Breeding Cage

[Beth G.]

Hi All,
I need some advice for my Husband and I. We would like to take and separate a Hen with a Rooster and breed them. I need to know what you all would do for sizing up a breeding cage to fit jus the two for a week. Then for

the hen to hopefully hatch and raise the chicks

Does anyone have pictures or suggestions?

Thanks in advance!!
Beth

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

are you breeding LF or bantams? i've been using the largest dog pen i can find-usually the 42" cage for my bantams. LF you may want to use the next size up if you can find the 48".

 

[Beth G.]

Chickie'sMoma :

are you breeding LF or bantams? i've been using the largest dog pen i can find-usually the 42" cage for my bantams. LF you may want to use the next size up if you can find the 48".

Hi, I am breeding heavies 7lb hen and 11lb Roo

 

[dipence71]

Why would you need to put them in a cage?
do you have more than one rooster or what? I have just never heard of putting them in a cage?? LOL

 

[DebsChicks]

Quote:
It sounds like they want to breed only this particular pair of birds.

 

[Beth G.]

Quote:
I have 5 Rooster of various breeds. I would like to breed my Lavender Orpingtons as a pair. Then my Rhode Island Reds, then my Australorps, then my speckled sussex, and then my americaunas. I like pure breds so, I really need to separate the hen for 4 days to make sure she has all the Roo sperm out then I will put the Rooster of her breed in with her daily till I get the eggs I need from her. Only way I can think of doing this is to put them in a cage.

 

[Beth G.]

Quote:
It sounds like they want to breed only this particular pair of birds.

 

[sgtmom52]

Beth G. :

Quote:
I have 5 Rooster of various breeds. I would like to breed my Lavender Orpingtons as a pair. Then my Rhode Island Reds, then my Australorps, then my speckled sussex, and then my americaunas. I like pure breds so, I really need to separate the hen for 4 days to make sure she has all the Roo sperm out then I will put the Rooster of her breed in with her daily till I get the eggs I need from her. Only way I can think of doing this is to put them in a cage.

Actually I think it is more like 2 weeks that a hen remains fertile after mating with a rooster.​

 

[Beth G.]

Quote:
I have 5 Rooster of various breeds. I would like to breed my Lavender Orpingtons as a pair. Then my Rhode Island Reds, then my Australorps, then my speckled sussex, and then my americaunas. I like pure breds so, I really need to separate the hen for 4 days to make sure she has all the Roo sperm out then I will put the Rooster of her breed in with her daily till I get the eggs I need from her. Only way I can think of doing this is to put them in a cage.

Actually I think it is more like 2 weeks that a hen remains fertile after mating with a rooster.

You are totally right!! I was on the phone talking to my friend who breeds etc and has a PHD from Cornell. He told me to separate her for 10 days that the sperm packet lasts in the cloaca<<(is that spelled right). So, I guess my girl will be sole for 10 days. Now I feel mean to her. Maybe I can convince my husband to build a new coop and run just for breeding b/c if it's that long then I will feel bad for the hens

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

Quote:
It sounds like they want to breed only this particular pair of birds.

i have a couple of boys who don't get along with each other so i keep them separated into breeding cages. i also live in a residential zone area (though the middle of my street it becomes industrial) and i am not supposed to have roos but the neighbors do not mind the quiet crowing from my insulated, cooled & heated garage. my boys do still get their time outside to forage in the leaves but once the crowing starts getting too loud i bring them inside. i only have 6 boys that are crowing and 4 of them are loud (one is a young d'uccle learning to crow and the other just doesn't crow often or very loud strangely

)

my girls stay outside in the main coop most of the time so they stay pure and when i want to breed a few girls i put them with a roo in the main breeding area where the rest of the roosters are kept penned.

i'm sure she also doesn't want to deal with AI as it isn't always easy to do, especially if you are new to doing it. and having a pen large enough to put a nice roo with one hen for a short time is less stress than having to fondle both birds to produce or receive. it also helps so you know which hen/pullet was the mom of certain eggs so you know the possible outcome of their crossing! especially if you are trying to eliminate possible defects in chicks passed through the parent birds.