growing space

[Amyh]

I was wondering if a 13x7 dog kennel would be big enough for meat birds? Also, would it provide enough protection for them? I would have to cover the top with something... what would be best? The entire kennel would be inside my fenced yard where my dogs roam and seem to protect us from most predators.

Thoughts?

 

[sonew123]

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thats a great size depending on how many meaties your putting in there-How many you have?

 

[Amyh]

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thats a great size depending on how many meaties your putting in there-How many you have?

I was thinking about starting out with 10 - 15 to see how I do. I'm new to this and don't want to get in way too deep. Eventually, I'd love to do 25 in that space. Is that large enough?

I'm still wondering if it would provide enough protection and what I would cover the top with....

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
thats a great size depending on how many meaties your putting in there-How many you have?

I was thinking about starting out with 10 - 15 to see how I do. I'm new to this and don't want to get in way too deep. Eventually, I'd love to do 25 in that space. Is that large enough?

I'm still wondering if it would provide enough protection and what I would cover the top with....

well I have 26 and they are going in a 8 x 5 run with a small coop 4 x 3 so you are all good-my first time too-its all a learning experience for all of us LOL

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

At 2 Sq Ft per meat bird you could have 45 or even 50 harvesting a few young as you need more room.
I prefer 3 sq Ft even though I don't use the CX for meat birds. If you did that your number would be 30 birds, so 25 would have plenty of room to grow out.

I would cover the top with 1/2 x 1 welded wire. Cover half the pen with a tarp(s), so they have shelter from sun and weather. If you are using CX then they will only be there for 7-8 weeks. Waterers and feeders and you are set to go. Even starting with 25 birds is not that many for a 1st timer and would be more efficient food usage/cost.

These birds are going to eat a lot and if you need to special order broiler feed, most feed stores have to order 10 bags at a time. That is my situation for my quail, so I have more birds than I really need, to use up the feed within the 2 month period that it is still nutritionally intact.

Good luck on your endevor.

 

[Amyh]

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Wow, you make this sound so easy... now I just have to get my husband on board! Thanks!!

 

[JohnL11935]

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...Therefore, the biggest issue you will have with this concentration of confined CX's is manure. Seriously, be prepared for a muddy, stinky, fly attracting mess.

How often do you plan on moving your dog kennel? Anything short of daily moves will mean an accumulation of waste that will need your attention.

CX's can be fragile to raise. I usually plan for a 8-10% loss rate. Keeping a fresh, clean food & water source, as well as bedding environment helps cut down these losses.

If this is your first time with meat chickens I would stick to your original plan of 10 birds - learn what its all about and use that experience to expand at a later time.

 

[Amyh]

I'm planning to put the kennel (13 x 7) in my garden which is 50 x 10 and fenced with a very low fence around two sides. I thought that I would lock the birds in the kennel at night for protection and then open it up during the day to give the birds some extra room. I figured they would weed my garden for me too... get it ready for next year's Spring planting. From what I've heard these birds have trouble walking as they get bigger, so I thought the low fence around two sides would be high enough as they get heavier to prevent them from escaping. Even if they do escape, they will be in my fenced yard where my layers free range, so they will be protected, I just didn't want their poop all over the yard everywhere...

Can I use pine shavings to keep the smell and mess down a bit? i don't want to spend too much money on supplies, but I don't want the neighbors to think we are completely disgusting either........

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

shavings work great and if you can get you hands on some DE or Sweet PDZ it goes A LONG way and works wonders to keep the smell down. Your garden is going to love you next year! I put all my winter droppings in my garden last year and now I can't stop it from growing it's like a scary jungle!

 

[terri9630]

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They won't stray far from the feeder. We've had a lot of rain here lately, well a lot for us, and our broilers didn't eat the weeds coming up in their pen. I put my california whites in there for a day and they cleaned it out. If I hadn't I don't think I'd be able to see the broilers at all by now.