Those of you with a large amount of birds

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I separate the chickens I sell hatching eggs from, and then my flock of layers and mixed roos run together.

~ Aspen

 

[happyhensny]

Quote:
We do this also. I have 4 pens and a brooder coop. All 4 adult pens take turns free ranging.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Thanks everyone this is all very helpful. Happyhensny do you have runs for all the coops and then a large free range or just the free range area?

 

[happyhensny]

I have a 12 x 24 building with 4 separate pens, each 6 ft wide x 7 feet deep with a separate run outdoors (6 x 24 ft long) for each. Similiar to what you would see in a dog kennel. I actually use dog kennel panels outside for the perimiter and the dividing walls with welded wire covering the top entire run. Each run has an exterior gate to gain access to it. I will try to get some pictures later for you.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Thanks this helps a pot I honestly forgot about hatching eggs and chicks.

 

[happyhensny]

Here are some pictures of my coop. There is a garage door that can be closed or open. I built a wire fence frame to protect the birds at night. Just a frame with no-climb horse fence nailed to it.

Side view - building and lean-to off the back to give the birds some shelter from sun, rain or snow.

Back view of runs. There are kennel panels separating the runs with a gate at the end of each and a pop-door to allow them access. (Sorry it's blurry - sunny day!

)

Aisle view. I used cheap wood screen doors from Lowes - $15 each. Cheaper and a whole lot easier than making my own. Downfall is that the screen gets VERY dusty. Could replace with wire if desired. There are 4 nest boxes per pen, a hanging feeder and roost. Water is kept out side during warm months and inside on water heater bases in the winter. Electricity is a must. Water would have been great but ran out of dough.

Maybe next year. Right now we use a whole bunch of hoses.

Hope this helps. Ask me if you have any questions.

Annie

 

[jnkir7]

Quote:
We do this also. I have 4 pens and a brooder coop. All 4 adult pens take turns free ranging.

we do this as well, some think they are being mistreated, as they all want out every day, but i tell them they have to take turns i think they all need there green grass and bugs.

 

[happyhensny]

In summer the ones that have to stay in get lettuce that has bolted from my garden, weeds that come out of the flower beds, kitchen scraps. So everyone gets some "goodies" every day.

 

[JustPeachy]

I have a large coop & run that I keep all my chickens in, if I wanted to breed a certain pair or trio I have another smaller coop (original coop before I realized how addictive chickens are

) to puy them in, but I was wondering how long I should wait once they are together to start collecting the eggs to be sure the eggs would contain that roosters offspring and not another roos?

 

[happyhensny]

Quote:
At least 3 weeks - just to be sure.