How to set out breeding runs?

[Mareslee]

I thought I'd have a few chooks for eggs so i built a house and put it in the middle of a decent sized run with access to paddocks (and my garden!) for free ranging.
I enjoyed my chooks so much I thought I'd raise a few chicks - and have done so for the last couple of years, but I'd like to get a little more serious about breeding and it looks like I need separate pens. I do have a couple of small pens which I've been using to raise the chicks in until it's time to join the flock, but they're not big enough for year round habitation by more than a pair. I need to reorganise preferably without it becoming a massive building project.
So, i'm interested - for those of you breeding, would you share what you think to be a workable set up for breeding small numbers of one variety?

 

[Alaskan]

Yep, the problem is that most of the lovely coops on the coop pages are for standard flocks, not segregated breeder flocks.

There are a few examples in the "large coops" section, you might want to look through those.

Also, you can pick any of the small coops, and just have a row of small coops for your breeders.

You need to decide how many hens you will run with each rooster. The different set-ups breeders use are:

1. A large flock, just all purebred birds

2. Smaller pens with one rooster over three to five hens

3. One large pen for all roosters, a second large pen for all hens, one or two grow out pens, and then some very small pens where they put one single hen with a single rooster. If the rooster is too rough, they might put the rooster in for a few hours every day, then remove him.

There is now right way to do it.....it simply depends on how you want to handle your flocks.

Also, you might want to ask in the individual breed threads the ideal number of hens per rooster. It can vary depending on the breed.

 

[jellybellyx6]

We are doing something simular to what you want to do. We are doing 8X6 runs with raised coops for most of our breeds we plan on having. We plan on only one rooster to every 3-5 hens. we are just going to use mostly 2X4 for the frame of the yard and then totally close it up because we lost our flock of Rhode Island Reds last year to foxes and raccoons last year. We are still working on the dementions for the small coops though but I am guessing they are going to be a simple lean to design and about 6X4 or something like that. It is going to be a somewhat big building project for us but we figure it will pay off for itself by next spring.

 

[aart]

Advanced search>titles only> breeding pens

 

[jellybellyx6]

Ok so we have been talking it over and decided that the best way to do multiple pens is to do duplexes to save on as much material as we can. We checked out the coop tap and there is a really cool multiple section chicken coop on there that really helped us come up with our plan.

 

[Alaskan]

Yeah! Good luck with your project!