Breeding Enclosures

[Sylverfly]

So I’m probably going to start a breeding project involving a few different breeds and colors and I don’t like the idea of breeder cages. I want my chickens to have a small coop and run for each breed/color. I’ll be using an old barn so I was thinking of building a row of wire framed coops along one side with a attached run for each coop. The question I have is does anyone use or have a setup similar to this and do you have any photos you could share. I’m also wondering how well this will work. If you could post any pics or share any insight It’d be extremely helpful, thanks.

 

[Celtic Hill]

I feel the same way, im building A Frame pens to hold 2-3 bantams, they will include a little hen house and a enclosed run with wire all the way around it.

 

[lildinkem]

This is what I use. 8' x 8' x 4' high. Totally enclosed. I can move them in for the winter. Move them all over for fresh grass (when it rains here).
Just a thought to look over.

 

[Sylverfly]

Glad other people feel the same way I do about caging their chickens. An adaptation of your idea might work for me lildinkem but I’m going to need at least six different pens maybe more, so I’m not sure it would be the easiest route to go for me. How hard are those cages to move around anyway.

 

[Illia]

Now I know my idea is different, but to me I don't really believe in runs/cages at all, but I do use one for breeding. The way I do it is simply have a very large area for my "bachelor pad," filled with all my brood cock(erel)s, that is about 200'x150'. The hens/pullets have a 3 acre pasture to free range on. When I want a pairing set up, I simply grab the female and male of choice, and put them in the seperate breeding pen for a short while until the deed is done. The pen is actually inside the "bachelor pad" but covered so the other boys don't see what is going on, also the pen is quite small. This way, the male is more uncomfortable, and less likely to get distracted with the new environment.

As for your own idea, I think almost all breeders I've seen do that; Seperate runs, but all together, usually in a row - Much like dog kennels found at a dog breeder's place.

lildinkem - Love the fact that it is portable.

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

We also go with a enclosed pen and we have a tractor to move with it so they have an outdoor area and an indoor area.

 

[lildinkem]

Quote:
I have 11 pens built near to the one in the pic. I use 3 for juvies (10 to 20) near 3 to 5 months ole then they go out into the open pens with a big coop. I usually have to round up my dumber birds, who like to sleep outside and not in their coop in the open pen/coops. I run in the breeder pen one cockerel/cock to 3 to 4 hens/pullets. The samller pen keeps the males from loosing weight chasing girls. I have had hens lay continually since March out in them with the same boys. I am now feeding eggs to dogs neighbors since I am done for now hatching Buffs.
I build them like a sled so they slide around pretty easily. BUT, I am always picking up junked lawn mowers for the wheels. I plan on outfitting them all to be able to role them. The ground is as hard as concrete so they move easy for now. In winter we will hunker them down snuggled up against the pole barn. I have never lost a bird due to the cold. Cock/cockerel points YES. So I am making quite a few in the barn cages for my males to be in when it goes under 25 degrees. That seems to be the borderline of how cold I am willing to risk. Then they go inside.

 

[cashdl]

My breeding areas are in a row like dog kennels. They are 8X8 and covered, so they are home year round. I do have (3) 16X20 pens for my young roos. The pens flank each side of my green house and chicken house. I let two pens free range each day - 1 breeding pen and 1 baby pen. I have 3 breeding pens right now and 3 baby pens. The baby pens either have moms and babies or teenagers. So far it works really well. My layer flock is free range the rest of the week. Everyone gets out and gets fresh bugs and greens plus what I cut and put in their pens each day. I built a worm farm for my chickens so they all could have worms as treats.

My layer flock had taken to laying eggs in places I couldn't find while they were free ranging. By penning them in a 100 X 100 pen for 3 days they now are forced to lay inside the hen house cause its comfy and has dark places I built for them, and when they are free ranging they run back to lay inside the pen cause that is what they are now used to.

Lanae

 

[Lollipop]

Check out this set up........Pop

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=375826&p=1

 

[Lesalynn]

We're in the process of 'remodeling' our coops and fenced in areas so we can keep certain breeds separated. I want them all to have a coop, and also have a run with plenty of grassy area. We started out with a 3-sided lean-to. We fenced in a large area all around it. Then, when I decided to start incubating eggs, we built a small enclosure off the side of the lean-to for the young ones after they come out of the brooder. I want to make another enclosure next to that one, and extend my fencing all the way out on both sides, so they have an extended area to roam. I plan on using each of those enclosures to house two separate breeds. We've already begun extending the lines of our main fenced-in area, I just don't have pics yet. Our entire yard will be doubled, and hopefully I can get the men-folk to agree to building on 2 more separate buildings for all those I hatch-out in the spring. Gonna be a busy month or so around here, because we need to get it finished before deer season. lol Anyway, it's not much yet, but here are the pics I have.