I keep meat birds and layers separate. Layers to be kept for 2-3 years should have their own facility.
Raising them together as chicks is okay, but you can't start a new batch of chicks in the same space, the adults will attack and kill the chicks.
2-3 square feet per bird is plenty. Provide roosts for layers or dual-purpose birds to perch on. Not needed for birds specifically bred for meat production.
It's a good idea to have the coop up off the ground enough that air can circulate under it. You don't want mold and mildew building up.
Lots of fresh air and light INSIDE the coop is good as well. Don't worry too much about insulation, my layers do very nicely in an uninsulated coop and it's currently -14°
As long as they can stay dry and out of the wind they're fine. Feeding them some extra cracked corn in cold weather will give them the extra energy to keep themselves warm.
I used to let mine run loose in the yard, but the damn foxes got so thick I was losing too many birds. It's better if you CAN let them wander around. They'll eat anything they can catch, cut down on bugs, and reduce your feed bill. If predation becomes a problem, an outdoor area big enough for them to sun themselves and take dust baths is important. Use whatever sort of fencing is needed to keep predators out. Keeping the birds in is usually not a problem.
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Today's Featured Article - Listening to Your Tractor - by Curtis Von Fange. Years ago there was a TV show about a talking car. Unless you are from another planet, physically or otherwise, I don’t think our internal combustion buddies will talk and tell us their problems. But, on the other hand, there is a secret language that our mechanical companions readily do speak. It is an interesting form of communication that involves all the senses of the listener. In this series we are going to investigate and learn the basic rudimentary skills of understanding this lingo.
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