Keeping Chickens ?
Discussion
We made our own hen house. Bought four chickens, but one died so now have three. The kids love them.
They are very easy to look after, but will dig up your garden. We let ours roam free during the day which spreads the damage, but if you have them kept in a small run, the ground under it will be pecked bare in a couple of weeks.
Bacon and egg sarnies every weekend!
The only real problem is looking after them when you're away. Luckily our neighbours are only too happy to feed them in return for eggs.
They are very easy to look after, but will dig up your garden. We let ours roam free during the day which spreads the damage, but if you have them kept in a small run, the ground under it will be pecked bare in a couple of weeks.
Bacon and egg sarnies every weekend!
The only real problem is looking after them when you're away. Luckily our neighbours are only too happy to feed them in return for eggs.
We bought a green eglu and 3 chickens from them last year, one ginger nut ? and two peppercorns ? Ginger is a real character, chases you around the garden pecking at your feet, if you`re eating outside will jump onto the table and try to steal your food
Eglu really easy to clean and doesn`t get infested with red mites like wooden coops can, neighbour with wooden coop just wishes they`d bought an Eglu when they saw ours, cleaning the wooden ones can be a real pain
Ours roam the garden and destroy most flowers, don`t like marigolds however, also dig holes in the lawn about half a football size to "roost" / "sunbathe in", will be getting a fence to keep them more restrained, don`t like keeping them in std Eglu run for too long as I think it`s a bit small. Another disadvantage of letting them run riot in the garden is that they can start to lay eggs in hidden places.
Eglu are a really good company to deal with, products excellent
Eglu really easy to clean and doesn`t get infested with red mites like wooden coops can, neighbour with wooden coop just wishes they`d bought an Eglu when they saw ours, cleaning the wooden ones can be a real pain
Ours roam the garden and destroy most flowers, don`t like marigolds however, also dig holes in the lawn about half a football size to "roost" / "sunbathe in", will be getting a fence to keep them more restrained, don`t like keeping them in std Eglu run for too long as I think it`s a bit small. Another disadvantage of letting them run riot in the garden is that they can start to lay eggs in hidden places.
Eglu are a really good company to deal with, products excellent
We too have a green Eglu and yes they are very easy to look after. Our three ex battery hens are left to room around our garden during the day and yes they do have a go at some of the plants but do not cause much damage. As for the lawn they have not dug any holes so i am happy with that.
I have built a simple run on the back of our shed as the Eglu run is a bit small so they do have a lot of space. But thye cant wait to get out in the morning and run around the garden.
One last point they do poo alot but the other half says its good for the lawn.
I have built a simple run on the back of our shed as the Eglu run is a bit small so they do have a lot of space. But thye cant wait to get out in the morning and run around the garden.
One last point they do poo alot but the other half says its good for the lawn.
I had my two 'girls' about a month now. I've always wanted chickens for some reason 
.
I decided that the Egglu route was too expensive for what you get so I made my own coup. A lovely split level jobbie............... look here (that site and post are thanks to my wife, not me I might add) Only cost about £80 in all.
They are surprising entertaining pets and my two kids love them. We let them out into the garden when we can so they can have a good 'peck'......small insects, grass, worms (which they love and steal from each other), baby slugs and small shoots (so a type of weed control!). They have many benefits for the garden but they do love a dig and some plant pot occupants have sadly been 'written off'.
My only issues so far are; having to pick the bloody things up and put them to bed for the night and as of yet, no eggs!
.I decided that the Egglu route was too expensive for what you get so I made my own coup. A lovely split level jobbie............... look here (that site and post are thanks to my wife, not me I might add) Only cost about £80 in all.
They are surprising entertaining pets and my two kids love them. We let them out into the garden when we can so they can have a good 'peck'......small insects, grass, worms (which they love and steal from each other), baby slugs and small shoots (so a type of weed control!). They have many benefits for the garden but they do love a dig and some plant pot occupants have sadly been 'written off'.
My only issues so far are; having to pick the bloody things up and put them to bed for the night and as of yet, no eggs!
I have ex-batts - 10 of them in an enclosure that very large - it is fenced off area of the garden. The hen house is the size of a garden shed.
What surprises me is that we are having an egg a day off them - sometimes more than 1!!!!
2 of the hens were from a friend who resuced them over a year ago. They stopped laying for him but they lay for us. We think it may be that they have plenty of space and we don't let them get too fat
What surprises me is that we are having an egg a day off them - sometimes more than 1!!!!
2 of the hens were from a friend who resuced them over a year ago. They stopped laying for him but they lay for us. We think it may be that they have plenty of space and we don't let them get too fat
If you are wanting egg quantity then go for Hybrids.
I have dealt with these people http://snipurl.com/pinb0
If you are wanting a regulat supply of eggs all year round,then some kind of artificial lighting will be required,they need 14 hours light a day,which can be a combination of natural and artificial.
On a final note, don't believe the dreamers who claim they get an egg or more per day,it is not possible,35 years experience in the job.
