all this reading has got me thinking, more questions, sorry...........

[emjay]

okay, so I've been doing lots of reading on here, to give me ideas, refresh my brain about chickens, as it's been a while.

Our chicken coop is nearing completion, but, now after doing some reading, I'm wondering if I should redesign the middle wall.

I have the coop designed so that one side is for the egg layers, and the other side will be for the broody hens and a boyfriend.

I thought it would be nice to have a window on the dividing wall, not glass, but the galvanized mesh/wire. The window was going to be up higher. Should I make it a solid wall so that the roo cannot see the egg laying hens at all? I read on a thread that a roo seeing hens would cause trouble, what kind of trouble, or would it be okay if there's just one roo and his girl (s)? - meaning, would he be okay if he had girls of his own and still saw the egg girls?

other question is designing the brooding side, obviously the nest boxes have to be down low due to babies, can they be flat on the floor, but boxy? and once eggs have hatched do I need to seperate roo and other hen?

thanks

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:

 

[emjay]

good to know, thankyou for the answer.

How big should the stall be once she's brooding. Should she remain in there until the eggs hatch? How does that work?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

If you have the room I would make it big enough for her to raise the babys in the stall. 4X8? If not you could make them about 2X2 an take the babys to a big communal brooder after they hatch an turn her back out with the roo.

 

[emjay]

a communal brooder, I've seen some designs, where it's just a wooden box with the heat lamp over top in the garage, how long do they need to be in there, and then how old until they can join the flock? I am wanting to maybe add some to the egg laying flock if needed or for sale.
My daughter also wanted to watch the hen with her babies, I guess I have some floor planning to do.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

A brooder needs to be about 95 degrees under the light(at one end) an room temp at the other end. They need 5 degrees less every week. So assuming normal night temps are 70 degrees they would need to stay in it 5 weeks. After that they need a coop for teenagers. Not old enough for laying feed but to big for the brooder.

 

[emjay]

wonder how I'm gonna break the news to hubby about building another area.