Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[marchick]

They are beautiful!

Thank you!

 

[marchick]

One thing I found out, quite by accident, is that a grow out pen works wonders for taming juveniles. With my new breeder quality flocks, I had to build two 6x12 grow out pens to hold them until I culled or moved them to the big pens. Chicks have been hand tame in the house, then would get very flighty in the outdoor brooders. Growing them out in the smaller pens has given them room to not feel threatened, but not so much that they can run away. They learn quickly where their food and water is coming from, and there is room for me to sit with them. After 3 or 4 weeks, I'm shooing them out from under my feet, and several are perching on me. I know a lot of you have very tame birds, but I haven't had birds this calm since I only had 4

How many have you put in a 6x12 grow out pen? How long do you keep them in there?

 

[DnDFarm]

How many have you put in a 6x12 grow out pen? How long do you keep them in there?

The most I have had is 12. At 3 months, they still had room. It's not big enough that you would want them to live there, but plenty large enough to grow them out. That's six square feet per bird, and they don't act overcrowded at all

 

[Opendoorfarm]

One thing I found out, quite by accident, is that a grow out pen works wonders for taming juveniles. With my new breeder quality flocks, I had to build two 6x12 grow out pens to hold them until I culled or moved them to the big pens. Chicks have been hand tame in the house, then would get very flighty in the outdoor brooders. Growing them out in the smaller pens has given them room to not feel threatened, but not so much that they can run away. They learn quickly where their food and water is coming from, and there is room for me to sit with them. After 3 or 4 weeks, I'm shooing them out from under my feet, and several are perching on me. I know a lot of you have very tame birds, but I haven't had birds this calm since I only had 4

Any photos of your grow out pen would be appreciated

 

[DnDFarm]

Any photos of your grow out pen would be appreciated

These were taken just after the framing and walls were done. I've added roost poles to the back, and the Waterers and feeders hang from the ceiling in the front. There's plenty of open room in the middle for scratching and dust bathing. It's a duplex, two pens with a common wall

I put a deep bed of leaves for litter, then clean it out between groups

 

[DnDFarm]

 

[marchick]

That is Awsome!

 

[DnDFarm]

That is Awsome! 

Thank you. It was born out of necessity, but I love it

 

[Opendoorfarm]

These were taken just after the framing and walls were done. I've added roost poles to the back, and the Waterers and feeders hang from the ceiling in the front. There's plenty of open room in the middle for scratching and dust bathing. It's a duplex, two pens with a common wall

I put a deep bed of leaves for litter, then clean it out between groups

Nice has lots of room

 

[DnDFarm]

Nice has lots of room

The best part is having room to go in and sit with them. Like I said, I haven't had chickens this tame in years. I have so many now that I just can't spend that much time with each flock. 3 months in the grow out pen gives me time to build up that trust