New to Meat Birds Need housing suggestions

[maligator2012]

Hello!
Next spring I will be getting some meat birds, I have layers right now but I am looking for a inexpensive set up for the meaties....anyone have any good ideas for a inexpensive coop or tractor for meaties?? I want to keep them separate from my layers....My layers have a coop with a large covered run, I would like to keep the meaties near them, but not with them....

Thanks so much!
Denise

 

[ChocolateMouse]

2"X4" 4' high welded wire ($75 for 100feet) and any sort of cheap wood or PVC as framework, plus a roll of galvanized steel wire (200' for like $8) for tying the wire together (or zip ties). For an 8'X4' tractor you could get by with 5 2X2s I think ($20 total). Make as many tractors as you want that way....

Wrap the bottom foot in chicken wire to keep little chicks in if you wanna put them out before 3 weeks.

 

[DelcoChix]

This is our 4th year with meaties, for my dd's 4-H broiler project. We've revised and adapted housing each year,, and because it's her project I haven't pushed to make a tractor for them--much more secure inside the shed or barn where we rig up a pen for them. I'm always afraid the predators will break into the tractor and she'll be left without and birds after she's spent all the time and effort raising them.

Having said that, next year, even if no 4-H is involved, I'm building a tractor, and "bigredfeather" is a great resource--check out the "Meaties 101" thread--he has some great pics posted (and a lot of great tips too), seems along the lines of ChocolateMouse's post.

Good luck!

 

[SIMZ]

We raise them in our 2nd garage. It works well for us and is very inexpensive. There is a link to a video in my tagline.

 

[SunnySkies]

Hoop coop. Very easy to build...I did it myself... And cost me about $200. I used cattle panels, added a frame in the front for a door and some bracing at the back. Covered the back end and about halfway up the sides with hardware cloth, covered the door and sides on the front with hardware cloth and covered the whole thing with a heavy duty tarp. If it wasnt for my LGDs in training, I would have covered the whole thing with hardware cloth, which would have cost another $100-150. The whole thing is zip tied together, and I used fence staples to hold the hardware cloth. I attached wheels with heavy duty bolts, and I added a pull rope, but I can't move it without help of my truck or tractor or another adult human. I have 32 FR, an EE cockerel, and two bantam Cochins in it now, and it's my favorite coop of all I have built.