First year doing Cornish Cross birds... Here's how it came out!

[CNJ]

curious on how these birds were housed? Or opinons from others on here. Ive seen some say just a fully inclosed run is enough in the warm weather, that you can offer roosting areas but they get to a point where they just lay on the ground and no actual coop is needed as long as it is warm, shaded and dry? Anyone else use this method? It would certainly be cheaper for me to build just the enclosed run and avoid the cost of the large coop as well.

I have 15meat birds in a 4ft x 12ft pen that is lifted 2 feet off the ground. It has a 1 inch x 1/2 inch screen floor. I throw a thin layer of wood shavings underneath every so often to control the smell. I also rake and shovel the poop around my fruit trees when it builds up. I built my coop under a mango tree with shade, and the sides is covered with hardware screen, so there is lots of ventilation. but I still see them panting. Its hot where I live.
If I didn't have the screen floor, they would be sitting in their poop. Their poop has a strong ammonia smell, and its wet. I would need a chicken tractor set up and it must be moved daily.

 

[atucker]

I have 15meat birds in a 4ft x 12ft pen that is lifted 2 feet off the ground. It has a 1 inch x 1/2 inch screen floor. I throw a thin layer of wood shavings underneath every so often to control the smell. I also rake and shovel the poop around my fruit trees when it builds up. I built my coop under a mango tree with shade, and the sides is covered with hardware screen, so there is lots of ventilation. but I still see them panting. Its hot where I live.
If I didn't have the screen floor, they would be sitting in their poop. Their poop has a strong ammonia smell, and its wet. I would need a chicken tractor set up and it must be moved daily.

off the ground, what a great idea! That is something I didn't think of. It would deff be cleaner and you could have a permeant structure. Thank you!!