Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

Breynia

A dog got into our garden the other day and killed our young silkie cockerel, so it's not just foxes and ferrets you have to worry about. A bit drastic and expensive, but a local chicken keeper near us has alpacas which keep everything away from the chickens. I have also heard that goats will keep away foxes, but not sure about ferrets. You can get cat traps where you put some food inside and when the cat goes in a door comes down and it can't escape....could work just as well for a ferret then when you catch it, it could be rehomed.

bigalusdickalus

Looking at prices of Orpington chickens and bit expensive. Is there anyway of getting some from a farm where they have been kept just for laying? I know I may only get a year or so out of them but at least I can make sure that we're gonna get on with having chickens before we spend £60+ on Orpingtons. I did read a thread from someone who got some for tenner each or something and she is doing well with them. Thanks for any help.

Ted_Hutchinson

Try http://www.thehenshouse.co.uk/ or ask at your nearest battery hen farm. They should only be about 50p each if they are at the end of their cost effective laying life. Given a rest and a feed up they will start laying again as soon as the days lengthen and you should get another year or so out of them at a lower rate of lay. Say 3/4 a week rather than 6/7.

Point of lay hybrid birds round here fetch £4.00 and day old chicks about 50p.

Ted_Hutchinson

chrislee765 wrote:

They poo more than I expected, but i will poo pick the house daily and sweep up the run at the end of the day.

I get a bag of sawdust free from the builders merchants and spread that on sheets of newspaper on a shelf under their roosting beam. This collects the droppings and can be put straight into the compost bin.

Ted_Hutchinson

The problem of rats has been mentioned in this thread before but it's worth beginners being fully aware of what rats can do. I've just had to replace a large black dustbin as a rat has managed to eat a slot in the bin from the top down to about half way. I can't work out how it managed to get up to the handle to find an edge to gnaw at. I wonder if they are capable of working in pairs and one standing on another rat's shoulders either that or it managed to jump up and hang on with it's paws while it's teeth worked away. The bin was empty but presumably still impregnated by the smell of food.

Our local authority will provide a free pest control service for pensioners so it may be worth asking about your local authorities pest control policy.

Debt_Free_Chick

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

Our local authority will provide a free pest control service for pensioners so it may be worth asking about your local authorities pest control policy.

Many (all?) will get rid of rats for free, whoever you are. LA's have a statutory duty to deal with rat infestations. In fact, we all have a statutory duty to report them, in the first place.

Agreed ... always phone the LA about any rat sightings. Also, they have access to far more effective poisons that we are allowed to buy "over the counter".

I don't have chooks (partner not keen) but "permanently" have rats - I generally have to get the LA twice a year to deal with them. They'll keep coming back as I live in a rural farming community, so they're a permanent feature! :mad:

Bloomin things - I hate them. And foxes. And rabbits. And pigeons. And magpies

Check your LA website - you should find details of their services & charges on there. Some may even have the option for you to report "online"

steady__eddie

I useds to keep a few bantams years ago and they were a constant source of amusement, (there was nothing much on the telly in those days either).
Nowadays, I have to content myself with https://www.ourchickens.com which I can recommend for those who would like to, but for one reason or another can't.

Liney_2

loftyboy wrote:

Apart from giving me all the eggs I can eat, and most of my neighbours..... My 9 girls......6 Blackrocks, 2 Rhode Island Reds and 1 Buff Orpington are good for the soul..... They are no real effort, and just about break even with the feed I buy. If you haven't tasted a creamy, orange yoked, firm white eggs.......... you have'nt lived.......


...................ok ok...... its going a bit too far, but they recycle almost all my waste food (and others too), and produce lovely food....... Give them a go.........

I havent eaten any......not because I'm too squimish......but I prefer top let them retire..... Like me....!!!

You lucky thing, I would LOVE some chickens, at the moment it's not feasible even if I went for the expensive EGLU option but we are moving in the next 6 months and our criteria for our new home is that we need somewhere to keep chickens... so when I get them I'll be back to this thread letting you know how I get on.

chrislee765

I wont rub it in, but ive now got 4 Black Rocks, which ive had for 3 weeks. I absolutely adore them, they are such great creatures (apart from the amount they poo;)) One has just started laying, and ive had 6 eggs from her in about a week!

The eggs are lush (especially the double yolker). They are endless fun, and great for kids. Getting chickens beats getting a rabbit anyday!

My advice: get em if you can!

Wirenth

A couple months ago we got four chicks (not sure what breed). I've been keeping them in the aviary with my lovebirds until they grew up a bit. The magpies tried to carry them off the first time we let them out! :eek:

We've just spent the last weekend making a hen hutch for them, to be completed this weekend. I'm so looking forward to fresh eggs.