We just got 4 breeding pairs of chickens; gold sebrights, silver sebrights, bantam plymouth rocks and birchen modern game. My question is in getting them to breed and set the eggs. The are all together now but we are going to seperate them by pairs. Nest boxes: made from what (cardboard, plywood???) how high?, bedding? How to get her to set? Are there any quirks about any of our breeds that we should know?
Thanks for any help!!!
Shelli

You certainly have a cute selection of bantams! I really don't know where to start as the task you have set before you would be quite an undertaking for one with years of experience.Be aware that one hen to one rooster is not a good ratio-the rooster will be after the hen all the time -keep a close watch to see that he doesn't wear the feathers off her back or have the back of her neck picked clean.If you run into this problem put them together only one day in 4or5.You might consider running your hens in one pen, with nest boxes,put your roosters in another pen ,they'll need plenty of room, and make one breeding pen.Every day put a different pair in the breeding pen .Switch your pairs of an evening after they have gone to roost.Your plymouth rock would probably set I'am a little apprehensive about the others-I would strongly recommend an incubator-Collect and properly store the eggs for 14 days-set your incubator-and in 21 days you have bantam chicks-amazing-Save eggs while the first set is in the incubator and you can start over immediately. TOO COMPLICATED put 'em all together and let 'em cross breed you'll get some beautiful birds!!!! Most of all enjoy them!

thanks, jimmie! if we go with a rooster pen and hen pen, do i need nest boxes (if we incubate)? after a day together, do i leave the hen in the breeding pen to lay or back to the hen pen? we have 2 large pens and one half size so this could work very well!! will they just lay the egg on the ground or will they want a box?
thanks,
shelli