Wire top or solid top cages?

[underground chickenman]

Opinions? Comments? Benefits? Drawbacks?

Thanks,

UGCM

 

[shelleyd2008]

I really don't think it matters. The one deciding factor would be where you plan on keeping them. If they will be inside a building, then a wire top is fine. But if they will be outside, then a solid top would be better.

 

[monarc23]

If they have somewhere to hide, outside is fine with a wire top

All my pens are wire top and they are outside

Never had one bonk and die

now, button quails...taht's a different story.

 

[CARS]

Wire tops. Keep the height down to <a foot.

I think you are taking your build too seriously. Other posts have gathered dozens of dozens of opinions on what is the perfect pen/cage. They all work differently, for different people. I like sloped floor cages with short tops. Why, My birds don't get the eggs and I have never had a head trauma related death.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

A mixture of both. My chickens have access to a coop to roost and lay, as well their run is 1/2 covered with that wavy tin stuff and a roost outside underneath that. I integrated some cuckoo marans with my 4 week older EE's and the cuckoo's prefer to sleep outside, probably because the EE's are racist...

I like some cover on my run outside because the feed and water are hung from the rafters and this keeps the food and the birds dry if they prefer to stay outside during a rain. Also, should it snow, there will be an area of the run that won't have six inches of that for them to wade through just to be outside.

 

[ken429h]

Personally I use a solid top, but that is the most costly part of the pen, other than hinges, barrel bolts, and the like.

Ken