"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[topdog24]

Pam, I'm confused. What are you trying to catch? Is it a beekeeping term?

Pam, I'm confused. What are you trying to catch? Is it a beekeeping term?

I think the word sharp,should have been swarm

 

[Cody A]

Awesome clutch of birds Cody, i like the roosts you made them, perfect size of rungs for them to set on, they are some lucky birds, chickens just come natural to some people and you are one of them.

Thanks TD. I don't know about how natural they come to me. LOL. Cause I got some questions coming. in my next post.


How'd you get swarm out of that. Your better than me OH! Nevermind. LOL.

Edit: By the way, getting chickens has been a great move for me. I've certainly enjoyed having them, wish I'd done it years ago.

 

[Cody A]

Ya'll, I need to ask for some advice. I'm contemplating either extending my run or building a fence. The existing run is 32' wide by 30' deep. In the pics I've got the batter boards set up to extend it 50' longer. The existing run is built to eventually divide into three sections. One section is 16' wide by 30' deep the other two are 8' wide by 30' deep. I'm planning to process at least 50 birds a year so I figure I will eventually get the flock up to around 90-100 birds. I want to keep it to about 30 birds per section. I'm really having a hard time deciding what to do because my original goal was to free range as much as possible. I don't want to keep 100 birds cooped up in the run as it is. I may have to extend the run and build fence which I'm thinking is what I'll have to do. I am hoping ya'll can give me ideas or suggestions before I start anything


These pics are to show the area I have to work with.

 

[LemonMeringue]

Ya'll, I need to ask for some advice. I'm contemplating either extending my run or building a fence. The existing run is 32' wide by 30' deep. In the pics I've got the batter boards set up to extend it 50' longer. The existing run is built to eventually divide into three sections. One section is 16' wide by 30' deep the other two are 8' wide by 30' deep. I'm planning to process at least 50 birds a year so I figure I will eventually get the flock up to around 90-100 birds. I want to keep it to about 30 birds per section. I'm really having a hard time deciding what to do because my original goal was to free range as much as possible. I don't want to keep 100 birds cooped up in the run as it is. I may have to extend the run and build fence which I'm thinking is what I'll have to do. I am hoping ya'll can give me ideas or suggestions before I start anything These pics are to show the area I have to work with.

Are you just concerned that the current run space is too small for that amount of bird if you had to keep them cooped up? Or are you wanting to make the run space large enough do you don't have to free range. Or do you just want both.... Capability for keeping contained and free range if you want to. I see no negative with more coop space, ever, lol. I know some people keep different breeds and let them switch off and free range one coop space with one breed at a time. Just alternating days so that they don't end up with mutt chicken from cross breeding.

 

[Cody A]

Lemon. Well I do want to free range but I also need to contain for safety and I may want to take a vacation sometime . Now that I've posted this question I really think I'm gonna have to eventually do both, run extension and fence. I want to have 2-3 breeds and am not sure how to set this up. I don't know enough about raising chickens to know how to set this up for different breeds. Do I keep them separated each in their own run and coop? Or do I let them all stay together. You mention mutts, I have to keep breeding in mind with the grand scheme also. I may need to build breeding pens eventually. I just don't want to build something that turns into a major mistake or design problem.

 

[LemonMeringue]

I know what you mean. Asking plenty of advice can help avoid most problems, but I dare say not 100%. But you seem sharp enough to avoid big problems.

If it were me I would build so that I had options. Doors that connect sections that can be opened or closed. If you had different breeds, but had a "breeding season" you could open up doors (proving everyone was getting along) and allow then to take full advantage of the whole facility. It would help alleviate boredom and give more exercise space. Then a month or so before collecting eggs you could separate again. And if you built an external fence outside the extended run that would give a safe free ranging area. You could plant greens that are beneficial to their diet and would supplement feed cost. There are some seed blends that are really good for that. Nice high protein. I found one brand even at TSC. Mostly people use it for planting feed plots for deer. Because the fenced area isn't the chickens normal run, and they only get to go there every so often it would certainly make it am enrichment type of activity that would make happy well balanced chickens.

