Need Ideas For Breeding Pens

Currently I have a quad of Buff bantam cochins, a trio of birchens, a blue mottled rooster, a buff mottled pullet, and a splash pullet. All cochins.. For now, the set up is temporary. However everyone is going to be living in a horse stall in the mean time, bedded nicely, feeders and waterers on a small brick, and a few things changed so nobody escapes, however in the future I will want to seperate them up for breeding pens, and will be builing in the spring. All must be covered/indoor etc, NO outside runs etc. They will be kept on clean, well bedded floors 24/7. Need to be tall enough you can walk in and out.

There are a few ways to achieve what you need to do. I am not sure of your budget or other circumstances. Here are my Ideas.
You need to keep separate your select chickens , so the right hanky panky occurs between your choice pairs. Once your hen is broody and sets on her eggs, you want a safe environment for the newcomers when they arrive. The mom and chicks will be away from the rest of the flock. Safe from predators as well. Here is one solution. Get as many of these as required, and install them into your housing quarters. (horse stall, barn,??? wherever) . They are good enough to house 3 to 4 bantams easily and little chicks fit in with no problem.

You did say you want covered and these are, as well a somewhat secure. They cost about $200. I DO NOT SELL THESE OR ANY OTHERS SIMILAR. ( I do not sell anything.)

Other option is to make separate compartments inside your horse stall . Use chicken wire to make the dividers so as to allow ample air flow as well as light. You will need to make roosts, and nesting boxes inside each. You will also need individual water and feed stations in each. Try to provide at least 4 square feet of area for each chicken housed inside. More is better.
WISHING YOU BEST

You mention a stall for now. What do you have in place to use for housing? Are more stalls available, or other parts of a barn? That can help guide you.

I'm still pretty happy with my cattle panel hoop breeding pens, overall. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1003092/my-breeding-pens

Mine are outside and I am having an mud issue right now, but you could easily remedy that by using the basic design inside a barn, on a concrete floor, etc. My pens would be plenty large enough for bantam Cochins. They're large enough to walk in and have lots of airflow.

Chaoticchickens said:

Currently I have a quad of Buff bantam cochins, a trio of birchens, a blue mottled rooster, a buff mottled pullet, and a splash pullet. All cochins.. For now, the set up is temporary. However everyone is going to be living in a horse stall in the mean time, bedded nicely, feeders and waterers on a small brick, and a few things changed so nobody escapes, however in the future I will want to seperate them up for breeding pens, and will be builing in the spring. All must be covered/indoor etc, NO outside runs etc. They will be kept on clean, well bedded floors 24/7. Need to be tall enough you can walk in and out.

Click to expand...

Why no outside access?

donrae said:

You mention a stall for now. What do you have in place to use for housing? Are more stalls available, or other parts of a barn? That can help guide you.

I'm still pretty happy with my cattle panel hoop breeding pens, overall. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1003092/my-breeding-pens

Mine are outside and I am having an mud issue right now, but you could easily remedy that by using the basic design inside a barn, on a concrete floor, etc. My pens would be plenty large enough for bantam Cochins. They're large enough to walk in and have lots of airflow.

Click to expand...

I don't have another stall currently, I do plan to make another come spring possibly. As it is they are in a 14 x 14 stall, that has stone dust, than rubber mats, and than shavings ontop of it. I will look at the link you provided.

Free Feather said:

Why no outside access?

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I do not want the feathers torn up, and muddy. Nor do I want to deal with predators that it will draw in, and everything else. These birds are being kept as close to show condition as possible. I really really like my chickens on clean bedding and clean all the time. I have experienced much less issues doing this. It is so muddy where I am at almost year round, than it just gets so gross so so fast and the predators are so bad. So what I like to do, is keep everyone in clean well bedded pens/etc which is a large stall currently with lighting from 8am to about 5;30pm depending on the time of year. With 24/7 organic layer/grower/starter whatever they need for the age they are, and scratch and meal worms spreaded out so they can forage around.

I can see your point about wanting to keep your feathered footed birds indoors. We've had such mud issues this year, all my feather footed birds have really taken a beating and look pretty pitiful.

If you can divide that one stall, it will give you abundant room for even your quad on one side. Are you planning on three pens altogether, for the three roosters? I think with creative use of some wire panels this could be done in the stall. Gates/access may be your biggest issue, but if your stall is basically predator proof and appropriate housing, all you're needing to do inside is keep the hens separate from the undesirable rooster, correct? And since everyone is housed together now, I'm thinking the males all get along. Simple wire panels, either purchased cattle panels or home made panels of lumber with chicken wire sandwiched between strips should work well to separate birds.