I can't watch any more.....

Davesnave

pqrdef wrote: »

Free range doesn't mean much. They're still going to be fed manufactured pellets. Not enough worms.

It's more complicated than that. There's free range as seen in supermarkets, and real free range which preople have to seek out. With Farmers' Markets up & down the land, it isn't that hard, but probably too much effort for many. Even then, unless you visit, you'll never know the exact conditions the hens have.

Our chickens are free-ranged every day on a very large area of grass, but they still need supplementary feeding on corn or 'manufactured' pellets (organic if you like.) They'd have had a good time recently, fending for themselves in 20 cm of snow!

They get enough worms, and they'd have intestinal ones too if we didn't treat for them. Again, one can do this organically, or chemically.

It isn't profitable to keep chickens in ideal conditions, because the public don't want to pay for the provision of those. We keep our own hens because we like 'em, and we know we'll get nicer eggs. Some people can now share in our surplus at normal prices, so lucky them, but in fact every egg bought is subsidised to some extent by us.

We have to produce/sell something else to make any significant profits.

golfiematt

the poultry industry is the only sector the governemnt doesnt subsidise. Laws abroad are also more relaxed on how poultry are reared and what they can be fed. thats the real reason farmers cant compete.

Davesnave

chucknorris wrote: »

I would actually like to get a few chickens (don't know anything about it yet but our friends have about 4 chickens). Nothing to do with cheapness just knowing they are coming from chickens that are well looked after. My wife isn't keen though, but I'm working on persuading her.

The problem is, thousands of people who don't really have the space have thought like you, then ended up with a few birds stuck in a muddy run in the corner of their garden. That rather defeats the object, but they don't always see it that way, especially as hens are a bit trendy ATM.

(I'm not suggesting that you would do this, once you do know something about it. You are usually a thoroughly realistic poster and, anyway, I don't know what conditions you could provide. )

lemonjelly

Davesnave wrote: »

The problem is, thousands of people who don't really have the space have thought like you, then ended up with a few birds stuck in a muddy run in the corner of their garden. That rather defeats the object, but they don't always see it that way, especially as hens are a bit trendy ATM.

(I'm not suggesting that you would do this, once you do know something about it. You are usually a thoroughly realistic poster and, anyway, I don't know what conditions you could provide. )

I wonder if fishies will become the next big thing, after the celeb-chefs did the chickens a good turn on their last channel 4 [STRIKE]media campaign[/STRIKE] series?

For me, once you've tasted free range, you have to ask why people would wanna buy battery farmed? I mean, there is no comparison, not just in benefits to you the eater, and the chicken(s), the quality of the meal is so much better!

chucknorris

Davesnave wrote: »

The problem is, thousands of people who don't really have the space have thought like you, then ended up with a few birds stuck in a muddy run in the corner of their garden. That rather defeats the object, but they don't always see it that way, especially as hens are a bit trendy ATM.

(I'm not suggesting that you would do this, once you do know something about it. You are usually a thoroughly realistic poster and, anyway, I don't know what conditions you could provide. )

I was thinking of using the area at the back of our garden that is not used as hasn't been for all the time that we have been here (5 years). It's about 35' x 30' I think that would be large enough for a few chickens but I'm willing to be corrected if not. I wouldn't just obviously rush out and buy some chickens, I would find out about their needs first. After all it's all about what they need, what what I want.

The problem isn't space it's my wife!

Davesnave

chucknorris wrote: »

I was thinking of using the area at the back of our garden that is not used as hasn't been for all the time that we have been here (5 years). It's about 35' x 30'
The problem isn't space it's my wife!

My DW is the real chicken keeper here. 35'x30' would be good for a few hens, but divide it in half and rest one part while you use the other.

Also don't underestimate foxes when it comes to the design of the perimeter fence.

Davesnave

lemonjelly wrote: »

I wonder if fishies will become the next big thing, after the celeb-chefs did the chickens a good turn on their last channel 4 [STRIKE]media campaign[/STRIKE] series?

I don't know how much salmon get stressed by having to remain in a Scottish Loch, rather than head off to the Atlantic. Quite a bit I'd imagine, considering the journey they undertake, driven by instinct.

But perhaps, like many of us on this board, they think, " Ahhh, I'll stick around for one more day; things may improve."

Sir_Humphrey

Britain may be just about the only country in the world where people would go on the internet to complain about the idea of home-grown industries trying to take away import business.