Allotments with chickens !

Anastacia

Morning All

Just went to see the allotment we have been offered with my sister & decided we'll take it. Its only 5 minutes away by push bike but about 15 minutes in the car ( who designs road systems anyway, my cat?) Whilst we over there noticed chicken on the other allotments. Theres a run with a little house up in the air attached to it. What do those who know about chickens think of the logistics of allotment chickens. Would you need to put them to bed every night or would they understand to go into their little house ? I assume that you would have to visit them daily to feed but morning & night might be a bit much as I am usually at work by 8am. They were so cute, I am coveting my neighbours hens, no doubt.

Thanks for any advice
Panda

italiastar

Sounds like a great idea - why not ask the other people for advice. From what I've read, the "High" houses are French idea to discourage foxes - have a search on the net. Feeding shouldn't bee too much of a problem - put it out a night and they'll find it in the morning.

Good Luck

Anastacia

It was heaving it down with rain this morning so no-one about but I am definitely going to chat to (interrogate!) the owners when i see them.
This would be so cool !

Panda

beer2006

Well you'll have to feed them once a day at least and open the door in the morning and lock it at night to protect them from foxes.

Or you can get a automated door system you bolt onto a henhouse.

You don't want to go leaving food out at night, because of rodents, it should be cleared away. So if you can't get there morning and night, I would seriously think about it.
Have a word with the other people with chickens on the allotment and see what they do.

Debt_Free_Chick

Hugh Furry Animal (Fearnley-Whittingstall) made one of these high houses for hens but had to train them to go up the ladder :rotfl:

The hens will naturally go in at night to roost, once they work out how to get there and the fox won't be able to get at them.

Second the suggestion to ask those on the allotment who have these ... they will tell you all you need to know

beer2006

Debt_Free_Chick wrote:

Hugh Furry Animal (Fearnley-Whittingstall) made one of these high houses for hens but had to train them to go up the ladder :rotfl:

Yeah but as far as I remember it didn't work for him.

He went back to normal housing and on his new farm, no sign of any high houses, I think it goes to show, nice idea, doesn't work. Makes good TV though!
Unless anyone has actually seen one that works I won't believe it.

doddsy

Chooks need loving attention - twice a day visits I believe are necessary.

katieowl_2

There is a couple on my allotment site (I am site secretary) that hve four chickens.

Fox tried to get them first two days, and they had to go out and buy electric fencing, operated off a car battery. They have had them there for about a year. You are looking at a twice a day trip. Once in the Morning, once in the evening EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR (Christmas, boxing day, new year.....) come rain, shine, hell or high water. They share the responsibility with another couple of plot holders, but even between the four of them I think they struggle and the all have cars, and drive there.

They get four eggs most days off them, they laid through most of the winter. They have just built them a new covered run,to take into account the bird-flu recommendations, but I can see it coming that all outdoor chickens will end up being told they have to go!

I would have loved some chickens too. But seeing the amount of work involved with them at the allotment, I decided it was too much work. I would have contemplated them in the garden, and still might, but the bird flu thing put me off - I'd hate to lash out for a luxury accomodation to have to get rid of them. We have foxes in the garden too, so need secure accomodation.

My advice....don't do it at an allotment!!!

Regards

Kate

beer2006

doddsy wrote:

Chooks need loving attention - twice a day visits I believe are necessary.

Weeell...... not really, tbh keeping poultry is easy.
You let them out, about 7 - 7.30am for me. You feed them in the morning, something in the afternoon and lock them up when it gets dark. Clean them out every week. Collect eggs.

Easy when they are in my back garden, a right pain if I had to go to a allotment to do it.

Some things spring to mind. Hope you don't mind me pointing them out.

Grass! Really important in a hens diet, especially if you want them to be a free range sort of bird. Difficult at an allotment. I got my ducks from a guy who had them on a allotment (before they got eaten by mr fox) and they couldn't have any grass, nor could his hens, nor could anybody elses hens on the site. The ducks must have put on another 3rd in wieght after they had been with me for a while. I believe down completely to having grass in their diet.
Four and two legged thieves.

See hens are easy to look after, but I can look out of the window and see mine, if somethings wrong I see it straight away. I would be worried about not seeing them all the time. Plus they need green stuff all the time, easy at home, any old stuff just gets chucked out when its found. You could do it when they aren't there, but you have to be organised.

Really don't want to put you off, but just trying to think of things you might not know.

doddsy

''Weeell...... not really, tbh keeping poultry is easy.
You let them out, about 7 - 7.30am for me. You feed them in the morning, something in the afternoon and lock them up when it gets dark. Clean them out every week. Collect eggs.

Easy when they are in my back garden, a right pain if I had to go to a allotment to do it.

See hens are easy to look after, but I can look out of the window and see mine, if somethings wrong I see it straight away. I would be worried about not seeing them all the time. Plus they need green stuff all the time, easy at home, any old stuff just gets chucked out when its found. You could do it when they aren't there, but you have to be organised.''

When I said 'loving attention' I think this is what I meant! Have kept chooks for years and wouldn't like the thought of having them on an allotment, specially some allotments I know where they are harassed by vandals.

beer2006

doddsy wrote:

When I said 'loving attention' I think this is what I meant! Have kept chooks for years and wouldn't like the thought of having them on an allotment, specially some allotments I know where they are harassed by vandals.

Oh right
I thought that was easy :rotfl: Mine don't get any loving attention, don't talk to them like some people do. Very aware I will be eating them one day.

I agree, as I said, I wouldn't like not being able to see them out of my window.