aarolar
Platinum Member
What's the cost come out to more or the same as store
bought?
bought?
Chicken coop questions
- Thread starter NS Gearhead
- Start date
- Views: 5120
TSO
Elite Member
Looks exactly like how we have been doing it, start to finish.
Read up on Joel Salatin, that will be a good start. After you start reading him, and start doing it on your own, you'll customize it to your own way after a year or two. It took us a few years to really find out what works best for us. We could easily do 1,000 birds a year if we wanted to.
TSO
Elite Member
We sell at basically $3/lb finish-processed. Costs us about $7 per bird between buying each chick, feed, materials, processing, fuel used, etc. So, it's not super profitable, but we sell enough to pay for all of our own meat, and the materials/fuel.
So it costs $7 for 2 lbs of breast meat, two legs, two thighs, two wings. We keep the back on the carcass and boil down all the carcass into canned stock. It allows us to have an abundance of natural, organic chicken stock on hand, and we use it in alot of our cooking. Very good for you.
So it costs $7 for 2 lbs of breast meat, two legs, two thighs, two wings. We keep the back on the carcass and boil down all the carcass into canned stock. It allows us to have an abundance of natural, organic chicken stock on hand, and we use it in alot of our cooking. Very good for you.
OP
NS Gearhead
Veteran Member
As with my little garden, I don't expect to save any money. It's more of a hobby, and if I can get food that's better for me and my family, as well as teach my daughter a few things, then it's all good.
aarolar
Platinum Member
I wouldn't mind growing them either but butchering is another story may have to see if I can find someone who offers that service
CR172
Silver Member
We just have layers. 18 hens, 1 rooster. I built a coop that is 6'x6' with the egg boxes. The floor is 6'x5' with 3 roosts the birds just sleep in it at night and roam around the property the rest of the day. Great for bug control....
I have a 4x4 coop with 8 layer hens (not zoned for roosters). Population fluctuates, this is our 3rd+4th batches of hens.
Overall, the total coop is 6x10, under corrugated plastic roofing. Outer section is hardware cloth, and extends under the actual coop up 1' high. 4x4 coop section has nesting boxes with access door, up 6" from main floor the help keep them clean, and roosts. 6' tall inside, so you don't have to hunch over to work inside. Has vents on E and W sides, up high, and a closable flap low, weighted with a line clipped to it to open from the far end. Also has an old wooden storm sash we can prop open spring-to-fall for more air, the other vents have sliding panels. One side of the coop part is a 2x4 storage compartment, which is big enough for a 6-gallon metal can for feed, a bale of wood chip bedding, and a bale of hay for when snow blows into the outer coop. Shelves above hold electric fencing supplies and waterers, and the waterer deicing pad when not in use. Also oyster shell and grit.
The whole shooting match can open onto a run which is about 12x20, and frankly too small. There is deer netting over that to try and keep the hawk strikes down, which mostly works (last one we had was when they were out in the yard, and it missed).
Also speaking of predators, we had to switch to a rat-proof feeder, and I jacked the whole coop up so I could dig out from under it, put a row of bricks around the edge where it sits, add wire, and put down new dirt. It was time to clean out the dirt anyway, but them critters is just nasty. And motivated, they dig fast and are persistent. Compared to them, chipmunks are easy.
Oh yeah, there is electric fence around the whole thing, 6" up. "Predator strength", and also burns through weeds so they don't short it out. First week it was up something hit that and wrestled with the fence hard enough to tear half the wire partway loose at one corner. No idea what, but it was enough of a lesson they have not been back. Friend next town over regularly saw coyotes, fisher cats, and pine martens near her flock, which her dog was good about chasing away. Her fence also reminded the dog the hens weren't on the list of things to chase, but it'd still check it now and then to be sure. The only time out dogs have chased the hens is when we forget to clip wings and they fly into the dogs' side of the yard.
Overall, the total coop is 6x10, under corrugated plastic roofing. Outer section is hardware cloth, and extends under the actual coop up 1' high. 4x4 coop section has nesting boxes with access door, up 6" from main floor the help keep them clean, and roosts. 6' tall inside, so you don't have to hunch over to work inside. Has vents on E and W sides, up high, and a closable flap low, weighted with a line clipped to it to open from the far end. Also has an old wooden storm sash we can prop open spring-to-fall for more air, the other vents have sliding panels. One side of the coop part is a 2x4 storage compartment, which is big enough for a 6-gallon metal can for feed, a bale of wood chip bedding, and a bale of hay for when snow blows into the outer coop. Shelves above hold electric fencing supplies and waterers, and the waterer deicing pad when not in use. Also oyster shell and grit.
The whole shooting match can open onto a run which is about 12x20, and frankly too small. There is deer netting over that to try and keep the hawk strikes down, which mostly works (last one we had was when they were out in the yard, and it missed).
Also speaking of predators, we had to switch to a rat-proof feeder, and I jacked the whole coop up so I could dig out from under it, put a row of bricks around the edge where it sits, add wire, and put down new dirt. It was time to clean out the dirt anyway, but them critters is just nasty. And motivated, they dig fast and are persistent. Compared to them, chipmunks are easy.
Oh yeah, there is electric fence around the whole thing, 6" up. "Predator strength", and also burns through weeds so they don't short it out. First week it was up something hit that and wrestled with the fence hard enough to tear half the wire partway loose at one corner. No idea what, but it was enough of a lesson they have not been back. Friend next town over regularly saw coyotes, fisher cats, and pine martens near her flock, which her dog was good about chasing away. Her fence also reminded the dog the hens weren't on the list of things to chase, but it'd still check it now and then to be sure. The only time out dogs have chased the hens is when we forget to clip wings and they fly into the dogs' side of the yard.
sea2summit
Elite Member
Foot print is minimum of 8x8 the way I have it set up but usually have it at 8x12 or 8x16. Have to get a picture later.
sea2summit
Elite Member
aarolar
Platinum Member
How's that spinner work?
