What do you use for breeding pens?

[Fred's Hens]

Nest boxes are up under cover, with access door on outside for collection.
Just built a smaller version that is presently a grow out pen, but will be used for breeding in spring.

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Fred you evil genius! exactly what I was thinking. What are your dimensions on them?

 

[Fred's Hens]

The big one is perhaps 6x10?
The little one is perhaps 4x8?

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Thanks man. Looks like ill be making another lumber run soon lol. I think ill modify the design a bit to permit break down & transport without them taking up my whole gooseneck. We have a 10x20 barn on skids thats going with us when we move so i even built the run to break down and fit inside of it for transport.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

I found this one on Craigslist just up the road from our house a couple of weeks ago. 5 sections about 4 X 4 feet, 6 feet tall. With a little remodeling I think It'll make a good pen to hold a hen in each while I rotate the rooster. Right now it's full of ducks we are selling.




I plan on adding legs and enclosing the rest of the back and both ends while leaving the hardware cloth floors, dividers and front. Wouldn't be great for cold areas, but should be perfect sitting out under the live oaks here in the south.

 

[centrarchid]

I found this one on Craigslist just up the road from our house a couple of weeks ago. 5 sections about 4 X 4 feet, 6 feet tall. With a little remodeling I think It'll make a good pen to hold a hen in each while I rotate the rooster. Right now it's full of ducks we are selling.




I plan on adding legs and enclosing the rest of the back and both ends while leaving the hardware cloth floors, dividers and front. Wouldn't be great for cold areas, but should be perfect sitting out under the live oaks here in the south.

What are the structural parts made of?

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Quote: Hi centrarchid, The frame is made of 1" metal pipe, welded at all joints. It also has a pipe all the way down the center of the bottom to help support the floor that you can't see in the pictures. The metal is heavy Gage steel roofing and all the floor, the front (except for the doors) and the ends and dividers are made of hardware cloth attached with self tapping sheet metal screws with wide washer type heads.
The doors are currently just junk wire pieces but I plan on replacing them with framed doors that will drop down out of the way and cover them with hardware cloth too. I'm also going to raise it up a couple of feet by driving some 2" heavy-wall steel pipe I have laying around here into the ground, then setting the unit up on them then welding it to the pipe "legs". The bottom part of the rear is covered with 2" X 4" wire which experience has taught me is useless against the coons here, so that will be covered also by more sheet metal. Once I get it rebuilt I'll add the roost poles, nest boxes, feeders and waterers.
The unit is just over 4' deep, a little over 20' long and about 6' high at the front. The seller was offering it for $250 but I talked them down to $220. It would be hard for me to even buy the pipe it is made out of for that.
I really prefer dirt floors, but this will work fine I think for what I'm planning on using it for.

 

[centrarchid]

I prefer birds to have direct contact with ground as well. If it is flexible enough to follow contours of ground is should be chicken tight. Can you move it by yourself and would pen tolerate frequent moving to keep over fresh grass?

 

[mississippifarmboy]

I prefer birds to have direct contact with ground as well. If it is flexible enough to follow contours of ground is should be chicken tight. Can you move it by yourself and would pen tolerate frequent moving to keep over fresh grass?

I think where we live the ground is level enough for it to be "chicken proof" on the ground if I just removed the wire floor. It is pretty heavy though, it took two strong men plus myself to load it on my trailer. Unless I rigged up some wheels on each corner there would be no way I could move it by myself, especially with my poor health. I have thought about it though.

I just thought it had good bones and knew I could make something good out of it.

 

[centrarchid]

Thanks for time to answer. I will have to continue search for lighter more mobile pens but so not so many need to be moved.