Illinois...

[cavemanrich]

@BReeder! Maybe predator taking your eggs?
Mine have barely slowed.
View attachment 2105058

Some predators also have only 2 legs.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Some predators also have only 2 legs.

Like this predator? Wife took this photo or a print by the house maybe a month ago. Its about 5" long. Really creepy it was by back door

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Ok I have commited and ordered 26 cornish cross. I hope I am over reacting but better safe than sorry.

Meat shortage looms as coronavirus shuts packing plants, leaving farmers with tough choices: https://on.mktw.net/3530bSb

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

The plan is to run joel salatin style chicken tractor for pasture poultry. 1/2 acre should be enough for 26 birds. Also supliment with feed of course. I want a non GMO feed but also dont want to feed them soy. Any suggestions? Most broiler feed I find have soy for protein if u can find ingredients. I'd be ok substituting worms, crickets, and eggs for protein.
Never raised meat birds so it's a big commitment for me. Rule #1, no names. They will all be called chicken nugget.

 

[Faraday40]

The plan is to run joel salatin style chicken tractor for pasture poultry. 1/2 acre should be enough for 26 birds. Also supliment with feed of course. I want a non GMO feed but also dont want to feed them soy. Any suggestions? Most broiler feed I find have soy for protein if u can find ingredients. I'd be ok substituting worms, crickets, and eggs for protein.
Never raised meat birds so it's a big commitment for me. Rule #1, no names. They will all be called chicken nugget.

Your plan sounds good. I use tractors to grow out some of my orps. For me the main reason is to prevent feeding the aerial predators. In summer, the hawks & crows are not too bad for adults but will pick off chicks with ease. I do not have mine sleep in the tractor, because I feel it's not predator proof. They're trained to walk back to the coop at night & out to the tractor in the morning. It's very funny when I move it more than a few feet because they always run to where the enclosure was and then suddenly "find it." If I forget to open the door, they circle it to try to find their way inside.

Once the they are full sized, I just leave the door open and they eventually walk out to explore. It takes several days before they realize they're grown and do not have to run into the tractor.

We made this video a while ago. Perhaps some of @homeschoolin momma 's Spitzes were in it.

 

[Faraday40]

I also agree with the 'no names.' It's much harder to eat a chicken with a name.

 

[NotAFarm]

I call my meat birds “ chicken dinners”.
I use a “tractor” for mine. They do not free range. I move it (5x8 with 15 to 20 Cornish x) each evening and spray the “used” area with the hose to break down the manure. Start at the lowest point of your 1/2 acre and move side to side upwards toward the highest point if you are “washing down” behind them. This keeps them on clean, dry ground and keeps the grass from being destroyed.
They go through a lot of feed because they grow so quickly. @Molpet has a source for non-gmo feed that is soy free.

 

[Molpet]

I call my meat birds “ chicken dinners”.
I use a “tractor” for mine. They do not free range. I move it (5x8 with 15 to 20 Cornish x) each evening and spray the “used” area with the hose to break down the manure. Start at the lowest point of your 1/2 acre and move side to side upwards toward the highest point if you are “washing down” behind them. This keeps them on clean, dry ground and keeps the grass from being destroyed.
They go through a lot of feed because they grow so quickly. @Molpet has a source for non-gmo feed that is soy free.

Close... mine is wheat Free..

 

[NotAFarm]

I looked at the link you posted and I thought I saw they would mix feed to order.

 

[Molpet]

I looked at the link you posted and I thought I saw they would mix feed to order.

Umm maybe he would , he doesn't advertise non soy