Changing direction... Changing coop?

[TheBajan]

Does your pole barn have stalls? You might be able to divide and/or convert a stall to a bachelor pad or certain breed pen for the winter so you could still sell hatching eggs/chicks.

Though my set up isn't even an inth of yours, I seem to be thinking of going down a similar path. Not so much for selling, but more in pursuit of a self sustaining homesteader flock. I've done meat birds in the past and like raising clean meat for my allergic kiddo, but the frankenbirdness of the CX certainly leaves a lot to be desired. And ordering red broilers has it's own drawbacks too.

At any rate I'm entertaining thoughts of Bielefelders but am wondering how to manage having more than one productive roo at a time and how to set up a bachelor pad for roos of different breeds when needed. From what I am reading the Bielefelders roos get along well, but I know other breed roos may not.
I'll be keen to see what you end up setting up and how things work for your roos.

I do not have stalls in my barn. Other than the coop it's pretty empty. We park a tractor, lawn mower and small camper in there but it has lots of space and we may eventually progress to keeping 'other' farm animals sometime down the road. Thanks so much for your perspective. I'll post updates as we go along.

 

[TheBajan]

I suggest you start by thinking what time of year you want to hatch eggs. You will need room to brood the chicks when they hatch, too.

Putting all the chickens together for the winter can work just fine, if you do not intend to hatch eggs in the winter.

You just need to separate them into appropriate breed groups 3-4 weeks before you are ready to start collecting eggs for hatching.

Or, let them run together for most of the winter, then move the roosters to a bachelor pad a month before you want to hatch. Put the right hens with the right roosters at least two days before you collect eggs.

Or, as Ridgerunner suggested, leave one rooster in with the hens and put the other roosters in the bachelor coop. Set eggs only from the hens of the same breed as the rooster, and only if it's been at least 3 weeks since the hens last had access to the other roosters.

Thank you for the ideas. I think it's going to evolve as we move along. For now, Ridgerunner's idea of keeping one roo with them through the winter really appeals to me but by winter I may decide on another approach. Having a bachelor pad that I can use in the winter for the roos and in the summer as a brooder is an idea I'm really liking right now. Thanks again!

 

[TheBajan]

The renovations have begun! 47 eggs are in the incubator due to hatch on July 9th so the Bachlor Pad/Brooder is under way! I'll post some pics tomorrow! So glad there's a place I can go to share my excitement with people as crazy as I am!

 

[SnapdragonQ]

The renovations have begun! 47 eggs are in the incubator due to hatch on July 9th so the Bachlor Pad/Brooder is under way! I'll post some pics tomorrow! So glad there's a place I can go to share my excitement with people as crazy as I am!

...Yay! Renovations!

Crazy chicken moms unite!!

 

[TheBajan]

We are halfway there. Enough to set up the mamma hen brooder and keep three little chicks warm. We still need to install the J feeders, a drip water system, and some roosting bars for the bachelors. Also, two portals for the baby chicks to pass though as they begin to integrate with the adult flock. A few practice roosting bars, dust bath and 'toys' will finish it off. To whoever it was that suggested building the door so that the top half opens... THANK YOU! We incorporated that idea here and I can tell you I already love it.