sectioning off larger chicken house question

[keystonepaul]

I'm sectioning off my larger kennel to make One large area for the flock as a whole and three smaller areas for broodies to hatch and get thier young started. My questions
1. The long interior wall I'm building between the main hen area and the three hatching/brooding areas will be two by four frame with chicken wire at least from 4 feet high to ceiling (just below 8 feet). Should the bottom of the wall be plywood or chicken wire with 2 or 3 feet of hardware cloth so the flock can interact without the chicks being pecked through the chicken wire? or is it better for the bottom to be solid plywood.

2. Can I keep two broodies on two clutches of eggs if they are going to hatch at the same time. Can two broodies be with thier own clutches of young in the same starter pen is my question. thanks, Keystonepaul

 

[tackyrama]

I would definatly have chicken wire all the way to the floor. I have a brooder area separate in the main coop. I was amazed how well the adult and newbies got along. It is a definate plus for them to see each other before being introduced. We let them mingle after two weeks. We got out the lawn chairs and waited for the fireworks. There was none! It was like - Oh, hello there, pardon me while I eat this piece of grass.
Don't know about the broodies.

 

[patandchickens]

I divided my big sussex pen, when I had two incompatible cockerels, by using chickenwire all the way up but then stapling opened-up 'plastic burlap' feed bags to cover the bottom 2' or so, so the dudes couldn't see each other. It worked pretty well. If there is no problem with boys fighting, though, I'd leave the whole thing chickenwire -- I have two chick pens separated this way right now and they really like watching each other and interacting thru the 'fence'. You can always put up an opaque section later if it should start to seem desirable.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[keystonepaul]

Thanks Tacky and Pat. Seems like Chicken Wire it will be. The inmates are definately running the asylum in these parts. Thanks, Keystonepaul

 

[Ridgerunner]

2. Can I keep two broodies on two clutches of eggs if they are going to hatch at the same time.

As long as they are physically separated, you should be OK. I would not put them where they can get to each other. One might try to steal the other's eggs, they could get confused and go to the wrong nest, or one might get aggressive during the hatch.

Can two broodies be with thier own clutches of young in the same starter pen is my question.

I'd vote no. You are dealing with living animals so anything can happen, but I have seen several posts on here where one hen will try to take the other hen's chicks. The hens fight and some chicks might get hurt. I've seen posts where one hen will just kill the other hen's chicks. You are dealing with high levels of hormones in those hens and they can get pretty wound up. Some people report that two broodies will work together to raise chicks but it seems that more people report problems.