My poor meaties!!!

[Soccer Mom]

Do you have a horse trailer or a stock trailer? I use a big stock trailer as an intermediate spot between brooder and coop. It gives them more shelter than the tractor.

If you don't have any other options, I guess it will be tarp and shavings. I would definitely drag them over fresh wood chips or straw to get them off the wet ground.

 

[fasbendera]

With eleven birds you could just do a few of the largest birds or like an earlier post said to the largest females since they seem to put weight on the slowest and leave the males. I agree with the smell they can generate at that age. If you tucked the tarp under the pallets you wouldn't have to move the tractor and it would be easier. Just do half of the tractor, herd them to the pallet side and then do the other half of the tractor. Good Luck

 

[the simple life]

Quote:
I don't use a tractor, I keep mine in a pen that I rake out and add a new layer of shavings when needed.
My pen is 10x12, I have three heatlamps and a thick bed of shavings.
The weather is too cold and unpredictable this time of year to use tractors so I think most people stop doing them by late fall.
Even with the smell, a garage is a better option than what they have now, is your garage attached to the house? Is that why you are against using it?
If you can get pallets you could make a pen, a pallet for the floor, add shavings, 4 sides and then a tarp roof.
I agree on processing a few of them now, it will free up some space for the others and cut down on the mess and smell.
Even at 8 weeks they should be big enough to do a few, I did some at 8 weeks that were 6 pounds.
I knew the bad weather was coming and they wouldn't be able to go outside the pen and I wanted to free up some space for the others to grow out so I did 14 of them. Yours are probably in the same weight range.

 

[andisgarden]

We tried to find pallets but it is Sunday in OK and most places are closed and Atwoods does not get rid of their pallets but reuses them. My husband had done a job a few weeks ago and had some 6ft privacy fence sections that were on his trailer so we got a section of fence and covered it with a tarp and then spread pine shavings on it several inches thick. Put food in and the heat lamp and they seemed happy. I will change the setup in 2 days we have two sections of fence and we will prepare the second one and just move the trailer on top of it and do this until the weather gets a bit less damp. I will process a couple of them in a few days when the winds and terrible cold passes. The temps haven't gotten above freezing in 4 days.

Yes, my garage is attached to the house and I can't handle chickens in the garage. The regular brooder box was bad enough I surely don't want these stinkers in there. This is the first cold snap we have had all winter so far and these chickens will be ready to process in a few days so I think this is the best solution we have.

Thanks again for all of the terrific ideas it really helps to have someone brainstorm with you.

Andrea

 

[chicks4kids]

Quote:
One other thing--you said that you think they're losing weight now because it's so cold. The temps aren't going to get any warmer...it may be best to pick the 'lesser of two evils' so to speak and get it over with now. Sounds like you're struggling to come up with a solution -and I feel for ya'- however, if they're losing weight and you can't heat their tractor, having smaller chickens may just be best for now and you can plan on different housing next year.

Feeding meaties for a week might just be a waste of money...

 

[CoopCrazy]

Quote:
Glad to hear you got it taken care of.. Could you maybe feed them cracked corn as I hear it is good for keeping them warm..

 

[andisgarden]

I started feeding them cracked corn and meatmaker 1/2 to 1/2 for the last week I was told to finish them like this. I will say I have checked on them multiple times since we have moved them and they seem so happy. They actually got too warm with the light on now that they are dry so I had to turn it off until dark. They seem to be fine now they are dry and they are not coughing or anything so I think I saved them. YEAH! Thanks again for all of the input.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Awesome.. I'm glad they are doing better..

 

[jaku]

Quote:
I wouldn't worry too much. At 8 weeks, they can easily handle freezing temps, and if you're giving them a heat lamp and a covered pen, they will be fine. Personally, I'd just pull the tractor around in the snow, and as long as they aren't in a puddle, soggy won't hurt them either. Remember, they're farm animals, so they don't need to be too comfortable. That's plenty humane in my opinion.

 

[andisgarden]

Thanks for the encouragement. I was feeling pretty crummy about the way they were being treated. I really wanted to be humane with them and I keep thinking of how some of the Big guys treat the birds and I wanted to do so much more then that. I feel like I have given them a good life and now they will help me in return for all of the heat, sweat and money these little suckers take out of a person

I'll let you know how it goes. I should process my first batch next week.