Lets see your "Breeding Pens"

[kryptoniteqhs]

Quote:
Your in hedgesville? It gets pretty cold, but when it gets real bad I lamps out. Theyve been handling it fine. The Delawares are a very hardy breed. When you have four wall its not any warmer (unless theyre constantly in there & you have a lot of birds) inside there than it is with 3 walls. 3 walls blocks them from the wind & bad weather, which is all I really want. Also, I have 9 birds in that enclosure which probably helps a good bit. The more I think about it, the more I can see it being a problem, but still, Ive never had any problems with it yet *knock on wood*

As far as predators go, ya they can probably get into my dog kennel coop (thats the only one, though), but I constantly keep my trap set & anything that gets in it never comes out & I think the word is getting out lol. Weve shot several opossums, racoons, etc. I did have a big coon problem for a while. But, again, I trapped some & poisoned some & I think the word got out.

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

as far as the livestock fencing on the bottom...i want to put crusher run & sand on top of it, but what happens when I go to clear all that out to put fresh down. Its gonna be a pain when I clean it out & get down to the bottom because I am going to keep getting stuck on pieces of wire,,,,,

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

I'm building outside breed pens this spring, I'm in WI, so these will be late spring, summer, and till late fall quarters, i've got indoor pens for winter smaller but good for winter, warm. love this thread for ideas. how movable are the pens shown?

 

[lildinkem]

kryptoniteqhs: as far as the livestock fencing on the bottom...i want to put crusher run & sand on top of it, but what happens when I go to clear all that out to put fresh down. Its gonna be a pain when I clean it out & get down to the bottom because I am going to keep getting stuck on pieces of wire,,,,,

Sorry, I do not use sand. I just move mine around the yard. I find IF I move it everyday, with 7 birds in my pens, the grass loves it. IF I leave a pen there more then two days, the birds will tend to borrow into the soft ground. With the weather CONSTANTLY under 32 degrees, I just leave them in one spot and stuff a bunch a straw in them, and during the day time, I run the girls out into the pens. Their relatively unaffected by the colder temps. My boys, are on Comb preservation. And unfortunately some will loose a point or two despite my best efforts.
My pens slide easily over grass. I am a medium sized guy and these pens just glide on the grass.​

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

comb preservation? meaning you just leave them inside? or is this like an ointment or something?

 

[MAllen]

Quote:
Sure they can, in the winter I just cover the top, non-door side, and end of the run with 3/8ths ply and put extra straw inside. Our temps are in the low teens with subzero wind chills, no worries so far.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
Sure they can, in the winter I just cover the top, non-door side, and end of the run with 3/8ths ply and put extra straw inside. Our temps are in the low teens with subzero wind chills, no worries so far.

Oh yeah, I am going to make those! Thank you!!!!!

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

so now that ive been freaking out thinking that my coops arent warm enough, every pen (except my indoor one) has heat lamps. while i was at it i put lights on my rosecombs! now its summer and time to start laying!!!

 

[lildinkem]

Last year we went thru -15 degree erather and my outdoor rosecombs birds were fine. If your really are worried pack them in boxes over nite. I do that with my very young ( 4 to 5 month oles) Buff Orps. They seem to be enduring. No one likes this crappy weather. During the days I have to fight off the Black birds from raiding my birds feed. Lots of hangin outside for me.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

fifteen below? I won't complain about my measly 18 anymore.