Dual Purpose Design help - Meat birds and nursery?

[Mcljess]

Hi!

I'm trying to make a decision about my chicken housing situation and I've basically limited experience.

I keep a mixed flock of 7 layers and a Rooster, once in a while my Buff goes broody and I throw some eggs under her and let her go nuts. The thing is, I've never really had success in the 'nursery' part. In the past I've separated her entirely from the others but I don't have anything set up specifically and it's been a hodgepodge at best.

On to the other!

I like raising meat birds (usually Cornish X's) but have also done so haphazardly and without a real plan. I have all my chickens in a small barn that was originally built for horses, so they're all in 12x12 stalls. It's a bit over much for chickens and I'd like to build something just for them and free up the barn for goats.

This barn is up against a big huge fenced paddock the birds all use for their semi-free range.

My question is this. I'd like to build a raised chicken house in the paddock for the layers. I'm curious about cleaning a small raised house and how it works. I've poured over the coop design threads and they all look really neat.

I want to build a separate enclosed 'chicken tractor' for when I have meat birds OR a broody hen raising babies that lives in the same paddock.

Has anyone done this with any success? Or on the other hand is it a terrible idea?

ANY Help and input is appreciated.
Thanks

Jess

 

[aart]

Tractors for meat birds can be great.
Might want to look in the meaties section of the forums:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/meat-birds-etc.21/
And in the tractor coop article section:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/category/tractor-coops.17/
Apologies if you've already done this.

A tractor could work well for a broody enclosure too, if you don't have a broody at the same time you are raising meaties. I prefer a sectioned off area in the main coop for broodies.

I wouldn't want small raised coop, they have to be pretty small(which reduces your population capacity) to reach all areas for cleaning...and grabbing birds off the roost at night for exams(very important IMO) is usually difficult in a small raised coop.

My coop is in part of a large shed, nice for storage of feed and supplies, room for chair and table to work the birds when needed. Coop itself can be split with temporary wire wall, it has 2 people doors, for broody setting or brooding and integrating incubator chicks(an annual occurrence here).

Think about your access and comfort, as well as the birds, when designing chicken coops.

Not much help, eh? Just some food for thought.

 

[Mcljess]

Yes thank you. All really good points.
I like the thought about night inspections as I do that as well. & The incubator intros as that's something I eventually want to be an annual occurrence.

Good food for thought! Appreciate