Cost efficient coops/yards because we want to diversify breeds....

[seabreeze]

BUT...we don't want to be commercial. We'd love to branch out into about 3 other, maybe 4 other breeds of chickens and of course, keep them separated but free range as well so we have the space but limited funds and have most of the manpower and all the tools.

So for something larger than backyard chicken building/keeping etc., anyone have suggestions? We'd like to wind up with about 75-150 chickens MAX and that isn't even close to big from what I've read on some threads.

Thanks!

 

[magoochie]

Is there a reason you want to keep them separate?

 

[Illia]

Do the way I do. . .

I have all my hens free ranging on their own pasture, mixed and mingling amongst each other, and all the roosters mixed and in their own, well sized run called the Bachelor Pad. I have a few breeding pens so when it is time to pair up some birds, I put them there.

Course, this takes time and focus on who lays what

But it is very efficient, non-commerical, and works. Such a set-up requires only two coops, unless of course you're also raising Gamefowl like me, or another breed in a little more need of special attention like my Polish, then it requires 3-4. I have a separate coop for the Gamefowl, who run around loose in the front yard, and the Polish have their own sizeable, greenery covered run as well.

 

[seabreeze]

So that I can keep from crossing breeds

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
Ditto. I do the exact same thing. Works great !

 

[seabreeze]

Thanks everyone for your input, I understand what you are saying.

Let me ask this about keeping the roosters in their bachelor pads. Don't they fight with one another? At the moment I only have one BCM rooster, hatching out some more from a different set of eggs so hoping another rooster or two is in that hatch and have on order some Barnevelders. Again, when those arrive I'm hoping to have some roosters in that hatch as well.

A couple other breeds I'm considering to add are peaceable types. So I could run all the roosters together?

Then what happens when you want your hens covered? You separate the hens out? haha...like herding cats!

Thanks

 

[rilly10]

I have been thinking about doing this as well with my silkies. How do you keep track of which hen lays what egg? Food coloring? If you are doing different breeds I see how it would work but since I do one breed with different colors all the eggs look the same. I would want to know which eggs came from the BBS, or lav splits b/c I wouldn't want to sell a split as a black, or black as a lavender split?