Double Breeding Pen Help

[ShannonsChimkens]

Got a wild hair today... decided to use some scrap wood and fencing to put a breeding pen together. Then decided to make it two pens with a center divider. Wasn’t going to cover the whole thing but reminded myself we live in Western Washington. Luckily had some roofing material just hanging out in the carport. Nothing about this is fancy, more practical than anything. I will use material to cover the entire back, center or sides. Small tarp or something along those lines.

I’ve been outside for 7 hours and made some pretty decent progress. Was hoping to get it finished today, but ran into a brain block. How does one put a roost bar and nest box in this enclosure without adding too much more wood and weight? I have to be able to move it by hand due to it being too muddy for the tractor to drive through the chicken area.

The acre chicken area is fenced and surrounded by electric fencing. So no need for hardware cloth. Just need to keep the others out and them in. This wont be permanent living quarters either. Last time I separated a pair I felt bad that they didn’t get to free range with everyone lol

Any ideas? Maybe photos of your pen set up? Thank you!

4’x4’ on each side. Will house 2 to 3 birds each.

 

[ChloeSilkie08]

Mine is a larger scale but I have silkies in the white coop and laying hens in the red.

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Mine is a larger scale but I have silkies in the white coop and laying hens in the red. View attachment 2493810

Definitely a larger scale! Makes my pens look dinky lol I’m just going for some pure hatching eggs instead of rare breed mixes. The flock consists of 55 hens/pullets and 7 roosters.

 

[ChloeSilkie08]

Definitely a larger scale! Makes my pens look dinky lol I’m just going for some pure hatching eggs instead of rare breed mixes. The flock consists of 55 hens/pullets and 7 roosters.

To be honest, I would want a bit smaller of a scale! I have 27 chickens at the moment.

 

[aart]

4’x4’ on each side. Will house 2 to 3 birds each.

Kinda small.
Will you separate hens to 'clean them out' before putting males in with them?

Maybe browse thru these threads for some ideas:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/3185500/?q=breeding+pens&t=post&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Kinda small.
Will you separate hens to 'clean them out' before putting males in with them?

Maybe browse thru these threads for some ideas:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/3185500/?q=breeding+pens&t=post&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance

Thank you. I’ll take a peak. Maybe I’ll throw together a run on each side for them as well. Have plenty of T posts and 4’ chicken wire.

I will be separating them for a week or so before introducing their roosters.

 

[aart]

I will be separating them for a week or so before introducing their roosters.

Have they been around any males?
You know it takes 3-4 weeks for sperm from 'un-chosen' males to clear out of the hens system.

 

[ackie]

Have they been around any males?
You know it takes 3-4 weeks for sperm from 'un-chosen' males to clear out of the hens system.

oh wow, I thought it was only 2 weeks. glad I learned this now before breeding.

 

[aart]

oh wow, I thought it was only 2 weeks. glad I learned this now before breeding.

Well, the chances go down after 2 weeks, but wait 4 to be absolutely sure.

 

[NatJ]

How does one put a roost bar and nest box in this enclosure without adding too much more wood and weight?

Roost bar straight across each section. Attach to the frame, or to the wire, depending on how strong the wire is. 2x2 lumber, 4 feet long, times two pens probaby won't add a lot of weight.

Nestbox can be a separate box that sits on the ground inside. Yes, you'll have to lift it out to move, but it does keep the pen itself lighter.

(Other solutions probably exist, but those are the first ones I can think of.)