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Breeding pen question

post #1 of 10
5/11/12 at 7:22am
Thread Starter 

How big should a breeding pen be for a pair or trio of the following breeds?

 

d'Uccles 

Orpingtons

Cochins

Seabrights

OEG Banty

 

I have 3 coops/pens with runs right now for my chickens, a LF pen, a duck pen & a banty/grow out pen. I just need to know what I'm going to need for my breeders when the time comes. I'm afraid to get too many roos in my pens due to the fighting issues. Right now there are 3-4 in each pen but only 2 are mature (both in LF pen currently even tho they are banties as they are still way bigger than my banty babies). I'm thinking I may need to leave my roos in the breeder pens even if the girls return to the coop unless I switch out with a roo in their regular pen for breeding.

 

My silkies will probably end up taking over the banty pen as only a few OEB banties will be left there once I make the breeding pens and I can make them another small coop/run if necessary.


Edited by Nsampsel - 5/11/12 at 7:26am
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post #2 of 10
5/11/12 at 7:43am

I don't know for sure, but wouldn't it be the same space needed for a regular pen?  10 sq ft per chick in the run, 4 sq ft per chicken in the coop?

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post #3 of 10
5/11/12 at 8:08am
Thread Starter 

I have no clue. The lady I just got a bunch of chicks off of last night had several of hers in large rabbit coop type pens. I assume you wouldn't need quite as much room if they are for short term breeding purposes. There wasn't even really a run on any of her breeder pens. Just a nest box inside a rectangle wire pen. Some were bigger than others. 

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post #4 of 10
5/11/12 at 8:19am

I use large dog crates, and I also built some 4x4 pens.

And large rabbit hutches work, too.

 

 

450

ƸӜƷ•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸¸.☆

Have Katahdin hair sheep, Silkies, Guineas, Egg Layers, 1 annual pig, 3 Papillons, 1 toy Poodle, 1 Husband,

2 Cornish Rex cats, 1 aquatic turtle, 2 Kangals and 2 Grt Pyrs on 15 acres of joy.

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ƸӜƷ•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸¸.☆

Have Katahdin hair sheep, Silkies, Guineas, Egg Layers, 1 annual pig, 3 Papillons, 1 toy Poodle, 1 Husband,

2 Cornish Rex cats, 1 aquatic turtle, 2 Kangals and 2 Grt Pyrs on 15 acres of joy.

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post #5 of 10
5/11/12 at 8:32am
Here's an idea. My hubby built me a breeding area that is also a run. It is large enough to put cages in. I've discovered all I have to do is bring the roo I want to breed in the run. I didn't even have to cage him. He knew the hen he was to breed with. Took 1-2 minutes. Then he was out to play. My breeding hens are locked up in the run. I pen the roos at night.
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post #6 of 10
5/11/12 at 8:53am
Thread Starter 

I can't let more than 1 roo in my coops/runs at a time really. I'm not sure my roo would just find "his girls" either. I want to be able to sell purebred eggs & chicks with no question as to their parentage. 

 

I rather like the 4x4 pens. I would need to put some type of roof on at least part of it & an enclosed area for roosting & nesting. Mine will be outside next to the rest of the coops/pens. How many birds do you put in your 4x4 pens at a time?

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post #7 of 10
5/11/12 at 9:00am

For breeding large fowl I have a breeding pen that is a run and a coop. It was really cheap to make and no predators can get in it! I don't have to put them away at night either which makes it really nice and hassle free. I have one rooster and 3 hens in it and they are comfortable. It is also open on all sides so they get a breeze and still see all of the other chickens they roosted with before they went into the breeding pen. This pen is is 4'x8' I think. Hope this helps!

292912_215082971929472_134176386686798_331746_204551548_n.jpg
 

DarkStar Farm is a small family farm that sells free range chickens, eggs, and home raised beef (no hormones and all that garbage)....basically, we raise livestock like we do our pets....humanely and with love and respect. www.Facebook.com/Dark.Star.Farm

 

Silver Laced Wyandottes, Blue/Black/Splash Orpingtons, Standard Partridge Wyandottes, Bantam Silver Penciled Wyandottes

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DarkStar Farm is a small family farm that sells free range chickens, eggs, and home raised beef (no hormones and all that garbage)....basically, we raise livestock like we do our pets....humanely and with love and respect. www.Facebook.com/Dark.Star.Farm

 

Silver Laced Wyandottes, Blue/Black/Splash Orpingtons, Standard Partridge Wyandottes, Bantam Silver Penciled Wyandottes

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post #8 of 10
5/11/12 at 9:30am
Thread Starter 

That's more along the lines I was looking at. I'm only using pairs or trios & several of those are banties, so mine probably won't even need to be that big. The 4x4 size would work great for my LF pairs/trios and maybe a 3x3 for the banties? I just have to make sure I leave enuf area for them to get under the box for shade & IN the box to nest/roost. Then when I'm not breeding them the breeder pens would be great to leave the roos in for separation & the hens could rejoin the flock in the big coops. I'm in town so I'm a bit pressed for space. Gonna have to keep this as small as possible...lol

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post #9 of 10
5/15/12 at 7:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dracoe19 View Post

For breeding large fowl I have a breeding pen that is a run and a coop. It was really cheap to make and no predators can get in it! I don't have to put them away at night either which makes it really nice and hassle free. I have one rooster and 3 hens in it and they are comfortable. It is also open on all sides so they get a breeze and still see all of the other chickens they roosted with before they went into the breeding pen. This pen is is 4'x8' I think. Hope this helps!

292912_215082971929472_134176386686798_331746_204551548_n.jpg
 

warrrenton, va? i can';t imagine you know anyone last named 'belleville', or 'kopeck', or 'costen', or 'woltering'?

John
 

The measure of the humanity of a nation is NOT how it treats its animals; the measure of the humanity of a nation is first and foremost how it treats its HUMANS: the weakest, the hurting, and the strong. THAT is the measure of a peoples' humanity!

http://www.rachelsvineyard.org/

http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/

 

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John
 

The measure of the humanity of a nation is NOT how it treats its animals; the measure of the humanity of a nation is first and foremost how it treats its HUMANS: the weakest, the hurting, and the strong. THAT is the measure of a peoples' humanity!

http://www.rachelsvineyard.org/

http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/

 

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post #10 of 10
5/16/12 at 7:33pm

Hmmm... I doesn't ring a bell.... do they raise life stock or just live around Warrenton? 

DarkStar Farm is a small family farm that sells free range chickens, eggs, and home raised beef (no hormones and all that garbage)....basically, we raise livestock like we do our pets....humanely and with love and respect. www.Facebook.com/Dark.Star.Farm

 

Silver Laced Wyandottes, Blue/Black/Splash Orpingtons, Standard Partridge Wyandottes, Bantam Silver Penciled Wyandottes

Reply

DarkStar Farm is a small family farm that sells free range chickens, eggs, and home raised beef (no hormones and all that garbage)....basically, we raise livestock like we do our pets....humanely and with love and respect. www.Facebook.com/Dark.Star.Farm

 

Silver Laced Wyandottes, Blue/Black/Splash Orpingtons, Standard Partridge Wyandottes, Bantam Silver Penciled Wyandottes

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