# Individual Breeding Pens



## brown7683 (May 9, 2011)

Ok I have heard some people swear by individual pens some say to much trouble. I have some breeders in individual pens and I have some breeders in the breeder loft. I have 3 pair in the individual pens that have done nothing didn't lay a thing. But in the loft its been great as normal. So is the individual pens keeping them from breeding should I just move them back to the loft?


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## preacher boy (Sep 22, 2010)

brown7683 said:


> Ok I have heard some people swear by individual pens some say to much trouble. I have some breeders in individual pens and I have some breeders in the breeder loft. I have 3 pair in the individual pens that have done nothing didn't lay a thing. But in the loft its been great as normal. So is the individual pens keeping them from breeding should I just move them back to the loft?


Not sure what size your individual pens are,but I have 24in.by 24 by 24. Individual breeding pens and my pigeons breed,and raise their young without any problems.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Could be just an old wife's tale, but old timers I have known swear that males try harder when the hens are exposed to other males around them in an open loft. Might even be more fertile Seemed to work that way in the bars I used to go to.

All kidding aside, if the breeder cages are the right size for the breed, and all else being equal, it shouldn't make much difference between cage or loft breeding. Don't have an answer for you.


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## ThaoLoft (Feb 28, 2012)

i have a 24 length, 13 width and 13 height, works great! barley started about a month ago and on second round of babies.


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## brown7683 (May 9, 2011)

Well I posted this earlier cause I have one pair that when in open loft laid 2 rounds for me. But been in individual pen for over month and nothing. Then I went and ran some errands and come home and boom they finally laid tonight. My pens are 30x24x24. I have used them and worked before. I have couple pairs in there own pens already down on eggs so I know they would work just didn't know why this paticular pair wasn't laying. Guess they just took there time is all lol.


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## klondike goldie (Apr 20, 2009)

I breed mine in individual pens 24"x32"x48" they work great. The babys learn how to eat and drink without being picked on by other birds, and you always know who the parents are. I put them on lights a couple of weeks before I put them together, they don't waste any time.


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## ThaoLoft (Feb 28, 2012)

lol. i had that concern one time too. and then one night, BOOM! they all laid eggs! at the same time. which was cool same timing means hacthing time will all be the same! . but except for one of my pairs also. i figured out later that they were both females. lol...one of the female acted very cocky, *i got tricked! lol. patients is key i guess. 



brown7683 said:


> Well I posted this earlier cause I have one pair that when in open loft laid 2 rounds for me. But been in individual pen for over month and nothing. Then I went and ran some errands and come home and boom they finally laid tonight. My pens are 30x24x24. I have used them and worked before. I have couple pairs in there own pens already down on eggs so I know they would work just didn't know why this paticular pair wasn't laying. Guess they just took there time is all lol.


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## Wingsonfire1 (Mar 26, 2012)

I like them, here are mine.


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## 808flyer (Jan 20, 2012)

Wingsonfire1 said:


> I like them, here are mine.


That is a cool setup wings on fire! How long does is take you daily to maintain that setup? I have a 5 stall 24x24x24 and it takes me longer to take care of then my entire racing loft. I have individual drawers under each stall to catch the waste. I think it's the best way to go but man some times a pain.
Keoni


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Some pairs do better in the loft, some do better separated. It helps if the cockbirds have been in the individual cages for a week before introducing the hen. Time apart makes the heart grow fonder LOL


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## Paragon Loft (Jun 27, 2009)

*Breeding pens*

These are some of mine individual breeding pens


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Wingsonfire1 said:


> I like them, here are mine.


Are those rabbit j-feeders on the front panels?


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Those rabbit feeders work pretty good. My problem is that I didn't have any covers for the tops of mine so I stopped using them.


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## Matt M (Mar 2, 2011)

brown7683 said:


> Ok I have heard some people swear by individual pens some say to much trouble. I have some breeders in individual pens and I have some breeders in the breeder loft. I have 3 pair in the individual pens that have done nothing didn't lay a thing. But in the loft its been great as normal. So is the individual pens keeping them from breeding should I just move them back to the loft?


Can the cocks in your individual pens see the cocks in the adjacent pens? I found productivity in my individuals went way up when the solid partitions between individuals were changed to wire where the neighboring pairs can see each other. Cocks try a lot harder when they sense competition even if it's behind wire next door.


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## minister man (Mar 13, 2012)

I know this is old, and I am very new, but do the birds raise their young in the cages of sizes listed above? or do they just hatch in those and then let out into the loft?


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## White Homers (Sep 22, 2016)

I also find when the cocks see each other they are more active breeders. I think they like the competition. Yes the size listed is fine. Mine are all together but I do have friends who use smaller cages to breed in especially their best pairs.


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