Keeping Chickens

[Athos]

I can see myself keeping on the old and knackered ones. Plus letting them in the house, sleep under the bed etc.

When you've seen a few murder an injured companion, you'll be less sentimental towards them!

 

[TopCat]

Any area you let them into will eventually be devastated. How long will just depend on how big it is and how many chickens you have. That's why people keep them in runs.

That hen house run thing I linked to. Three birds. Big enough? Let them out further for special occasions?

 

[TopCat]

When you've seen a few murder an injured companion, you'll be less sentimental towards them!

Well as I mentioned upthread, bullies will be harshly treated.

 

[Athos]

But if they have their enclosed run and that would they need to go out into the vegetable garden? Might eat a few pests?

If the run is big enough, they don't need to go further.

 

[TopCat]

If the run is big enough, they don't need to go further.

So is that run big enough for three chooks?

 

[Athos]

That hen house run thing I linked to. Three birds. Big enough? Let them out further for special occasions?

Bit small, I'd say. As a rule of thumb, UK legislation classes 'free range' as 4m² per hen; what you propose is 0.6.

 

[TopCat]

Bit small, I'd say. As a rule of thumb, UK legislation classes 'free range' as 4m² per hen; what you propose is 0.6.

Four metres square? My spare room is that size.

So 12 square metres for three? That’s half the garden and £1500 of wood and wire. Hmm.

 

[TopCat]

What about cleaning out their shit and detritus?

 

[Athos]

Four metres square? My spare room is that size.

So 12 square metres for three? That’s half the garden and £1500 of wood and wire. Hmm.

They'll be happy with a bit less, as long as there's plenty of simulation. Maybe go for two in 6m²?

 

[TopCat]

They'll be happy with a bit less, as long as there's plenty of simulation. Maybe go for two in 6m²?

I take it you mean stimulation? I am not giving them a PS4

 

[story]

Any area you let them into will eventually be devastated. How long will just depend on how big it is and how many chickens you have. That's why people keep them in runs.

Not everyone does.

Granted, this is in Spain, but my mates over there have their chickens pretty much free roaming. There is a large fenced in area which stops the pigs getting out but the chooks can easily get across it. They wander about freely all over the property, and would come indoors if they could but the dogs and cats guard the thresholds. They have a lovely big chicken hen house, but they much prefer to roost in the trees.

They have their veg gardens penned off from the hens rather than the other way around. chicken wire walls and roof, wooden gates. Keeps the birds off etc too.

Ive seen the same set up in Greece too. They do have predators, including pine martens and stray dogs, cats from elsewhere. Their ducks and hens don’t get decimated. Maybe the ducks and pigs are also protecting the hens?

 

[Athos]

What about cleaning out their shit and detritus?

Just shovel it out of the run and onto a compost heap (you can't use it raw - it'll burn plants). The hen house can be a bugger to clean. The Omlet Eglus are good in that respect - plastic that comes apart making a deep clean really easy. Expensive though.

 

[TopCat]

So two would be more manageable. Ok.

Are their any laws or restrictions like the clean air act equivalent etc?

 

[Athos]

I take it you mean stimulation? I am not giving them a PS4

Yes!

 

[Athos]

So two would be more manageable. Ok.

Are their any laws or restrictions like the clean air act equivalent etc?

Nothing really. Except recently there's been some stringent requirements about keeping them enclosed, and other hygiene measures to prevent bird flu. You can register your flock, and they send you the up-to-date requirements as they're instituted.

 

[TopCat]

Just shovel it out of the run and onto a compost heap (you can't use it raw - it'll burn plants). The hen house can be a bugger to clean. The Omlet Eglus are good in that respect - plastic that comes apart making a deep clean really easy. Expensive though.

So if I end up making the house etc, I should design it to make it easy to get at it with a pressure washer, one side or roof comes off with quality fixings?

 

[Athos]

Not everyone does.

Granted, this is in Spain, but my mates over there have their chickens pretty much free roaming. There is a large fenced in area which stops the pigs getting out but the chooks can easily get across it. They wander about freely all over the property, and would come indoors if they could but the dogs and cats guard the thresholds. They have a lovely big chicken hen house, but they much prefer to roost in the trees.

They have their veg gardens penned off from the hens rather than the other way around. chicken wire walls and roof, wooden gates. Keeps the birds off etc too.

Ive seen the same set up in Greece too. They do have predators, including pine martens and stray dogs, cats from elsewhere. Their ducks and hens don’t get decimated. Maybe the ducks and pigs are also protecting the hens?

Yeah, if its a big garden and a modest number of hens, the garden will be OK for a while. But, say, half a dozen hens in a small garden would wreck it i.e. lawn to a mud bath in a year.

 

[TopCat]

Thanks for all this advice.

 

[Athos]

So if I end up making the house etc, I should design it to make it easy to get at it with a pressure washer, one side or roof comes off with quality fixings?

Yeah. And, if you're building it yourself you could build in some other useful features e.g. rat-proof treadle feeders, and a drinking water dispenser that's rigged to a hose. That way, if you go away for a few weeks, or get sick, or just don't fancy braving the elements, you don't need to worry about their food and water.

 

[Athos]

Thanks for all this advice.

No problem. And I'm probably making it seem more ardous than it is. After all, lots of people don't go to those lengths and their hens are perfectly fine.

 

[Athos]

Other things to bear in mind are the need for stimulation, shade, and places for a dust bath. And you might want some diatomaceous earth to keep mites away, and a spray to treat any wounds. I use grit in the layers pellets, and put some tonic in their water occasionally. And if you do let them out, clip their wings (one per bird).

 

[Numbers]

We also have several colonies of aggressive squirrels, my crow friends (who I dream of enlisting to guard the hens), a really right wing neighbour displaying early dementia signs and a formerly vicious rescue cat.

....walked into a room...

 

[WouldBe]

They will put themselves to bed at dusk, but before dusk, good luck and have fun chasing the little cluckers around the pen.

That must be where Mr Allotment is going wrong.

 

[TopCat]

Other things to bear in mind are the need for stimulation, shade, and places for a dust bath. And you might want some diatomaceous earth to keep mites away, and a spray to treat any wounds. I use grit in the layers pellets, and put some tonic in their water occasionally. And if you do let them out, clip their wings (one per bird).

So how do you keep them stimulated? Stuff to peck at and explore? Stuff to rip out by the roots? Crazy golf?

 

[bimble]

if you have chickens do you need to get somebody to feed and whatever else them daily if you are away?

 

[tim]

Foxes aren't experts at digging or climbing but will have a good try at either if there's something in it for them.

Foxes live in a tunnel called an earth. How can they not be experts at digging?

 

[SpookyFrank]

Foxes live in a tunnel called an earth. How can they not be experts at digging?

Complete logic fail. You probably live in a house, but I doubt you could build one.

 

[Epona]

Foxes dig to eat insects, they'll also unearth newly buried dead pets and eat them if they can.

I'd love to have chickens.

 

[nogojones]

I love my garden!

They'll stomp the fuck out of it and eat everything within pecking range. If you can keep them contained it should be OK and as they're ex battery they'll think you're spoiling them.

 

[Epona]

They'll stomp the fuck out of it and eat everything within pecking range. If you can keep them contained it should be OK and as they're ex battery they'll think you're spoiling them.

Battery hen farming was banned in 2012 in the UK, so I think you mean barn hens.