meat bird coop plans - need advice

[Sabz]

Seriously - I've seen that a lot, and it makes me sad. I'm still wrestling with the idea of eating my birds, and if I'm going to eat them I at least want to know I gave them the best life possible and they were happy!

Do they still use the perch right up to the end? Somewhere I read they have trouble with climbing ladders because they get too heavy. How far apart did you space the rungs? How low is the perch - it looks like maybe 8 inches? Sorry for all the questions - I'm just really excited!

You're welcome!

You should not think twice about it. If you want them to be happy and live a good life, you'll do it I know it's sad to have to kill them, but I always think about the fact that mine were happy all along. They were respected and they had fun (well, I think they do?). Also, eating our birds means that we don't encourage the industrial chicken market were they are grown in tiny little metal cages, so cruel.

Well, to be honest they are my first meat chicks. I have no idea if they will perch until the end!
Ah, my ladder is not correct.. the rungs are too far apart. The chicks still climb, but I will add more rungs to help them - as you said they become heavy with age and I am afraid that in a few weeks they won't be able to jump as much). I will check the height of the perch, I am not sure... 8 inches seems to be it, I can fit am empty yogurt container below the perch and there is maybe an extra inch left (I use the yoghurt container to fill up the food hehe).

 

[Sabz]

I always strive for efficiency, it should require the least possible maintenance

Yeah this is a good point also. I am trying the Deep litter method in the coop. I haven't changed the bedding since I have the coop (6,7,8 weeks? something like that).
I would say DLM compares to the tractor, since the tractor needs to be moved and the DLM needs us to add a bit of litter and turn it over from time to time..

But, this might be a good advice lol. I'll wait until processing day to know if the DLM worked or not.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

the first pen is 12 foot by 5 foot easy to build using 1/2 pvc I house 50 broilers at a time in the pen and is super light due to the pvc my girlfriend can move it buy herself. its a better design to me that the salatin style chicken tractors-they are too heavy. you can build it for around 150 bucks. the second pen is made using a hogwire panel.

These both look like beautifully constructed tractors. They probably wouldn't work where I live because we have too many predators including bears, mountain lions, bobcats, raccoons, coyotes and foxes. Once this summer a bear tried to break into my mini-van coop and managed to tear a few wires in the hardware cloth that is fastened to the outside of a missing rear window. I could see the big muddy paw prints on the side of the van. A chicken wire wood framed tractor would have been either flipped or torn through so I needed something more elaborate to keep them safe at night.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

You're welcome!

You should not think twice about it. If you want them to be happy and live a good life, you'll do it I know it's sad to have to kill them, but I always think about the fact that mine were happy all along. They were respected and they had fun (well, I think they do?). Also, eating our birds means that we don't encourage the industrial chicken market were they are grown in tiny little metal cages, so cruel.

Well, to be honest they are my first meat chicks. I have no idea if they will perch until the end!
Ah, my ladder is not correct.. the rungs are too far apart. The chicks still climb, but I will add more rungs to help them - as you said they become heavy with age and I am afraid that in a few weeks they won't be able to jump as much). I will check the height of the perch, I am not sure... 8 inches seems to be it, I can fit am empty yogurt container below the perch and there is maybe an extra inch left (I use the yoghurt container to fill up the food hehe).

I completely agree with your first paragraph. I would add a word of caution regarding your roost and ladder set up, both for you and for 6of6chicks. CX or Cornish Cross chickens are known for developing leg problems because they put on weight so fast. Most heritage chickens put a lot of energy into growing strong, healthy bones before they start filling them with meat. The CX are bred to put on lots of meat very fast and sometimes their legs just can't support that meat. I would worry more that your CX would injure themselves getting down from the high roost than that they might decide not to go up in the first place. You might want to remove the ladder when they are....I don't know 5 or 6 weeks old and give them a very low roost, even a 4"X4" beam on the floor where they can get up out of the poopy bedding if they want to but won't injure themselves getting down.

 

[moneymoneyric]

The smartest thing I have ever done is automating feeders using deer hunting feeders, cut my costs in half

 

[LeeBrad]

I have two mobile tractors: The Joel Salatin Version and the Foodcyclist version. The Salatin version definitely holds more, but does seem a little cramped for the birds. It is hard to move unless you have his specially designed hand truck. It cost me about $300 to make it. Sometimes chicks get a foot caught under a beam and you really don't hear it until they squak. The door is somewhat heavy to move for my 7 year old and my wife would not be able to move the tractor by herself. The Foodcyclist version cost about $225 for me to build. My son can pull it if need be (he like to help). I like that I can walk in and do things. The birds can hide in the Salatin version. The Foodcyclist version can also be turned into a greenhouse during the winter time via some rolled plastic.

Just my .02

 

[JessicaThistle]

I have two mobile tractors: The Joel Salatin Version and the Foodcyclist version. The Salatin version definitely holds more, but does seem a little cramped for the birds. It is hard to move unless you have his specially designed hand truck. It cost me about $300 to make it. Sometimes chicks get a foot caught under a beam and you really don't hear it until they squak. The door is somewhat heavy to move for my 7 year old and my wife would not be able to move the tractor by herself. The Foodcyclist version cost about $225 for me to build. My son can pull it if need be (he like to help). I like that I can walk in and do things. The birds can hide in the Salatin version. The Foodcyclist version can also be turned into a greenhouse during the winter time via some rolled plastic.

Just my .02

I am love-loving my Foodcyclist chicken tractor. My chickens are super happy too. The greenhouse in the winter is a great idea! I hadn't thought that far ahead yet.

 

[Mehjr10]

Make it easy to move, as the CX's grow so does the amount of waste that goes with it.. So you will want to move frequently.. 2- 3x per week possibly. I usually do a dozen at a time and move my tractor 2x a week.

You could just do a frame 2'H x10' x 10' with pvc and hardware cloth and put in a short platform for them to get off the ground during wet weather, and tarp one end to keep off the rain.

Some plans http://www.pvcplans.com/pvc-pastured-poultry-pen.htm