Sellsouthfl
In the Brooder
- Jan 15, 2023
- 10
- 23
- 49
I’m interested in breeding some birds here in south Florida. I have an enclosed and comfy central coop with two open air walk in runs attached. They have an A frame roof, hardware cloth/wooden sides and roof, plus a sun shade over roof which prevents downpours. This is currently enough space for my 20 birds so I don’t feel guilty when I can’t let them out for a few days. After trial and error, it is currently predator proof (until someone outsmarts me again). My thought was just use about half of the larger run and create two breeding pens there bc I’d like to breed two breeds at once. I realize the birds will be in there for a month or more to ensure fertility and enough eggs for hatching, so I want them to have as close to normal environment as possible-enough room to run and flap, roosting bars and nesting boxes in weather proof area, access to dirt and still see their flock mates. When I’m not breeding I can remove nesting boxes (plastic dog houses) and leave doors open so they get their space back. My plans shown here call for two 5’ walk in doors, a 5’ divider down the middle, a 3 sided enclosure in the back with a roost and nesting boxes. Thinking about using that plastic corrugated roofing material for coop sides bc I like being able to see when I grab eggs
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Question 1: If the divider is 5’ high, do I need a roof over pens? I have never seen my birds fly straight up to go over a fence. Or do you think the divider should go all the way to the peak of the a frame roof? That’s pretty tall (maybe 10’) and would probably double the cost for me.
Question 2: I’m thinking of making the roof of the 3 sided coop enclosure a flat pressure treated (is there such a thing?) plywood deck for daytime bird hang out. Will this get disgusting with poop and rotten with rain? Maybe I should make it pitched to avoid that?
Question 3: do you think I need a few cross beams from central divider to 5’ run sides? At 5’ high, they would prevent me from walking easily from front to back. I’d have to duck under each one. Without cross beams, the central divider would be cross tied to run at the breeding pen door (which I will have to duck under) and again at the back which would be about 10’ away. The divider would be made of 1x4’s and hardware cloth. Sturdy enough to avoid cross beams? My main door is at 5’9”.
I’ve attached pics of what I have now, what I am imagining, and a side view of imagined breeding pens.
. Question 1: If the divider is 5’ high, do I need a roof over pens? I have never seen my birds fly straight up to go over a fence. Or do you think the divider should go all the way to the peak of the a frame roof? That’s pretty tall (maybe 10’) and would probably double the cost for me.
Question 2: I’m thinking of making the roof of the 3 sided coop enclosure a flat pressure treated (is there such a thing?) plywood deck for daytime bird hang out. Will this get disgusting with poop and rotten with rain? Maybe I should make it pitched to avoid that?
Question 3: do you think I need a few cross beams from central divider to 5’ run sides? At 5’ high, they would prevent me from walking easily from front to back. I’d have to duck under each one. Without cross beams, the central divider would be cross tied to run at the breeding pen door (which I will have to duck under) and again at the back which would be about 10’ away. The divider would be made of 1x4’s and hardware cloth. Sturdy enough to avoid cross beams? My main door is at 5’9”.
I’ve attached pics of what I have now, what I am imagining, and a side view of imagined breeding pens.
