Bantam Breeding Cages

[texaschickmom]

Very nice. Thanks so much for posting. Will use your plan to make a brooder for my new chicks.

 

[Four Oaks Bantams]

Mine are built the same way,except most of mine are 2x4x2. This way i can get 2 coops from one sheet of plywood. The coops are a little small for trios though especially wyan. and rocks. I leave the door part open so i can clean the cages out.
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[WyandotteTX]

I keep them in the cages for probably about half the year. Late fall to early summer. What I usually like to do is after I am done with collecting eggs and hatching, I put all the females into one large pen for the summer and fall. As for the boys, they usually go into individual cages because its in their nature to fight with each other no matter what the breed. Plus it keeps them in much better condition in my opinion. I wouldnt say we have a "flock". We have breeding pens and cages of numerous varieties. The only time there is a flock is when they are all lumped back together in the summer and fall. And yes even with hens when you put them all together there is going to be some squabbling....they dont call it "pecking order" for nothing haha...

Txchickmom. Yes we use these cages in the summer for growing off young birds also. Allows us to seperate varieties and sex. Mainly to put young pullets into to get them away from the young aggressive males. Of course you could use a smaller type of wire instead of the 1x2 like on these. 1x1 or smaller would work well for little chicks,etc.
Four Oaks, yes I build the 2x4 cages also with the extra 2x4 panel I get from when I have the large sheet cut into two 3x4 sections.

Thanks for all the feedback about the cages. I have one more large one to build and then I am going to work on bachelor cages I think for single males...
John




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[StevenW.]

VERY VERY pretty pens and birds! I'm looking for some designs for my bantams and this is 1 out of 3 that I've found very nice (and yes I'm a very picky person when it comes to...... anything actually)

 

[elguache123]

So what happens if a chicken lays an egg do you take it straight the incubator?

 

[WyandotteTX]

No, I dont take it straight to the incubator. We usually store eggs for no more than a week and then set them. Can usually accumulate enough eggs in a weeks time to set a full tray in our incubator. Works for us, i am sure there are others who do that much differently.

 

[TheReidHomestead]

Thanks for sharing. Love this design and it seems pretty simple and cheap to build.

 

[Rooster Rules]

I know this thread is a bit old, but here goes my questions.
I live up north in Manitoba Canada, it is super cold here in winter, and I do not have time to build a proper coop right now. I thought I had a ready made coop at my disposal, but does no look that way.
Could I build a similar cage say 3X5X4 feet high, to house 4-6 banties till next summer. The cage and birds would be in my very insulated huge garage. I could keep them a lot warmer than an outdoor coop for dead of the winter temps, and they could have artificial light for laying too.
Not my 1st choice, but could make cages, with perch and nest box. I could even let them outside on nice winter days...

 

[Rooster Rules]

I figure using the cages might be a bit cramped, but how would 15 square feet be for 3-5 banties. The building is always a lot warmer than it gets outside, being super insulated and 2 heaters in it too, if it gets too cold...