minimum housing/coop for cornish x???

[Garden Gal]

We have a "coop des gras" for our 20 hens and two roos. It is insulated, has six windows, took wayyy to long to build and wayyy to much $$$. We are LOVING our fresh eggs, however.

I am researching / considering cornish x for meat. Slaughtering our excess roos has been great for our dog (fed on a raw meat/bones diet) but not that satisfactory for those of us doing all the work!

I am not in the market to build another large/expensive/difficult coop. What is the minimum I would need to provide cornish x to keep them safe and happy? I AM okay with providing a moveable tractor/enclosure to give them grazing room.

 

[GraceAK]

5 would like to know too. Can their little coop area just have a wire floor? How much square footage do they need indoors/outdoors?

 

[Garden Gal]

Quote:
Grace, I have read that the wire floor is not a good idea on their legs. They also do better with a bit of shavings to peck through.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
How far are you from Shanendoah? If I was you I would make a trip to Polyface in the spring and see is set up in action. He has an open door policy just go during business hours and take a look around. This way you can see first hand how these tractors look.

But for expensive... your looking at around 50-100 bucks to get one depending on how big you build it. You would need one about 8x8 by 2 feet tall. Buy a tarp to cover the whole pen at night incase of bad weather. Very easy, very minimal housing....

 

[LeghornJosh]

If you leave the bottom open can't predators crawl underneath the edges of the tractor and get to the chickens?

Brunty Farmswrote:
You would need one about 8x8 by 2 feet tall. Buy a tarp to cover the whole pen at night incase of bad weather. Very easy, very minimal housing....

8x8 to accomidate how many birds?​

 

[Garden Gal]

"But for expensive... your looking at around 50-100 bucks to get one depending on how big you build it. You would need one about 8x8 by 2 feet tall. Buy a tarp to cover the whole pen at night incase of bad weather. Very easy, very minimal housing.... "


That is great! Many thanks.

 

[willheveland]

I put no more than 25 in my 8'x8' tractor. Will

 

[possumqueen]

Brunty,

I LOVE your picture of your little meaties loafing in the grass!!!

Polyface is Mr. Salatin, isn't it! Absolutely the best place to go to learn ANYthing about sustainable GREEN farming.

Leghornjosh, the best way to keep predators out is with a wire skirt around the pen. It's attached to the bottom of the pen and lies flat on the ground for about a foot out from the pen to keep critters from digging in. Not sure I'd use just chicken wire on the fence, though. A determined dog can rip through that in about a minute.