[docsal]

I have kept laying hens for 15 years or so and, having recently moved to a smallholding, am about to embark on my first batch of meat birds. I have ordered all the equipment for incubation, brooder etc. I currently have only 2 layers in an Eglu and have bought an Eglu cube with 4m run as I plan to expand my laying flock with some of the females I raise (LS/Sassos/Hubbards), the rest will be for meat.

So, this batch of meat birds will get the new Eglu cube but once they're in the freezer, the layers will move in there.

My question is about how best to house the 2 or 3 batches a year of table birds I raise each year. I plan to raise them on grass in a fox-proof pen but do I need proper housing for them or will something cheap do? Given they will only be there a few months of the year they won't be getting anything expensive!

What do other folk do?

[Eve]

I have 2 large pens specifically for growers in the warmer months.


They're made of 2 x 1 heras panels (so 7 x 3.5m) with a mesh skirt around the edge to stop foxes getting in and mesh roof on the top.


Each pen has a Cube in it with 2m run an automatic door opener fixed to the door of the run, this keeps stoats out -known killers here- and keeps rats away from their feed at night as the feeder is inside the Eglu run.
From dusk until 7am they are in their Cube with 2m run, during the day they have the 20+ sqm.

[Dave C]

Mine are normally in a fixed run a bit like Eve's, but this year I have that many breeding groups set up they are in an Ark with large electric netting around, which is moved every other week to fresh grass.

This will do them for another few weeks then I will separate the lunches and the ones being kept back for breeding.

[Dan]

We use a large run that's moved twice a day across our paddock:

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/diary/new-pen-for-meat-birds/

The page above describes how we settled on this design. It's held up really well, it's four years old this year and all we've had to do for maintenance is change the rope we use to pull it.

[Rosemary]

all we've had to do for maintenance is change the rope we use to pull it.

After it broke while I was pulling it, dumping me unceremoniously on my back. Thankfully, I missed the cow pats.

[docsal]

Thanks all - very helpful! If this project goes well (good meat and not too stressful/onerous slaughter/plucking etc) I fancy building something like Dan and Rosemary have. It looks practical and economical. Do you use it for both batches of birds ie spring and autumn?

[Dan]

We only do one batch per year now. It houses 24 comfortably, and we've found the cockerels are ready a couple of weeks earlier than the hens, so it breaks up the processing nicely into two weekends.

[Dave C]

docsal, check in on our Breeding for Meat & Eggs thread and let us know how you get on