Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

crimson.addict

She already breeds parrots and has about 30 ish, a few different species so its going to be hard to get her to agree to chickens lol. even though i did offer to pay for everything.
I have no garden so i cant keep them myself. Might work on one of my sisters this weekend. See if i can get her to have them
RE: the quails chat. my mum used to keep quails that ran around the bottom of her bird aviary. they were amazing little birds and the eggs are to die for. i need some for some muffins i'm making so need to find somewhere that sells them
Ruth

Little_bit_dizzy

Hello everyone, I've just found this thread and as we have a dozen ladies in the back garden I thought I'd tag along if that's ok.

Gigervamp wrote: »

Yes, they were fed on scraps. Can't do that now (legally) as it's against the law to feed chickens any food that's come from a kitchen. Having said that, I can't see them being able to police such a law when you consider that most backyard chicken keepers do feed scraps.

I never knew this!!! When was the legislation introduced? Surely theres not much they can do when it's just eggs for your own benefit - can they? Anyway, mine are rather partial to the bacon rind

Mojisola wrote: »

And mice - ours eat them whole!

:eek::eek::eek:

Sorry to hear about Gracie, Gingervamp. It's always a sad when one doesn't make it.

3v3

Little_bit_dizzy wrote: »

...

I never knew this!!! When was the legislation introduced? Surely theres not much they can do when it's just eggs for your own benefit - can they? Anyway, mine are rather partial to the bacon rind ...

From http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Smallholders/DG_189309

It is illegal to feed chickens with waste food from your kitchen, including vegetable scraps

And from DEFRA: http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/byproducts/wastefood/caterwaste.htm

Catering waste is defined as 'all waste food including used cooking oil originating in restaurants, catering facilities and kitchens, including central kitchens and household kitchens'.
Following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in 2001, the Government introduced a ban on the feeding to animals of catering waste that contains or has been in contact with animal by-products (ABPs). This ban was subsequently reflected by the EU Animal By-Products Regulation and became mandatory in all Member States.
The ban includes the use of Used Cooking Oils (UCOs) originating in restaurants, catering facilities and kitchens, including central kitchens and household kitchens.

As you say though, Policing it is neither practicable or cost effective for garden girls. For those who keep 50+ they would need to be registered with DEFRA and then it may be more difficult to avoid inspections.

3v3

Just curious, do you keep chickens for eggs or do you also keep them for meat?

Little_bit_dizzy

3v3 wrote: »

Just curious, do you keep chickens for eggs or do you also keep them for meat?

Mine are simply for the eggs. When they get old and stop laying, they just get to have a nice life

BitterAndTwisted

crimson.addict wrote: »

I tried to convince my mum to let me keep some chickens in her back garden. She said no So, i am going to follow your board if thats ok and read all your stories

I feel your pain Ruth. I don't have a family member who has a garden who could be persuaded either. Not that I haven't tried.

But I do have chums who are keeping a miniature flock in their back garden in Croydon. I'm fascinated by them so I've been following this thread for a very, very long time now.

About the kitchen-waste. I had no idea that it had been banned. No ruddy wonder bacon and ham is so expensive now. I remember back in the Dark Ages there was a man who collected the school dinner slops in huge, great, smelly truck.

Still, I suppose it could be used for bio-fuel these days instead.

RAS

There is a very good book on all this - linky here http://www.tristramstuart.co.uk/

And have a read of Meat by Simon Fairlie (a bit dense and hard work but very well researched).

Neither have much patience with the reguations.

Gigervamp

Thanks everyone for the condolances. Not sure if it was sour crop as when we massaged her crop we only got a little liquid out and it didn't smell sour. But her crop was bloated, like a half filled ballon and I could feel some food in the bottom of it, so we treated for sour crop.

Re, food. My girls have had a bluetit. Amelia caught it, then Gracie stole it and was chased around the garden by all the girls wanting to get a piece of it. Gracie would manage to get a little ahead of the others, then stop and eat some before they caught up. I always have the Benny Hill music playing in my head when I see them chasing whoever has found something tasty!

The regulations are pretty ridiculous being applied across the board. My girls had some porridge this morning as it's so cold. Hubby uploaded a video here.

Frugal, if you only have a couple of legbars they shouldn't do too much damage. but they are flighty girls. Ours run around like a couple of pantomine dames when we go near them! The only time we've been able to handle them was when they were broody and we were able to pick them up out of the nesting box. They gave indignant little squawks, but otherwise they were easy to handle then.

3v3

Gigervamp, I have a feeling Benny Hill was around chicken flocks and they were the inspiration behind his fast-forward/chasing sketches.

Little bit dizzy Thank you for your answer, that's the same as me; but, I am considering going the meat route which is why I was curious to see who does this.

jem2

hi just subscribing to this thread,

my husbands ''mate'' at work has just turned up wit 3 big brown chickens!!!! they are happily exploring their new home in the garden which is the old dog run.

we have never talked about having them or know owt about keeping them.

HELP!!!!!

my husband has jus gone to talk to someone we kno bout what we need to do/buy but any quick advise would be great!! the bloke who dropped them off jus said they are easy to look after, need couple of hand fulls of corn and cleanin out. they wont be layin til better weather and they can look after them selves.
we have a cat and 2 rabbits too

will have a read back thro the thread and try and figure out how im gonna cope!!!!!!!