Breeding Pens for Birds with Feathered Feet

Celtic Hill

Songster
9 Years
Mar 7, 2010
2,151
5
181
Scotland CT
I keep my D'uccles in Pairs and Trios and i want to create a small pen/tractor for them but i don't want it to ruin their foot feathering. Does anyone have any ideas/planns?
 

Bat Cave Silkies

Songster
9 Years
Feb 11, 2010
1,330
25
151
Bat Cave, NC
I'm sure you'll get alot of different opinions....but I'm partial to shavings. The pooh seems to "clump" in the shavings instead of getting embedded in the feet feathers, and even if it does, it's easier to pull out.

Also, I haven't noticed any foot feather breakage with the shavings; which is an added bonus.

Plus, my birds are still able to take "dust bathes" in the shavings.

In small areas with the shavings, I can use a kitty litter scoop to do a daily clean up
 

Louieandthecrew

I am actually a female!
9 Years
Jun 21, 2010
4,886
16
211
God placed me in this world
Well, I didn't do anything special but I have two fancy roos at the moment along with three un fancy roos and two unfancy hens (i know, I know) but, here is my coop!
61209_the_chicken_coop_-_another_point_of_view.jpg
 

Bat Cave Silkies

Songster
9 Years
Feb 11, 2010
1,330
25
151
Bat Cave, NC
bigsprings~~I've never noticed mold developing in the shavings when they get damp or rained on. Maybe it's because the girls stir the shaving around so much....I don't know.
 

Candiss

Burdette Bantams
9 Years
Jun 30, 2010
413
0
109
Alabama
I am by no means a expert, but I think it depends, are you conditioning them for show? If so most people keep them off the ground on thick shavings (4-6 inches). If they are just pets, I dont think foot feathering is that important. I think you can go to www.silkiesbygeorge.com and look under coop, there are some pens on there. Hope it helps.

Candace
 

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