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Designing a coop to accommodate layers AND meat birds

Discussion in 'Meat Birds ETC' started by farmgirlroots, Jan 3, 2014.

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  1. Jan 3, 2014 #1
    farmgirlroots

    farmgirlroots Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Apr 20, 2013
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    My Coop
    We have 5 layers, which I want to expand to 8, and I want to try raising a small batch of meat birds. Soooo...

    I am buying a 2 horse trailer to convert into a Mobil chicken coop that we can move around the pastures where the birds will free range. My current plans include surrounding it with electric poultry netting and installing an automatic pop door (Ador1) if I can get hubby to agree to those two purchases once he sees the price tags. My question is on the inside coop design to work for both layers and meaties.

    Roosts placed up high (at least higher than the nesting boxes) on one side and super low roosts on the other side (thinking a nice thick tree limb sitting on the floor) for meat birds to sleep on? When I say "sides" I just mean left and right sides of the trailer as I intend to remove the center divider that comes in 2 horse trailers. There would not actually be two separate coops inside the trailer. I figured they'd just co-mingle during the short time the meat birds are with us.

    Thoughts? Suggestions welcome.
     
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2014
    1 person likes this.
  3. Jan 5, 2014 #2
    DavidKerk

    DavidKerk Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Feb 9, 2013
    That sounds like it will work perfectly! For roosts you could also consider a ladder-like approach (the first roost is very low, the next higher, etc.), but you're method will work just as good. I would make the nest boxes a little higher (just a thought. this isn't completely necessary) than someone usually would so that the meat birds can't roost in it at night and won't go in their during the day and break eggs.
     
    1 person likes this.

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