this is the middle, smaller pen. It's 10x4, plenty big enough for a trio. I could probably fit a quad here, or it can be a grow-out pen for a smaller number of birds.
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My breeding pens
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this is the middle, smaller pen. It's 10x4, plenty big enough for a trio. I could probably fit a quad here, or it can be a grow-out pen for a smaller number of birds.
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trying to show the flat roof of the middle pen, a panel run between the two arches on either side.
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I hope these pics can give you some idea of my new set up--I'm so happy with these!
First, obligatory chicken wire disclaimer---yep, I use chicken wire, not hardware cloth. It works for me cause both I and my neighbors have dogs that patrol for predators. Yes, I understand a raccoon could get through the chicken wire, but none have in the 15 years I've lived here. So, each person make their own predator risk assessment and build accordingly
We started with making a hoop house next to our hay shed. The panels we used were either cattle or horse panels, they're 16 feet long and 5.5 ft tall. Arched to be 6 feet wide, they're plenty tall enough for me to stand inside. We used two panels to make a pen 6x10. We didn't use a wooden frame to hold the panels, just T-posts well sunk and a crapton of zip ties to anchor everything. We had enough panels for another hoop and simply placed it 4 feet away from the edge of the first hoop, creating a third (smaller) pen in between. Again, just T-posts to hold the panels. Got everything zip tied together, then placed a partial panel flat as a roof for the smaller pen, I tried to get a pic of that. A full panel across the back--these panels have 2x4 openings at the bottom then go to a 4x4 opening as you move up the panel, so they do offer some predator resistance. All the panels were overlaid with chicken wire to keep the chickens where they belong and the cats out. A tarp spread on top and zip tied down provides shade and rain protection. The pens are basically protected on three sides by other buildings and a fence, so I'm not doing coops, they're plenty protected. The gates were probably the most expensive part (we already had the panels, T-posts and chicken wire) as we had no lumber for them. We had the header and footer boards already, and yes it's driving Honey crazy the footer is not level
and that last gate is crooked. I used baling twine to tie branches to the panels as roosts. I now have three breeding pens, two 6x10 and one 4x10, and happy as a lark! I'm now looking at the panels we'd been using for the grow-out pen (which is currently empty....) and thinking there could be two more pens at least, and we could probably afford to buy a couple of panels......
First, obligatory chicken wire disclaimer---yep, I use chicken wire, not hardware cloth. It works for me cause both I and my neighbors have dogs that patrol for predators. Yes, I understand a raccoon could get through the chicken wire, but none have in the 15 years I've lived here. So, each person make their own predator risk assessment and build accordingly
We started with making a hoop house next to our hay shed. The panels we used were either cattle or horse panels, they're 16 feet long and 5.5 ft tall. Arched to be 6 feet wide, they're plenty tall enough for me to stand inside. We used two panels to make a pen 6x10. We didn't use a wooden frame to hold the panels, just T-posts well sunk and a crapton of zip ties to anchor everything. We had enough panels for another hoop and simply placed it 4 feet away from the edge of the first hoop, creating a third (smaller) pen in between. Again, just T-posts to hold the panels. Got everything zip tied together, then placed a partial panel flat as a roof for the smaller pen, I tried to get a pic of that. A full panel across the back--these panels have 2x4 openings at the bottom then go to a 4x4 opening as you move up the panel, so they do offer some predator resistance. All the panels were overlaid with chicken wire to keep the chickens where they belong and the cats out. A tarp spread on top and zip tied down provides shade and rain protection. The pens are basically protected on three sides by other buildings and a fence, so I'm not doing coops, they're plenty protected. The gates were probably the most expensive part (we already had the panels, T-posts and chicken wire) as we had no lumber for them. We had the header and footer boards already, and yes it's driving Honey crazy the footer is not level
Nice work! Mary
I added welded wire on top of the chicken wire in my first run, and it was okay too. See my avatar here for the photo. I just tore it all out to rebuild as Ft. Knox, with a roof. Mary
I have a golden boy grey and would like to breed it to an old English game bantam. Looks like you're breeding game birds; what advice could you give me on how to get started? Do I just need to build a pen for the rooster and add a hen or two? Or can I house them separately but let them hang out and forage all day?
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I don't breed game birds, I'm breeding dual purpose farm birds and production birds.
I just use each pen to keep a breeding group. The smallest pen is really only large enough for a trio--maybe a quad if I kept a good eye on everyone. The larger pens currently have a trio in one pen, and the other pen I'm using as my Island of Misfit Toys---chickens that don't fit anywhere else right now. I've got an older salmon Faverolles hen who isn't quite right, a young Faverolles cockerel, a Nervous Nellie bantam cochin who just wouldn't settle down in any other pen, and a Dark Cornish hen who is brooding 7 chicks.
I can't free range here due to my dogs and lack of fencing to keep them home, so everyone stays in their pen. I'd say just build a pen to house the birds you want to breed and put them in it. If the hen is exposed to any other rooster you'll risk him being the father of the chicks.
I just use each pen to keep a breeding group. The smallest pen is really only large enough for a trio--maybe a quad if I kept a good eye on everyone. The larger pens currently have a trio in one pen, and the other pen I'm using as my Island of Misfit Toys---chickens that don't fit anywhere else right now. I've got an older salmon Faverolles hen who isn't quite right, a young Faverolles cockerel, a Nervous Nellie bantam cochin who just wouldn't settle down in any other pen, and a Dark Cornish hen who is brooding 7 chicks.
I can't free range here due to my dogs and lack of fencing to keep them home, so everyone stays in their pen. I'd say just build a pen to house the birds you want to breed and put them in it. If the hen is exposed to any other rooster you'll risk him being the father of the chicks.
Very sweet, and I am so envious. Easy to set up, easy to move if you want. And not a huge cost.
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