Show Me Your Grow-Out Facilities

[3KillerBs]

As we get closer and closer to having our house placed, DH and I are talking more and more about how the other outbuildings and, especially, the chicken setup are going to be arranged.

Since he's interested in selling eggs at farmers' markets and in the possibility of selling started pullets we're looking at needing to raise a certain quantity of birds each year -- which means needing space for them.

How do y'all have your chicken spaces set up for growing pullets into layers and cockerels up to butchering size?

 

[aart]

Sorry you haven't gotten any replies.
Not sure many here do what you are considering.
Build a big building with partitions inside leading to separate/partitioned runs outside.
Get out your graph paper and start sketching layouts.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This probably won't do you much good as my goals are different from yours. I know you have plans for meat birds too. But maybe you can get some ideas.

My main coop, 8' x 12', is the end of that green shed off to the left. That building used to be a 12' x 60' loafing shed that I enclosed so there is a lot of dry storage inside it. I have a 12' x 32' "main" run coming off that. On the other end of the run I have what I call my grow-out coop. It's 4' x 8', a repurposed chicken tractor. It has roosts but no nests. I can close a gate in that run and isolate an 8' x 12' section for the grow-out coop if I wish.

I have an area about 45' x 60' inside electric netting off to the side. Inside that netting area I have a 4' x 8' shelter, also part of that tractor that did not work out. No nests and no roosts, just a shelter. I only use this shelter for a broody and her chicks to sleep if the main coop is pretty full.

In the coop I have a permanent 3' x 6' brooder with the main roosts overhead. The top of the brooder is my droppings board.

Off to the side I have my nests and a juvenile roost above them. I almost always have juveniles in the flock. This gives them a safe pace to go when my older ones kick them off the main roosts and keeps them out of the nests.

I did not start with all this. I started with the main coop and the 12' x 32' run. It grew. It suits my goals and the way I manage mine. It developed over a span of time. You'll need to be flexible.

I agree with Aart, get some graph paper and start sketching. Draw to scale. Or use one of those computer graphic programs. Try to build as much flexibility in it as you can. That mainly means make it big so you can add a brooder or juvenile roost or whatever else you need to.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I've always figured a racehorse barn would work best for large numbers of grow ouys, especially for several breeds

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I've always figured a racehorse barn would work best for large numbers of grow ouys, especially for several breeds

Just as an example. I don't have one myself unfortunately