A couple pics from today...still a lot of work but it is nice to see things starting to come together. Shawn
Here are a couple pics of the storage area for feed and such as well as a pic of the guys starting to install the chain link fencing (cyclone wire) for the chicken runs, Shawn
Attaching some more pics; hopefully my vision for this coop is starting to make a bit of sense. We will probably have to run some galvanized wire and chicken wire on top of the runs to keep the chickens in. Since the lovely wife went so much higher on the roof for the main coop than I wanted, we will probably need do something there as well. I'm assuming the wife will jam as many chickens as she possibly can in this coop; but my plan is for 50 layers in each coop to keep them happy, healthy and as close to free range as we can. I really want them away from the vegetables, they can really mess up some plants. Shawn
Shawn, the "jam as many as she can" idea is a sure fire way to disaster. On the other hand, your 50 seems very conservative for the available space. I would say you should be good/excellent up to 75-80. Above 100 seems to be the no go situation. Best way to convince your asawa might be to explain that it's not economically smart to increase the illness risks, especially because those risks don't increase linear but exponential when you get below acceptable space per chicken.
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
