Wire bottom coops for bantams

[John W Blehm]

I sold a couple wire coops and moved this topic from the Marketplace to Housing.  These were for breeding trios and to house extra cocks during breeding season.  Both mount to a wall and have wire bottoms so droppings fall onto straw on the floor below.  The bottoms are sloped, so eggs roll out into a trough in the front.  Feeders, waters and lights are included. 

[Beth Curran]

Wish I lived closer, I am in the process of building more right now and I'll pay more than that for the wire.

[John W Blehm]

Someone locally came over the other day and bought them.  They worked well, but I haven't used them since building my new wooden 12 hole units.  The design was simple and I can try to find more old photos of the wire coops to post if anyone wants to study them.

[Beth Curran]

I'd like to see them. I'm fighting a losing battle keeping the cages clean and have gone to wire bottoms where I can. I have free-standing wooden boxes with wire bottoms, but I like the lighter wire ones because I can take them out and store them when I'm done breeding, and the 2x4s they rest on then become perches.

[John W Blehm]

I found some photos of others with similar design.  These didn't rest on 2 by 4s, but were fastened to walls using screws and small pieces of OSB. 

[John W Blehm]

Most have 1/2" by 1" welded wire floors or bottoms.  Sometimes I used boards between coops to prevent fighting.

[John W Blehm]

Some coops were designed and used for LF.  I used 1" by 2" welded wire and sometimes 2 by 4 welded wire.  Just be careful that birds can't stick their heads out and fight thru the 2 by 4 wire.

[Patti Jordan]

Hi John, glad I found this post.  I'm looking to purchase a conditioning cage set-up with 8-12 holes and have been tossing between wood framed vs just wire cages.  I like the wire cages because here in AZ it gets so hot that wire cages would have better ventilation than those with wood sides and backs.  My question,  what would you recommend as a good cage dimension for LF Ameraucanas ?   Have you had luck conditioning birds in wire in lieu of wood sides/back ?   I love the idea of putting the water outside of the cage - makes it so much easier.  Thanks for any help.  Regards, Patti

[John W Blehm]

Patti,

If the coops are just for "conditioning" birds before a show, how about using collapsible show coops.  You can buy them from directly from Keipper Cooping.  They can be knocked down and stored out of the way when not in use and would get the birds used to the same coops they will be exhibited in. 
If you build your own the dimensions of the show coops may be good ones to use and those specs are given on Keipper Cooping's site.  Wire can be rough on feathers, so just be careful not to make the holes (coops) too small.

[Patti Jordan]

Thanks John, I was hoping to use the coops for both housing and conditioning as I'm space limited.  I had similar concern that wire would be rough on their feathers, I'll take a look at the link you provided.

[Russ Blair]

I personally would not try and condition in wire cages ever again. I have never had luck with them not causing feather damage. I only use wood box type with wood floors. I put a roosting pole in as well to help protect them from getting soiled. The Keipper coops may work better than the ones I built though. Definitely a better wire with more of a protective finish.

[Patti Jordan]

Thanks so much for your experience.  I was hoping to purchase cages that would suit both needs, cooping up and conditioning but I'm starting to think that may not work.  Conditioning cages with wood sides/backs don't allow for much ventilation that's my only big concern as we get 117 degrees here in the summer months. 

[John W Blehm]

Mike uses some show cooping year round I believe without problems.  They should work using the proper size hole for the size of the bird and the show cooping has enough height to protect tail feathers.  Think about all the birds at a show in those coops for a weekend.  Expect for the "wild" birds I don't see enough feather damage to speak of.

[Patti Jordan]

Thanks John.  I didn't get the chance to look online yet, but do any of them come with bottoms ?  I know the cages at the shows don't and it would be so much easier to keep clean if they were on wire and stackable.   Right now I have some of those pyramid bottomless cages, they work OK but I was hoping to stack with bottom pull out trays.  I guess you just can't have it all :-)  I surely do appreciate you taking the time to discuss with me.   

[John W Blehm]

They so sell wood bottom boards with a lip around them, I believe.  Of course with shipping costs it would be cheaper to make your own.  If you use wood shavings for bedding they are easy to clean out with a feed scooper and once a week generally is often enough.