Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink

Tiglath wrote: »

What is a reasonable number of chickens to start with? We're moving to a smallholding next month with an acre of land including 3 spacious chicken runs (and a pigrun). We're thinking 5 or so rescues in one of the runs - is that a good number to put together? I appreciate they'll be strangers to each other, and we're busy learning our chicken lore before we take that step, so we want to start small until we become more confident. We may put geese in the orchard as the current owner has 7 or 8 which seem perfectly happy in amongst the fruit trees. Anyone keep geese?

Hi

If you are thinking of keeping 5 hens to start with that would be fine space allowing of course but I can assure you the numbers will grow and grow :rotfl: We started years ago with 12 rescue ex batts and ended up at one time with 23 hens and 7 ducks. In all seriousness you can keep as many as room will allow. The ex batts would of had around the size of an A4 sheet of paper previously so much more than that is absolute freedom for them. Please remember never to just keep one on their own as they can and will get very depressed without company.

We did have a poster on here that kept a couple of geese but she has not posted for a while now. I will try and catch up with her and see if she still keeps them.

Any questions please just ask away no problem. There are plenty of us on here that have a wealth of experience and should be able to help you.

Hope that helps.

Edwink

Tiglath

Yeah I know that from rescue cats - we said we'd never go above 3 and now we have 15! Hence the need for a bigger place with lots of land.

edwink

Tiglath wrote: »

Yeah I know that from rescue cats - we said we'd never go above 3 and now we have 15! Hence the need for a bigger place with lots of land.

15 :eek: Well done you and why not eh? The more the merrier is our motto here.

My hubby went to collect 8 ex batts that needed rehoming as the guy was moving and couldn't take them. Hubby ended up bringing 15 home with him as the guy obviously couldn't count when he told us there were only 8.

Edwink

suki1964

Don't forget to take chicken math into consideration when going for hens


The concept is, you decide on five but then one dies. So you want to replace it with a new one, only introducing just one to an established flock is a nightmare, so safety in numbers, you get another 3, then someone asks if you can take on 2 or 3, then someone dumps a few on you, and before you know it you have 20

Oh and then of course as you fall in love with your hens and start researching and reading, you see all these different breeds who all lay different coloured eggs and before you know it, you have 30. Then you get a broody or 2 and well, you give up on any idea of manicured lawns , flower beds and veggie patches, and the hens take over:rotfl:

vjm63

I am aware of the concept of Chicken maths, but you have just nailed it there, Suki! :T and Edwink! :T

We have finally had some snow here last night and today, and my girls are definitely not impressed with it. Everytime a snow shower arrived, they vanished from the lawn and went to hide in their respective coops (we still have them in two coops because 8 will not fit on the perches in either of them currently). However, after one prolonged snow fall I could not see any - went out to look and they were all in one coop together, obviously working on the basis it was warmer! This is good, because they still drift around like two flocks even though they are used to each other - but obviously warmth is more important!

OH is building a mega coop with loads of space which I hope will be done soon, then they can all live in the one large run when not out roaming. That does of course mean the portable coop/run will be unused, bereft of occupants ... do you think he would notice if I sneak another batch in?!?

Beckyy

Update on the swelling, the vet felt that if it was a mycoplasma infection that it would also be affecting the other side of her face also (my research didn't say the same), and that she would also seem off colour and be showing respiratory problems such as sneezing - her chest sounded fine.

The vet felt ABs were the best thing to try so she's back tomorrow for an injection which should last 5 days and we will go from there.

How do you all quarantine if necessary? I feel I ought to keep her separate but have nowhere in the house, and nowhere she would be safe or warm enough outside unless she goes in the shed in a cat box at night.

edwink

vjm63 wrote: »

We have finally had some snow here last night and today, and my girls are definitely not impressed with it. Everytime a snow shower arrived, they vanished from the lawn and went to hide in their respective coops (we still have them in two coops because 8 will not fit on the perches in either of them currently). However, after one prolonged snow fall I could not see any - went out to look and they were all in one coop together, obviously working on the basis it was warmer! This is good, because they still drift around like two flocks even though they are used to each other - but obviously warmth is more important!

