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Keeping Chickens!
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cullin
Posts: 212 Forumite
Anyone out there that knows how to sex chicks, no smart Alecs please. Regards cullin
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LOL! I could tell you but then I'd have to shoot you
It's hard to explain and easier to show someone to be honest but they can be done from a few days of age. Sorry not much help am I LOL!
Edit: This website might be of some use to you
I do warn you it's not that easy but practice makes perfect
"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
~
It is that what you do, good or bad,
will come back to you three times as strong!
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Dunno. But if I needed to know, I would start with the forums on https://www.practicalpoultry.co.uk and on https://www.forum.rivercottage.net
HTH0 -
We've got a thread on keeping chickens somewhere about the place - haven't we? maybe this thread could be added to that one? If I can find it Hi, I'm a Board Guide on the Old Style and the Consumer Rights boards which means I'm a volunteer to help the boards run smoothly and can move and merge posts there. Board guides are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an inappropriate or illegal post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. It is not part of my role to deal with reportable posts. Any views are mine and are not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.DTFAC: Y.T.D = £5.20 Apr £0.50
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isn't sarahsaver the expert on chicken keeping??0
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Old style? Certainly!
Moneysaving? Possibly...
I have 3 girls housed in my suburban backyard. I let them freerange around the garden as much as possible when I am home where they eat all the bugs, weeds, turn over mulch and leave their lovely fertiliser behind as they go. I muck out their pen once a week and use this fertiliser in the compost heap.
Food costs a negligible $AU1.50 per week (about 60p) which is supplemented by kitchen scraps etc. And I barter extra eggs for things I need. Freerange eggs at the supermarket cost around $5 a dozen, and I'd much rather eat eggs from chickens that I know have happy and healthy lives.
They make great pets and are so funny when they try to help you in the garden, follow you around everywhere chatting away to you.
All they need is food, water and shelter from the elements and predators.
Anyone else keep them? And if you don't, have a think about it...
The ultimate oldstyle recycler:D
A word of warning though, if you have a neat, precious garden, don't do it! lol0 -
Hi Josiegirl
We have 7 chooks, had them about 3 months now and agree they make great pets. We have 2 pekins, 1 Silkie, 1 Araucana and 3 bitsas. They all come running as soon as I go out the garden to see what treat I have for them.
Not had any eggs yet, DD can't wait for the first one.
What age did yours start laying?0 -
Unfortunately three cats stop me from keeping them free range - I'd have to build a run which would either have to sit on the patio to avoid runining the grass. When I move out and get my own place however I'll be keeping ducks = )Tim0
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Hi zippy, they should start laying around 5-6 months. Your aruacana should lay interesting coloured eggs, have heard they are blue! Mine are just hybrid browns and 1 scraggly white one (felt sorry for her lol).
Tim, I have 2 cats and a dog and they all live in relative harmony. Although sometimes i see the cats with that look in their eye, but the chooks are bigger than them so I don't think they're game. A moveable ark is an option when you want to keep them enclosed, they can be safely locked up but just moved along with the ark every few days to save the grass. Google(images) chicken ark, or chicken tractor for ideas.0 -
I am quite interested in this - I understand they can be bought from battery farms for something ridiculous like 50p each, is that right?
Also, can you eat them once their laying days are over, or are they too scrawny by that time? If so, do you just allow them to die naturally?
I've heard rabbits are the ultimate old styler's friend, as they breed quickly, eat up scraps and are a good source of meat. Though I'd find it easier to kill a chicken than a fluffy bunny!'Never keep up with Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It's cheaper.' Quentin Crisp0 -
Hi Austin, yes they can be bought cheaply or given to you from battery farms. Thier laying life is considered unproductive after a year or so there. Although be prepared to teach them to walk, forage, and scratch around the yard- basically getting them used to moving around and doing things they would naturally.
Chickens generally have a lifespan of around 6 years, and lay quite well for about 3 of those. From then it declines until they stop altogether, at this point they can be culled (sharp axe or wring of the neck, sorry to the squeamish), or it could be done sooner for economic reasons, or they can just be kept as pets until their time is up.
Re cooking them, they will be tough, having spent their lives moving around and not been fed the meat producing feed (steroids)/kept relatively still. There wouldn't be as much meat on them as meat chickens, but would be perfectly acceptable table fare if they were simmered slowly for a few hours or so.
hth
Josie0
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