The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[RedRidge]

Someone asked for pics of our breeding pens.
As you can tell the front and back door are not yet mounted but because I have a few chickens in a few pens I wanted to get the vinyl on since it was 20 last night. The vinyl rolls up for ventilation during the day and comes off totally in the summer. The middle partitions are removable so I can use the entire thing as a grow out pen after breeding season.
It's not quite finished but since several folks had asked for pics I thought I'd go ahead and share...

 

[ortluk]

I have yet to build this, but I have an idea of what I would like to have. This is a diagram of what I would like to build to use for my breeding pens.



Each of the pens would be a lean to style pen much like what Redridge has shown. The are in the middle would be left open with a fence along the end to create an outdoor run what each pen could be given access to on a rotating basis. This would give me a chance to clean the pens while the birds were out playing, without worrying about dogs getting them.

 

[RedRidge]

I have yet to build this, but I have an idea of what I would like to have. This is a diagram of what I would like to build to use for my breeding pens.



Each of the pens would be a lean to style pen much like what Redridge has shown. The are in the middle would be left open with a fence along the end to create an outdoor run what each pen could be given access to on a rotating basis. This would give me a chance to clean the pens while the birds were out playing, without worrying about dogs getting them.

You can't really tell from my photos, but this is basically what I have. It is not U shaped, but is in the middle of a large square and surrounded on the sides by fence line feeders where I winter feed the sheep and cattle.
It not only makes turning each pen loose for the day very easy, it makes for a confined space to bond the maremma pups with the poultry when the pups are young... ;-) This way when the poultry are older I can free range them with no concerns.

When the pups are born, they are born next to the poultry and in with the sheep. As they begin to reach about 6 weeks old I allow them in with the poultry - especially those who I know are going to homes that need poultry guardians. The roos can be to hard on them prior to about a 4-6 weeks old. This is Kismet this past spring. She turned out to be a great poultry guardian. She wanted to be with the poultry at a very young age as you can tell - so I let her with them earlier than most. She is guarding both sheep and poultry on a farm in OK now.

 

[har]

...

You can't really tell from my photos, but this is basically what I have.  It is not U shaped, but is in the middle of a large square and surrounded on the sides by fence line feeders where I winter feed the sheep and cattle.
It not only makes turning each pen loose for the day very easy, it makes for a confined space to bond the maremma pups with the poultry when the pups are young...  ;-)   This way when the poultry are older I can free range them with no concerns.

When the pups are born, they are born next to the poultry and in with the sheep.  As they begin to reach about 6 weeks old I allow them in with the poultry - especially those who I know are going to homes that need poultry guardians.  The roos can be to hard on them prior to about a 4-6 weeks old.  This is Kismet this past spring.  She turned out to be a great poultry guardian.  She wanted to be with the poultry at a very young age as you can tell - so I let her with them earlier than most.  She is guarding both sheep and poultry on a farm in OK now.

Beautiful pup. We lost our Pyrenees guard dog a couple of weeks ago. She was 13. Sure do miss her,she was a great dog.

Scott

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Red Ridge
I'm thinking if you had blueprints and step by step instructions, you could sell them as breeding pen plans. I know how much effort I put into planning the coop we just made. I would have gladly paid $5-$10 for plans. Your pens look great.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Hey Jimmy, thought I'd give you a visual update on the Nelson chicks. They're surviving this bitter cold wave OK. Not the most joyful or active, preferring to hunker and be a bit grumpy, but it's not been above 11 degrees in three days now.




Here's the older pullet I showed the other day. I think she bonked her nose flying down from the rafters.

 

[ChickMagnet207]

BB Reece pullet

2nd Roberts cockerel

These are birds I showed at the ABA National in Knoxville. RB

Congrats on the show, I would keep an eye on the top line of that pullet, her back looks a little inclined. maybe its the way she is standing.....

 

[sgribble]

Congrats on the show, I would keep an eye on the top line of that pullet, her back looks a little inclined. maybe its the way she is standing.....

Here is the same pullet the day before the show at home.The pic taken at the show she is crowded in the pen.....her tail feathers where sticking through the wire

 

[docdandc]

Here is the same pullet the day before the show at home.The pic taken at the show she is crowded in the pen.....her tail feathers where sticking through the wire

Great Pullet! That is as good as they come. She looks great in that picture. What line is she from?

 

[docdandc]

Can anyone post a color picture of a good ticking pattern on a hen for me. I would like to get a good picture.

Thanks!
Dan