Best Posts in Thread: Cherry's Farm

Last ones for today

 

Yes, I'm a big fan of solignum.

Shawn

 

We have around 60 established chickens and another 100+ younger chickens. Once the roosters are culled and/or sold we should be looking at a total of 110 layers, give or take.

I actually figured 50 layers per coop based upon the square footage of the runs (one run at a time) and the number of nesting boxes. I realize there is quite a bit more area when you figure in the main coop and walkway and that the chickens will utilize all during the course of the day. I would probably feel OK going up to 60 but think 50 should make for happier chickens.

We have an area where we are free ranging all the chickens and a few turkeys at the moment, so I will impress upon the wife to keep anything over 50 in that area until the next coop is built. I do want to utilize that area, once the next coop is built, for veggies. Eventually it will be for my aquaponics, seed starting, vermicomposting and various outbuildings.

75 or so native chickens for meat is bouncing around in my head as well, I realize grow out is around 3 1/2 months compared to 60 days for broilers and are much smaller, but the family says they taste better. I can probably be talked out of it, but my thought process at the moment and think the coop design should work equally well.

I'm also thinking about a design for some quail pens, want to keep them on the ground instead of raised cages. I'm thinking concrete pad with a structure as well as a run so they can enjoy some grass. I need to sort out exactly how many quail you can raise together in a pen. I've found info on square foot per bird and rooster to hen ratio, but nothing so far on how many. My plan at some point will be to have around 150 quail for eggs. Love quail eggs, not as impressed with the meat.

As I've mentioned before, this farm is going to take years to get fully going, so things can and probably will change as we figure things out.

I do appreciate the comments and PM's; I've always been a gardener, but a farm is a completely different endeavor, especially with the introduction of animals.

Shawn

 

A couple pics from today...still a lot of work but it is nice to see things starting to come together.

Shawn

 

The coop is starting to come together. Hoping to have chickens in the coop in the next couple of weeks.

Shawn

 

A few more

 

Dave...you may be correct when it comes to conditions and feed provided; but there are definitely differences when it comes to the DNA of the chickens. I'm assuming that a breed that is smaller and leaner will have a different fat content to a standard meat chicken and that should provide a different taste...unless tossed into the hot pot overnight.

Many things are still an experiment, and the local chickens are something I'm getting talked into. Probably not the 2nd coop but perhaps the 3rd coop. I've actually read that they can't be coop raised, so we shall see.

I will always share progress.

Shawn

 

Just a few more pics as the chickens continue to settle into their new surroundings.

Shawn

 

Here are some pics from the coop progress yesterday (5/30).

Shawn

 

Very cool, looks like an excellent plan hope it works out well