da da da da da, da da da da da, da da da da da da

libra10

My friend brings me her surplus free range eggs each week.
We used to live on a farm and there were hens, geese, bantams etc.
But for noise levels you want to hear a peacock perched on top of a greenhouse, when his blood's running high!

Sarahsaver

It will be in the deeds of your house whether it is acceptable or not, but i have the perfect remedy for anyone objecting - offer to wring the neck of a chicken whilst they watch;)
My house deeds - dated 1876 - state that no 'noisome business, keeping of livestock, or rendering of tallow' be carried out on the premises. Chickens don't count as livestock, its the bigger stuff, I asked the neighbour who used to live here.
you don't need a cockerel unless you want to produce more chickens, which may be an idea when your hens are getting worn out, borrow a cockerel then get some chicks and replace the old clapped out hens.

hornetgirl

I'd never thought about keeping chickens in an urban area, but think I will look into this, it's a great idea.
Our house deeds say we can't keep pigs or run a beer shop!

Magentasue

Chickens are well suited to urban gardens. They don't need a field but they do like some grass and somewhere to scratch around and make dust baths. They need protection from foxes, stray dogs etc but so long as they have that, food and water they don't need much looking after. We let them out first thing, put the food and water out and collect the eggs. As it gets dark, they make their way to their shed, hop on their perches and we lock them up.

Every day I cook up yesterdays potato and carrot peelings, add some oats and cook a bit more and then stir in apple cores, cabbage trimmings etc. They recycle it very nicely!

Sarahsaver

i had to put mine in bed tonight because they had huddled up in the bottom of their run instead of going up the steps to their bed. Tried hugh f-w's tip of enticing them up the steps with corn but they managed to stretch up and get it without climbing the steps.
How should i recycle the chicken poo (my boys are FASCINATED by that part) for use on the garden?

Bargain_Rzl

LOL re noise!!!!

When I was little we lived two houses away from a family with 6 children, several chickens and.... a cockerel. I still remember being woken up by him every morning, and I still have some of my schoolbooks from the infants which also mention the racket he made.
Libra10 mentioned the noise peacocks make. Sometimes in the summer I go to the opera at Holland Park in London. It is under the flight path into Heathrow Airport which doesn't exactly make for an ideal semi-alfresco opera venue :rotfl:- and there are also peacocks within a few yards of the theatre area. Sometimes they shut up, and sometimes they don't. There was one time when they kept quiet for the first half of the show, right up until there was a dramatic plot revelation, at which point one of the birds let out an earsplitting shriek right on cue! The whole audience dissolved into laughter at what should have been a particularly dramatic/tragic moment...

Magentasue

Sarahsaver wrote:

i had to put mine in bed tonight because they had huddled up in the bottom of their run instead of going up the steps to their bed. Tried hugh f-w's tip of enticing them up the steps with corn but they managed to stretch up and get it without climbing the steps.

Bless 'em. They'll get the idea. If they don't, it might be worth blocking off their chosen place. They don't like being out in the dark.

How should i recycle the chicken poo (my boys are FASCINATED by that part) for use on the garden?

Yes, so many colours! This is our coop routine. Floor has shavings and straw under the perch. Nestboxes have straw. After a few days or a week maximum, the mucky straw under the perches goes into the compost bin. Nestbox straw gets pushed down under the perch, fresh straw in nest boxes. Once a month, whole lot gets turfed out and composted. We line the floor with newspaper first so it's easy to lift the whole lot out.

As for poo on the garden, you could go round, collect and put on the compost heap but I can't be bothered. I do sweep the concrete and use that and I think OH clears the grass before cutting it but the rest disappears in the rain!

fbs_4800

Luis wrote:

Oooooh - what you gonna call them?

I think names like paxo, casserole, soup etc are childish - yet hysterical!

(ps, the da, da, da bit of the title of this thread is exactly the right number to do the indiana jones theme tune too pmsl - which I did in my head as soon as I saw it :rotfl: )

I thought it was the Hawaii 5-0 theme.....

ET03

thats great sarasaver
I've got 2 hens did have 3 but one just died and there eggs are the best

Sarahsaver

did u eat it?