I live in a city, but I have about 3 acres to work with. We've been keeping chickens for eggs for three years now. We would like to begin raising meat birds too, using a pastured poultry/chicken tractor method. I think I would like to do batches of 25, one in spring, one in fall, for 50 each year. I'll use either Cornish-X or a Freedom Ranger type bird. I have rasied several batches of chicks and understand the process, but I want to make sure I have enough room and am a little unsure how to set up a brooder for this many chicks. Here are my basic questions:
1. How many square feet of brooder space do I need for 25 chicks?
2. Does anybody know where there are plans/design suggestions for such a brooder or a good product to buy?
3. Will a 8' x 8' tractor, moved at least daily (usually both morning and evening) provide enough room for up to 25 chicks?
4. As I understand it, either the Cornish-X or Freedom Ranger cockerels will be big enough to slaughter before they start crowing. Is that right? (My neighbors won't care that I'm raising meat chickens, unless they start making a bunch of noise.)
5. I may have some friends who will want to buy a few chickens (some already buy eggs). Ignoring the cost of chicks that die before harvest, approximately what would to know what I would probably need to charge per cleaned bird to recover just the costs?
Thanks for any help you can provide.
1. How many square feet of brooder space do I need for 25 chicks?
2. Does anybody know where there are plans/design suggestions for such a brooder or a good product to buy?
3. Will a 8' x 8' tractor, moved at least daily (usually both morning and evening) provide enough room for up to 25 chicks?
4. As I understand it, either the Cornish-X or Freedom Ranger cockerels will be big enough to slaughter before they start crowing. Is that right? (My neighbors won't care that I'm raising meat chickens, unless they start making a bunch of noise.)
5. I may have some friends who will want to buy a few chickens (some already buy eggs). Ignoring the cost of chicks that die before harvest, approximately what would to know what I would probably need to charge per cleaned bird to recover just the costs?
Thanks for any help you can provide.