Brooder pen options

[mailmamm]

I have a small coop for my three hens and an elevated nest box that they share. Currently one hen is broody and I put four eggs under her today. Is it okay to put a dog kennel in the coop on the floor and move my hen into it? I will put shaving for floor cover and a box of sorts for nesting. For now she can come in and out to get food but I’ll put feeder and water in once the peeps hatch. It will be pretty tight quarters for all but I think if I put a piece of plywood on top so that the other hens wont poop on her and the chicks it should be fine. Any help will be appreciated.

Oh the floor space in the coop is only about 4 feet square.

 

[Will230145]

What I did was make a 4 foot by 2 foot brooder with a little door and put my hen in there with a milk crate with a cut out rectangle on it. She ate the chicks.. Anyways about you, The dog kennel will work, but make sure it is dark. I know this will sound cruel but lock her up in there for a whole day, 24 hours. No light and make sure she can't leave or see. In the morning open it up (but still keep it as dark as possible) and see if she comes out. If she does not sit back on the eggs keep her in for another day. Good luck! P.S. I did this with my hen (in my profile picture) and she sat very well until she ate a few of her chicks when they hatched and we had to take the rest..

 

[DobieLover]

I have a small coop for my three hens and an elevated nest box that they share. Currently one hen is broody and I put four eggs under her today. Is it okay to put a dog kennel in the coop on the floor and move my hen into it? I will put shaving for floor cover and a box of sorts for nesting. For now she can come in and out to get food but I’ll put feeder and water in once the peeps hatch. It will be pretty tight quarters for all but I think if I put a piece of plywood on top so that the other hens wont poop on her and the chicks it should be fine. Any help will be appreciated.

Oh the floor space in the coop is only about 4 feet square.

I'm sorry to be rather blunt but you only have enough room in your coop for 1 chicken, you have three in there and want your broody to hatch more???
Are you in the process of building a much larger coop?

 

[mailmamm]

I'm sorry to be rather blunt but you only have enough room in your coop for 1 chicken, you have three in there and want your broody to hatch more???
Are you in the process of building a much larger coop?

They get out of the coop every day to their run. Coop is really just night accommodations and nest box. Their food is in there as well. I wouldn’t make them live in their. They have access to the coop/ henhouse all day. The run is an old dog run and the girls escaped into the dogs current pen last summer to my surprise they all get along. The babies and mom will be confined to the smaller dog rung until they can safely be with the dog.

 

[mailmamm]

What I did was make a 4 foot by 2 foot brooder with a little door and put my hen in there with a milk crate with a cut out rectangle on it. She ate the chicks.. Anyways about you, The dog kennel will work, but make sure it is dark. I know this will sound cruel but lock her up in there for a whole day, 24 hours. No light and make sure she can't leave or see. In the morning open it up (but still keep it as dark as possible) and see if she comes out. If she does not sit back on the eggs keep her in for another day. Good luck! P.S. I did this with my hen (in my profile picture) and she sat very well until she ate a few of her chicks when they hatched and we had to take the rest..

Sorry about your hens poor choices. Was it because of space or just her personality that made her kill her babies?

 

[50-45-1]

What happens when winter is there, you have snow in Washington right?)or it is raining for 2 days straight?
The chickens spend all day outside?
Also keep in mind that half of your fertile eggs will turn out to be roosters. Any plans on what you will do with those.
I totaly understand the circumstances that lead us to chicken math or overload, but having to correct the numbers down to what is managable and healthy for all concerned can be difficult and hurtfull to remedy.
If you want more chickens, enlarge your coop first.

 

[mailmamm]

What happens when winter is there, you have snow in Washington right?)or it is raining for 2 days straight?
The chickens spend all day outside?
Also keep in mind that half of your fertile eggs will turn out to be roosters. Any plans on what you will do with those.
I totaly understand the circumstances that lead us to chicken math or overload, but having to correct the numbers down to what is managable and healthy for all concerned can be difficult and hurtfull to remedy.
If you want more chickens, enlarge your coop first.

My hens come and go as they please from the hen house. They have a covered outdoor area with a perch if they want to use it. When it rains heavily like today they will spend time on their outdoor perch. The door to the hen house is open all day. I've had my hens for several years with no weather issues at all. My only problem was a predator got into the open run and took a hen. Then the next night it came back tore through the wire fencing and took another. I only had two hens at that time.

 

[aart]

Oh the floor space in the coop is only about 4 feet square.

So 2' x 2'?
Not sure how you'd even fit a crate in there?
Pics of coop, inside and out, please.

 

[mailmamm]

So 2' x 2'?
Not sure how you'd even fit a crate in there?
Pics of coop, inside and out, please.

Four by four. Crate won't fit

So 2' x 2'?
Not sure how you'd even fit a crate in there?
Pics of coop, inside and out, please.

I'm sorry that was 4 feet by 4 feet. And the crate won

 

[mailmamm]

Well talked to hubby and we will be repurposing part of an old shed into a bigger chicken house. It will take some time but is what I originally wanted anyway. Easier to clean, more roosting area. And I can store feed and bedding etc in the same shed.