping in the same place day after day. A coop like that is going to be an awful mess in a hurry with any number of meaties in it. Meat birds poop much more and are much more smelly than layers so while that would be an ideal coop for layers, it will be very hard to keep clean and keep the smell down with meat birds in it.

 

[barrybro]

I think you can keep them in the coop in the picture, but if you did meaties again you would go with a mobile tractor. I have 225 meaties right now in pvc "tractors". Moving them is really easy and virtually no smell. Try them in the coop first and then if you like raising them, i think you will want to go with a moveable pen.

Barry

 

[brandislee]

Quote:
Yes, that. You can raise broilers in that coop, but if you do you'll hate chickens. My family hates chickens, and you know why? They only ever raised cornish x broilers in a coop. They don't need much space compared to other chickens, but they poop a LOT, so not only does a tractor get them out on fresh grass so they can graze, it spreads the poo around your yard (hello, free self applying fertilizer!). Plus a meatie tractor, while not as cute, will cost a lot less than that coop.

So build a tractor for the broilers, and then buy that coop and get yourself some layers

 

[jasonm11]

They will destroy that cute little coop unless you let them out every day and the only use it to sleep. Cornish are the nastiest poop machines. If you get too many they will turn cannibal on each other and you will have nastysuprises when you go out to feed them. i would recommend a simple light tractor to start with. You can always get a nicer coop later. IMHO