Another thing to consider with breeding and what not. Possibilities for extra smaller casing requirements. Like a sick or injured bird. A rooster that you may want to keep, but for some reason he may need to be housed alone for a time. Smaller caging for specific pair breeding if you need to determine details of a certain pairing. Safe broody housing or safe brooder housing.
Most, if not all of the smaller housing can be used interchangeably and can be built inside of larger caging areas with necessary modifications for safety integrated.

Scroll through and read as much here on byc about threads that you think might give you any tips, hints or tricks to help with small details.

Oh, I forgot. Something I will add to ours with more space given, to medical and tool for caring for chickens. And more space for black plastic garbage cans with snap on lids for feed. We call our little chicken barn our "practice barn". We don't look at mistakes or things that need changed as bad, just added knowledge and lessons learned.

 

[topdog24]

Lemon. Well I do want to free range but I also need to contain for safety and I may want to take a vacation sometime . Now that I've posted this question I really think I'm gonna have to eventually do both, run extension and fence. I want to have 2-3 breeds and am not sure how to set this up. I don't know enough about raising chickens to know how to set this up for different breeds. Do I keep them separated each in their own run and coop? Or do I let them all stay together. You mention mutts, I have to keep breeding in mind with the grand scheme also. I may need to build breeding pens eventually. I just don't want to build something that turns into a major mistake or design problem.

Ya'll, I need to ask for some advice. I'm contemplating either extending my run or building a fence. The existing run is 32' wide by 30' deep. In the pics I've got the batter boards set up to extend it 50' longer. The existing run is built to eventually divide into three sections. One section is 16' wide by 30' deep the other two are 8' wide by 30' deep. I'm planning to process at least 50 birds a year so I figure I will eventually get the flock up to around 90-100 birds. I want to keep it to about 30 birds per section. I'm really having a hard time deciding what to do because my original goal was to free range as much as possible. I don't want to keep 100 birds cooped up in the run as it is. I may have to extend the run and build fence which I'm thinking is what I'll have to do. I am hoping ya'll can give me ideas or suggestions before I start anything


These pics are to show the area I have to work with.

I assume you have the BRs in the big section and they do fine there, if so, i think you could merge the 2 8' sections and build another off the other end from the big section, the end towards the woods, 16x 30, that would give you 3 sections of the same size, you could the ad an 8' section down the length of the front and devide as needed for breeding pens, it would be less work because you would utilize fencing that is already there, The none free range scale for square ft per bird is 10 each, so 480 devided x 10 = 48 birds per 16 x 30 section. so 3 sections of 16 x 30 will sufice 144 birds, that is with out counting the coop footage, i hope this helps you with your decission, You coul add a big yard for free range across the front with access to each section and rotate free range days allowing each group free range time as Lemon suggested. good luck with your plans CA

 

[LemonMeringue]

If I had that much space I would envision a chicken dream play land, with painted chairs, different heights of outdoor perching, maybe even a log to sit on and a swing or 2.

Don't judge, I like happy chickens. Haha haha!!!!

 

[topdog24]

Thanks TD. I don't know about how natural they come to me. LOL. Cause I got some questions coming. in my next post.


How'd you get swarm out of that. Your better than me OH! Nevermind. LOL.

Edit: By the way, getting chickens has been a great move for me. I've certainly enjoyed having them, wish I'd done it years ago.

Chickens were a great move for me too Cody, i have lost 20 lbs from all the activity created by having chickens, plus, eating fresh yard eggs has improved my cholesterol check ups, my good is up 4 points to 43 and my bad is down to 81 from 103 last Nov. No change in diet just more activity and the fresh eggs. My wife even sees the difference in me.

 

[LemonMeringue]

I tell my husband that all those "options" are necessities for convenience and peace of mind. That's my excuse, I mean story, and I'm sticking to it. LOL!

It really is peace of mind though. I could leave my chickens for a few days without worrying.