Your Breeding Pens!

[JacinLarkwell]

I have trios and quads. Mine are nothing special- all 50 sq feet. Dirt floor, roosts. Seems to be a good size for 3 or 4 hens and a rooster. Bored enough that they think about mating a lot. OR laying eggs. lol Just one nest box so they can keep the eggs warm for me until I get them. Mine is chicken wire to separate pens, and hardware cloth on the exterior walls. However Im feeling like there should be some sort of privacy block between pens so the others roosters dont get all riled up when there is mating going on. It just seems a bit intimidating and scary for the hens...?? anyone else feel this way?

Do yours all have coops or are they inside somewhere?

 

[Minky]

none of mine have coops (if you mean an inside portion) . they are covered with a roof, built onto the side of my barn. Because it is winter and Im in Ontario, I have 7 mm poly up on the outside walls. This and a heat lamp on the coldest nights keeps it very nice in there, above zero or close to it. Its been a mild winter so far. We have lots of coy-wolves and fox/mink/fisher here but they dont come so close to the barn or the house, and we dug down 2 feet with the hardware cloth- nothing is getting in.

 

[Newyorkrita]

Here’s what I have. I covered the top in chicken wire after this photo but I think I’d redo it with the construction fencing like @HaikuHeritageFarm has.
View attachment 2486964View attachment 2486965

I particularly like that covered dog kennel setup.

 

[Minky]

Ok I just added a privacy screen for my breeding pens, so that the bottom 2 feet of the shared walls are blocked from view. I just cut to length and clipped on with office clips. ( cause its temporary, and I dont know if it will even make a difference) We have a giant roll of some sort of nylon carpet underlay that we inherited when we bought this farm..LOL ..it has been used for so many things in the past few years. Before I was done installing, I saw both my roosters mate their ladies!!! So I think it must be working!

 

[sunnie7]

Ok I just added a privacy screen for my breeding pens, so that the bottom 2 feet of the shared walls are blocked from view. I just cut to length and clipped on with office clips. ( cause its temporary, and I dont know if it will even make a difference) We have a giant roll of some sort of nylon carpet underlay that we inherited when we bought this farm..LOL ..it has been used for so many things in the past few years. Before I was done installing, I saw both my roosters mate their ladies!!! So I think it must be working!

Can you post pictures?!

 

[ChloeSilkie08]

The white coop is for the silkie breeding pen. The red coop is for Marans, Olive Eggers, and Barnyard mixes. Then I have 2 other small coops. The smallest is where I keep baby chicks and the other is what I have for separating my silkies for certain coloring. But, during the most of the year they all stay in these 2 big ones. Does anyone have any tips on breeding pens?

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

I particularly like that covered dog kennel setup.

I like it too! I considered adding those a-frames on mine but ultimately just had to "get 'er done" because weather was coming and we already had the cattle panels so... flat roof it is. Not so bad in the south, but probably would not work at all anywhere with snow load.

 

[Minky]

The white coop is for the silkie breeding pen. The red coop is for Marans, Olive Eggers, and Barnyard mixes. Then I have 2 other small coops. The smallest is where I keep baby chicks and the other is what I have for separating my silkies for certain coloring. But, during the most of the year they all stay in these 2 big ones. Does anyone have any tips on breeding pens?
View attachment 2487754

I guess in my limited ( 3 yrs) experience of having chickens, I've learned that a big open run is not ideal. It leaves nothing to discover, and no hiding spots for young birds or the ones lower on the totem pole. I think you could build your breeding pens right into your large space (just divide it up.) If you put a couple of chicken door passageways from pen to pen that can be opened or closed, it becomes a really fun usable space even if you are not in breeding season. Each pen can have its own theme. (food/ grit and water/ exploration/ chilling out). Figure out who you would breed each season, and if you'd do it in one shot or use one pen and just do it in succession. How many birds etc, then you'll know the size. I'm not a great planner, more of a doer- so my pens are always changing. Every year without fail. Love the red coop.

 

[ChloeSilkie08]

I guess in my limited ( 3 yrs) experience of having chickens, I've learned that a big open run is not ideal. It leaves nothing to discover, and no hiding spots for young birds or the ones lower on the totem pole. I think you could build your breeding pens right into your large space (just divide it up.) If you put a couple of chicken door passageways from pen to pen that can be opened or closed, it becomes a really fun usable space even if you are not in breeding season. Each pen can have its own theme. (food/ grit and water/ exploration/ chilling out). Figure out who you would breed each season, and if you'd do it in one shot or use one pen and just do it in succession. How many birds etc, then you'll know the size. I'm not a great planner, more of a doer- so my pens are always changing. Every year without fail. Love the red coop.

Thank you!

 

[Minky]

@sunnie7 ok. here is a picture. its truly pathetic, using office clips- but I'm so busy and I don't want to ask any more building favours for the moment.. husband is grouchy this week. LOL