OH is building a mega coop with loads of space which I hope will be done soon, then they can all live in the one large run when not out roaming. That does of course mean the portable coop/run will be unused, bereft of occupants ... do you think he would notice if I sneak another batch in?!?

It does sound like warmth is more important doesn't it just? Bless 'em all cosy and warm together for a change. They actually need around the size of an A4 sheet of paper to sleep at night by the way. So they may just be playing you up splitting themselves up in to two gangs

Do I think he will notice if you sneak another batch in?? Don't see why he would do you? Bring them in under cover of darkness and just let them out the following morning denying any responsibility of them suddenly being there. Try that and let us know how you get on. :rotfl:

Edwink

edwink

Beckyy wrote: »

Update on the swelling, the vet felt that if it was a mycoplasma infection that it would also be affecting the other side of her face also (my research didn't say the same), and that she would also seem off colour and be showing respiratory problems such as sneezing - her chest sounded fine. The vet felt ABs were the best thing to try so she's back tomorrow for an injection which should last 5 days and we will go from there.

How do you all quarantine if necessary? I feel I ought to keep her separate but have nowhere in the house, and nowhere she would be safe or warm enough outside unless she goes in the shed in a cat box at night.

Glad you managed to see the vet with your hen and that she will have an antibiotic injection. Just wondering why she is having her injection tomorrow?

I see no problem with keeping her all cosy in the shed away from the others. Will she able to walk around in the shed at all? If so you could lay some newspaper down and an old towel or blanket to snuggle up on. Plus obviously leave her some water and some food. Make sure she will have a little ventilation in there and she should be fine.

Please let us know how she is getting on.

Edwink

suki1964

vjm63 wrote: »

I am aware of the concept of Chicken maths, but you have just nailed it there, Suki! :T and Edwink! :T

We have finally had some snow here last night and today, and my girls are definitely not impressed with it. Everytime a snow shower arrived, they vanished from the lawn and went to hide in their respective coops (we still have them in two coops because 8 will not fit on the perches in either of them currently). However, after one prolonged snow fall I could not see any - went out to look and they were all in one coop together, obviously working on the basis it was warmer! This is good, because they still drift around like two flocks even though they are used to each other - but obviously warmth is more important!

OH is building a mega coop with loads of space which I hope will be done soon, then they can all live in the one large run when not out roaming. That does of course mean the portable coop/run will be unused, bereft of occupants ... do you think he would notice if I sneak another batch in?!?

I would honestly save one area for sick or broody hens seeing as you have the room We have to clear out the “green house “ which is basically a home made contraption built to the back of the garage using old double glazing. It’s handy to get seeds started etc but Mum goes mad when we commandeer it for sick or Brodie’s

You sound like you love your animals and as you know you want to give them as much space as possible I know I do. It’s a compromise as is everything in life. It’s one you will be discussing constantly for years to come

( my foot has come down hard on no more ducks and I’m working on him to rehome these. I love them, but I could have 6 more hens instead)

jim-jim

Morning chuckies, chicken maths how i can relate to that. One dies you get 2 to replzce that 1 :rotfl:

when I had to have my chuck pts at the end of september, I thought that would be it for a while.
How wrong was l. A rat got in the shed in a shed, we found the gaffer hen dead in the morning. And then 3 days before Christmas the last of my original chucks died in her sleep over night. I knew she was going, as I've now discovered they have a certain smell about them towards the end. That's it no more.......

Guess who's going to collect their very first lot of ex battery hens in January!! I've signed up for a minimum of 6 . If any one is interested you can have a look on their website
tp://www.bhwt.org.uk

Happy New year to one and all
Xxx