I have dealt with these people http://snipurl.com/pinb0
If you are wanting a regulat supply of eggs all year round,then some kind of artificial lighting will be required,they need 14 hours light a day,which can be a combination of natural and artificial.
On a final note, don't believe the dreamers who claim they get an egg or more per day,it is not possible,35 years experience in the job.
netherfield said:
On a final note, don't believe the dreamers who claim they get an egg or more per day,it is not possible,35 years experience in the job.
Err well how come from my 10 chickens I get 10 eggs most days and 11 on some???? You can come and view the proof. Twice a week approx we get less say 7 or 8. Mindyou it is summer and very light. I was expecting one every other day over summer but I am sorry ours mostly lay every day.
Coco H said:
netherfield said:
On a final note, don't believe the dreamers who claim they get an egg or more per day,it is not possible,35 years experience in the job.
Err well how come from my 10 chickens I get 10 eggs most days and 11 on some???? You can come and view the proof. Twice a week approx we get less say 7 or 8. Mindyou it is summer and very light. I was expecting one every other day over summer but I am sorry ours mostly lay every day.
Just lost one of ours to an idiot who cannot control his dog. Very, very unimpressed.
netherfield said:
If you are wanting egg quantity then go for Hybrids.
I have dealt with these people http://snipurl.com/pinb0
If you are wanting a regulat supply of eggs all year round,then some kind of artificial lighting will be required,they need 14 hours light a day,which can be a combination of natural and artificial.
On a final note, don't believe the dreamers who claim they get an egg or more per day,it is not possible,35 years experience in the job.
From our three ex battery hens we get at least two eggs per day at the moment. Also they always put themselves to bed about an hour before sunsetI have dealt with these people http://snipurl.com/pinb0
If you are wanting a regulat supply of eggs all year round,then some kind of artificial lighting will be required,they need 14 hours light a day,which can be a combination of natural and artificial.
On a final note, don't believe the dreamers who claim they get an egg or more per day,it is not possible,35 years experience in the job.
Got ours last week, what a fun week it's been.
This morning at about 8am they kicked up about something and started making a hell of a racket, luckily the neighbours were OK about it
ops:
Apart from that we have had a good week, spent about half hour in morn and evening sorting them out and they seem quite content.
Hoping we are due the first egg in the next week
This morning at about 8am they kicked up about something and started making a hell of a racket, luckily the neighbours were OK about it
ops:Apart from that we have had a good week, spent about half hour in morn and evening sorting them out and they seem quite content.
Hoping we are due the first egg in the next week
Anyone got any blueprints/plans to building a coop for around 4-8 chickens.....
SWMBO doesnt like the Egglu types but had her heart set on a £780 house on wheels at the Norfolk Show. I did check as I thought for that money it would include a home gym, jaccuzi and sunbed for the cossetted chickens but it turns out the used 'environmentally friendly paint' which put the price up...feckers...
SWMBO has even organised having rescue chickens and ordered them jumpers I kid you not.....from this lady...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howabou...
Edited by KevF on Monday 10th August 12:18
hi folks,
dumb question time - how do you folks cope with them when you go away ?
If they have a large fenced run (with roofing) can they survive on their own for a few days or do they need daily attention ? Just wondering as my missus has wanted some ever since we came here and we've got plenty of space so could build a large secure run (we do get foxes) but I wonder what would happen if we went off for a long weekend ?
dumb question time - how do you folks cope with them when you go away ?
If they have a large fenced run (with roofing) can they survive on their own for a few days or do they need daily attention ? Just wondering as my missus has wanted some ever since we came here and we've got plenty of space so could build a large secure run (we do get foxes) but I wonder what would happen if we went off for a long weekend ?
KevF said:
SWMBO has even organised having rescue chickens and ordered them jumpers
My wife knitted a couple before we got our ex-bats. Once we got the girls she didn't knit any more, waste of time. If the weather is wet the hens will be worse off with a sodden "Chooks Tux" than without. They all survived last winter.b2hbm said:
how do you folks cope with them when you go away ?
Our next door neighbour will do the basics while we are away and they will have the eggs.Edited by FlossyThePig on Thursday 13th August 08:26
b2hbm said:
hi folks,
dumb question time - how do you folks cope with them when you go away ?
If they have a large fenced run (with roofing) can they survive on their own for a few days or do they need daily attention ? Just wondering as my missus has wanted some ever since we came here and we've got plenty of space so could build a large secure run (we do get foxes) but I wonder what would happen if we went off for a long weekend ?
You will have no problems leaving them for a long weekend, just make sure you clean them out before you go, top up water and food ( maybe have a spare water feeder).dumb question time - how do you folks cope with them when you go away ?
If they have a large fenced run (with roofing) can they survive on their own for a few days or do they need daily attention ? Just wondering as my missus has wanted some ever since we came here and we've got plenty of space so could build a large secure run (we do get foxes) but I wonder what would happen if we went off for a long weekend ?
You can get little sunlight monitors that open and shut the coop at a predetermined time depending on sunrise and sunset.
Chickens are really easy to keep, main thing is a good clean out and check water and food 1-2 twice a week, and collect the eggs most days ( no real problem if you don't).
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