breeding pens

[Ssaun113]

I'm not new to chickens but I am new to breeding. I hope I'm doing the right thing and could really use some feedback. I have one large henhouse that I started out with before breeding. It is 10'x16'. Around that structure I have a run of 18'x32'. In that run I have 4 breeding pens of approximately 6'x12' feet with their own house, feeders and waterers.

What I have been doing is rotating the breeding pairs in and out of the common run every 3-4 days. That way everyone gets a turn at the run. But I feel so bad for the ones that don't get to run around.

I can't let them all collectively into the common area at one time because the roosters of each breed would kill each other. What does everyone else do? Am I just being a softie? Thanks for any input.

 

[Free Feather]

Divide the run up so that everyone can be out at once, but in a smaller area. You can let one group out to free range the property at a time and have them take turns so they will be happier, too.