Love Shack, baby Love Shack!

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Okay...So I've been mulling over coop construction and I keep realizing I need way more than planned for. In my main area, The Peep Show it will be a 10X10 but it ends up being more like 8X10 as the 2X10 area on one side is going to become a brooder wall, The Nursery. I am going to set up a different area, my Bachelor Pad will house the roos as I've seen many people have done with success. I am only going to keep the roos with the qualities I like best so they will be my breeders. Their runs will be adjacent so they can somewhat socialize, but I won't have fertile eggs until I want them.

I was thinking I should create a separate area, The Love Shack, for the best pairs I choose. Think of this like a cheep (sorry, bad pun) hotel. It is just for the bow-chicka-wow-wow and after my roo does his job and I have a few fertile eggs, he can go back to the Bachelor Pad and the hen can go back to the Peep Show and I can put a new pair in there.
My questions are:
1) Should I have done a search with a certain keyword because I couldn't find an answer...
2) Will this work at all?
3) How big should the Love Shack be and how big should the accompanying run be? Stick with standard requirements per bird or do they need space to mate?
4) How should I go about keeping the pair (or is it better 1 roo to 2 hens or more?) together? I obviously have to keep the hen(s) in the Love Shack to ensure I collect her eggs, but should the roo be removed to leave her alone, does it matter? Should I remove him once the deed is done once for the day so he doesn't stress her out and replace him every morning?
5) If there is anything I am forgetting please add for me.
Yes I am a newbe, esp to animal husbandry, but everyone has to start somewhere. Oh, and I'm not doing this to sell them or turn profit, I just have THAT much time on my hands... Thanks in advance to all who reply

Love Shack baaayyyybbbbbbiiiiiieeeeee......

 

[CityChook]

thanks. now I have that song in my head...

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Hey I thought it would catch some attention to my thread, guess it worked!

 

[mygor]

I like all your ideas. The one thing I would change is the floor size. A 10x10 will require several cuts to cover the floor. If you make it 8x12 you won't have to cut any of the floor boards using 4x8 sheets and, have the same floor space. If you want more space go 12x12 by adding 1.5 more sheets.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I think you should make it as big as a whale!

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Oh believe me I would make it BIGGER than a whale! The only problem is I married a reasonable logical man. Darn.

Aww, he's great. And very patient as he has dubbed me a Critter Getter but doesn't seem to mind too much.

I like the idea of making it 12X12, but he said NO. So I guess I could do an 8X12 if it saves supplies.

Hmm any ideas on how to get him to let me have goats, and pigs, and turtles, and ........ Oops, that's something I'll have to save for a later thread. I hope more ideas for this thread pour in though.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Well, I think you have to start with chickens, and when he decides he likes the chickens, then you can work on goats or whatnot. At least that is how my reasonable, logical husband seems to work . . . one thing at a time. Good luck!

 

[mygor]

Quote:
The 8x12 will save time not supplies. It will require less cutting than a 10x10. I got my goats on freecycle so they didn't cost anything to get. LOL!

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Hah I know... I told him that in our little area we need to do this...that...oh and blah-blah. He asks, "Isn't it overkill?" I smile sweetly and in a sing-song voice say "No hunny. You just don't understand about chickens needs." Lol originally it was 5 hens MAX now I am picking up 10 Lav Ameruacaunas in 21 hours (count down begun) and will later order another 20 chicks and 10-15 ducklings. I've tried dropping hints after talking to a few of you ENABLERS and have mentioned "how nice it would be to have Nigerian Dwarfs for milk" or "to have meat rabbits in those lonely empty brooder cages." I've told him I'm looking up info on goats and rabbits and he half heartedly says no, but I think he knows it's a loosing battle. It's not my fault, I'm just a critter getter.

 

[Chickenmaven]

I have a coop
it seats about twenty,
so hurry up and bring your cracked corn money!

Love shack,
my corn is cracked.
Love shack!