Free range alternatives to broiler pens, tractors, and coops

[MaggieMay'sMom]

Hi loanwizard,

How do you store a ton of feed?

 

[loanwizard]

Where are you having the processing done?

Peasant Valley Poultry in Baltic.

 

[loanwizard]

Hi loanwizard,

How do you store a ton of feed?

I have a storage barn.... Holds a mower, maybe 20-30 bales of straw, and the feed bags, probably 30 of them.

I was also told that a plywood bin approx 4x8 x 4 with a lid would be adequate.

This was my first time instead of buying 7 50lb bags per week.

 

[Big Sky Chick]

The door is to let me in to feed & water. Stock density of about 3sqft/bird. Sorry - it was Capper's p78 May/June 2012 issue. Think hoop house, but mine is square. I had the frame from my old coop for the shelter area so I went with it.

 

[Big Sky Chick]

I heard about a guy who purchased a small metal dumpster, cleaned it out and put a stopcock on one end to dispense it. Never saw it, but thought it was a very cool idea for tonage.

 

[jaj121159]

Here is what I use.


This is a modified Salatin type tractor. Works great. I move it without a dolly just by pulling it with the rope shown laying on the ground in front of the tractor. However, this type of tractor isn't the best type tp use in the heat and drought environment we've had in Nebraska this summer.

This hoop coop seems much better suited to the hot, dry weather.


Here is a shot from the front.


You can see above the areas on the sides and in the rear where air can flow through. and of course the front is totally uncovered.

 

[Island Roo]

Nice jaj - that hoophouse is what I'm planning for next year.

Do you have support along the top or just take the tarps down for winter (thinking snow load)

Can one person move it by hand?

 

[jaj121159]

Nice jaj - that hoophouse is what I'm planning for next year.

Do you have support along the top or just take the tarps down for winter (thinking snow load)

Can one person move it by hand?

Snow, what's snow? Just kidding. I take the tarps off in the winter time. It is easy to move by hand. I do have the top of the cattle panels supported by the door and a 4"x4" in the back, but no support from back to front at the top. I have a rope attached to the skids (hole drilled through the 2"x4"). The cross 2"x4"s are cut two inches up to clear the ground. I have heavy rubber attached the prevent critters from slipping under the cross boards. Keeping the tow rope short makes it easier to pull it. I just throw the rope across my back and start walking backward. It's easy to look into the coop and keep an eye on the birds so you don't run them over.

 

[Buster52]

This hoop coop seems much better suited to the hot, dry weather.


Here is a shot from the front.


You can see above the areas on the sides and in the rear where air can flow through. and of course the front is totally uncovered.

This is similar to the design we are considering only it would be larger. This would be in an electronet system (probably at least two) and we would open it up during the day to let them forage. We are debating floor with bedding or no-floor. There seems to be about a 50/50 split among day range folks. No-floor would mean no cleanup, but you would need to move the pen often (although not daily), and floor would be the opposite. Some people just let the floored pen sit for the entire 4 or 5 weeks the birds are on pasture, adding bedding as needed and moving the whole setup, netting an all, only when you are ready for the next batch. There would be a feeder and waterer inside the shelter for the heat of the day, and others dispersed around the netted area, to be moved to maximize use of the area.

That's the plan, any way.

 

[BBUTTER]

I posted this question the other day and got a few responses, but I thought you guys might have some opinions to share. I'm trying to choose a brand of electric netting. A lot of you have said Premier, but I've seen others say Kencove is the way to go. Kencove seems to have the better price, so I was going to go with them. Am I making a mistake?