Housing show birds?

[huntbritto]

This spring we will be renovating our coop. We want to change from 2 pens with runs to just cages along the walls for bantams. The birds will be for show so we can not mix them because of roosters fighting and wrong birds breeding. How do you house show birds? What size cages do you use or where did you buy from? Any help is appreciated!

Thank you!

-Hunter

 

[thomasboyle]

I don't show my birds, but I have a wall of cages used to separate chicks from adults, a male duck who is beating up on his females or a sick or injured hen. I use wire dog crates, usually 24" deep, 30-36" long and 20-24" tall. New they are $50 or more, but you can often find them at garage sales or Craigslist for a good price. I have 8 of them that I have picked up over the years for no more than $10 each. Petco sells some nice hanging feeder / water cups that clip onto the sides of the cages that are perfect for feed and water. I picked up 16 of them when they went on clearance for a buck.

 

[TheChickInn]

It's not easy! I raise 4 different breeds of chickens. I had my husband build cages in my coop for all of the boys ( singles or pairs). I have separate areas for my LF and bantams. I also have a separate breeding pen area that I will use for 1 boy- and 2-3 hens when I collect eggs for my main hatching in Dec. and Jan. It's best to keep them separate for showing, if you want to keep them in their best condition possible. I like to let my chickens be chickens though and rotate all of the caged ones to an outside garden tractor. About 2 months before a show, I like to keep the show stock in individual cages. I do keep some of them in pairs, as chickens don't like to be alone. But you have to be careful with this.....last year I paired up 2 of my best Ameraucanas, and within a few days- they had plucked each others' beards out! Luckily, the feathers grew back before the show.