Keeping free range chickens - Help needed

Somerset · 6 October 2007 at 11:39AM

We've been thinking about keeping chickens. There's only one thing that's stopping/worrying me. What happens when people have to go away on holiday or whatever ? I know from a feeding point of view I can either leave enough for a few days or get a timed release feeder. But I'd need to let them out in the morning and put them back at night ( because of foxes ) and if we're away for whatever then ????. We've no close neighbours to step in and do this.

So is this insurmountable ? Is there any way round it ?

angchris · 6 October 2007 at 12:16PM

could you stick an ad in the local shop and offer the eggs in return for letting them in/out during your hols? or try searching for a pet sitting site on google, theres loads of them, i think this one is free http://www.petownersunited.co.uk/faqs.asp

Somerset · 6 October 2007 at 12:40PM

No, it wouldn't be worth anyone's while coming out twice a day ( petrol cost & inconvenience ) even for eggs. The pet sitting site is a good idea but I don't fancy having anyone in my home while I'm away. Plus one of the times is always going to be Xmas ( visiting two lots of relatives ) when everyone else wants to be with their family anyway.

Any chicken geared answers to this situation ? If it turns out that if you keep chickens there has to be human control 365 days a year then I think we'll have to forget it. It'll be a shame but best to think of these things before rather than later.

looby-loo_2 · 6 October 2007 at 12:50PM

My student DD placed an ad in the newsagent. Offered cleaning, ironing, gardening, dog walking etc. She didn't want to get a job with set hours because we wanted the freedom to go on short breaks.

Two people paid her to open and shut up their chickens. One was just a bike ride up the road and she go £15 for the week + the eggs and the other was a bit further, but still on the bike and she did a bit of gardening for them too. She collected the eggs and picked beans, courgettes and sweet peas so the plants kept producing. They gave her £30 for 6 days.

It can't be called a proper wage but she was happy to have a bit of pocket money.

I was happy that she got up in the morning!

paddy's_mum · 6 October 2007 at 1:20PM

I have known people who kept only a few hens to pop them into a portable, self-contained and secure ark and deliver the ark and hens to a fellow poultry keeper for the few days of their holiday or absence. The hens were not let out at the temporary place but were fed, watered and generally kept an experienced eye on in the owners absence. Might that be a way forward for you?

(If you care to google 'chicken tractor' there is a site called Katy's Chicken Tractor Gallery, which might give you a few ideas for cheap and cheerful d-i-y arks that may fit the bill.)

Magentasue · 6 October 2007 at 2:05PM

Another option is an automatic pop hole closer. This opens at daylight and shuts at night. Not perfect because it doesn't count the hens before it closes but it would be fine for opening in the morning. That way, you'd only need someone to lock them in at night.

It's certainly something to get sorted out before you get the hens - you could also consider paddy's mums' idea and ring a couple of local poultry breeders. They'd probably take yours in for a few days as they'd have the space and everything set up.

Hope you sort something out - definitely worth having if you can sort out holiday care.

budget_counsellor_shaz · 6 October 2007 at 2:55PM

I kept chickens once........I was offered to have them by a friend that had got fed up with them. The eggs were good. We had a hen house and a fair size area to keep them in (We had about 10 chickens). They pecked the ground all the time and turned the grass to mud........ the mess:eek:It didn't matter how much food they had they were always hungry.

They were so tame they would come into the house........they got out of the chicken run and went into the neighbours gardens.

We ended up given them away to people that had other chickens they took the chicken house and all the chickens and their run......

I would never do it again:rolleyes:

Shaz

chalky_75 · 6 October 2007 at 3:15PM

We loved our chickens but had the same problem as Chaz they got everywhere and people got really fed up.

The eggs were wonderful but the foxes were a nightmare they would wander into the field at about 4.00 in broad daylight and just pick one off. The only time we forgot to shut them in there was carnage. The fox killed all 10 and left them headless all over the field. We felt so guilty and so sad.

I am not sure if you could take them to other people because of the risk of infections

I must say I loved them but never again vote for me too. Thay are such a tie

Magentasue · 6 October 2007 at 3:27PM

Have to respond to Shaz'z comments lest they put you off -

1) Ten chickens will reduce a small area to mud in no time. We let ours (9 at the moment) have the garden with the veg garden fenced off. We have a few small, bare patches by March but it grows back within weeks. The alternative is to keep them in a run that you can move. Move the run BEFORE the grass turns to mud, let it rest and then move them back so the ground is used in rotation.

2) They are always busy - throw them food and they will peck at it. It doesn't mean they're hungry. They're very cheap to feed and will eat all your potato peelings (cooked) and a lot of your leftovers should you have them. Commercial food is cheap.

3) They will come into the house - can't argue with that one.

4) If you put them in a run, it has to be secure. If they can get out, a fox can get in.

Honestly, they're not difficult to keep so long as you have them in an enclosed space, whether that's a garden or a run. They're entertaining, cheap to keep and produce wonderful eggs but you do need to plan ahead for them.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Keeping free range chickens - Help needed

Comments

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free