Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink

SunMoonStars wrote: »

Hi folks,
May I slightly take the thread off-topic for a wee bit of advice?
I have always had a notion that I would get hens one day, but never got round to it. A friend has offered us the chance to re-home their hens, which is lovely, but because I am a keen gardener I am wondering what to expect in terms of mischief to plants in the garden when they are out and about, which sorts of plantings they tend to prefer etc. I have a large garden which also backs onto fields, so I am thinking that with plenty of space to roam they should be ok.
Any advice / thoughts appreciated.
Many thanks in advance ��

Hi SunMoonStars

How lovely you have joined in with our hen friendly thread. As Cheery says you are not off topic because amongst other poultry it is more often than not hen chat and questions on here so you are very welcome to ask anything you are interested to know about.

Ok so your garden is lovely and big for hens so that's a really good start. You will need to consider where you would put a coop for them and as Cheery has already said the ground in it will be bald in no time. They will find any areas in your garden that has spare earth with no plants in it and they will dig at it and flick soil about until it resembles a bath for them then they will all start dust bathing in it and any other bald areas in your flower beds they will often do the same to. So the best thing to do would be to provide them with this facility in their coop. Nice wide but not too deep container like a large cat litter tray or bigger and fill it with dry soil and they will happily use that if you keep it topped up with nice dry soil.

Hens are incredibly clever and don't tend to eat plants that are poisonous for them. But, there is one which is a definite no no and that is rhubarb leaves because they contain Oxalic acid which is very poisonous to hens, so personally even though we grow our own fruit and veg here we don't grow rhubarb for that reason. Although you could still grow it and cover it over with netting or keep it well out of their reach. I've always thought that if they eat chard which they do, rhubarb leaves resemble chard and my worry has always been they might be tempted to just try a bite of them.

You mentioned that you back on to a field. How tall is the fence that backs on to this field?. Is it fox jumping/climbing height? We back on to woods and have kept hens and ducks for 10 years now without any problems from foxes until just recently. To say it's been a nightmare is an understatement and we already had a fair amount of netting and chicken wire fixed above some fences but a fox found its way in sadly and we lost 9 out of our 11 ducks and hens in March. My husband has chased it out twice recently and once it leapt up and out straight through a dense 8ft hedge. So you may need netting on top of your fences if you have a fox population in your area. If you have a dog that will help to keep a fox out.

If you have any further questions please just come on here and ask. Both Cheery and I are normally about on here somewhere plus we have other hen keepers too that post that can answer questions and others that don't keep hens but are interested in what us hen keepers and our hens are getting up to so you are very welcome to join in.

One thing to remember with hens is that they are the Landrovers of the poultry world and are very agile. So will climb up anything that is available. Only last year when we cleared a lot of Clematis off the top of our chicken coop wired roof which is around just over 10ft high did we find a pile of eggs up there. So one of the hens at some stage over our 9 years then of keeping hens found her way up there and decided it was her place to lay so did it for a while because there was a huge pile of them up there. Goodness only knows how old these eggs were, bless her.

HTH

Edwink

SunMoonStars

Thanks folks for your brilliant replies.

I only have a couple of border beds which occasionally have bare soil, they are sited 100m or so from where the coop will be, so I am thinking that if they show interest in the beds and borders I will try the sticks method. Or maybe I just need to buy more plants so there’s no soil showing

The veg patch is already enclosed by chicken wire so that should be fine. Thanks for the tip about Rhubarb Edwink, I would never have known that, something to consider.

My garden sounds similar to yours Cheery, in that it backs onto fields. The fence is a low wire fence that they can go through. They have the same fencing in the garden from where they are relocating from and quite happily navigate that into the wide world beyond.

Edwink - that must have been horrible to lose your birds like that to foxes.

Quite a few of our farming neighbours keep hens and they are fine roaming free range during the day, but they must be brought in every night, and the coops / runs need to be dug in deep and made very secure, on top too, as our main predator is a natural climber - the pinemartin. No foxes here though. I have the space in the area I have planned for the chickens so will be able to make a decent sized run. Was thinking 6m x 3m or thereabouts. Would that be adequate if for whatever reason they had to stay in the run for the odd day e.g. when I have to go for overnight hospital appointments and I won’t be back to let them out?

Another question - are hens likely to show any interest in in polytunnel plastic? We have just put up a Keder tunnel after dreaming about one and saving up for it for years. Dead pleased with it mind!

Thanks again!

edwink

SunMoonStars wrote: »

Thanks folks for your brilliant replies. Edwink - that must have been horrible to lose your birds like that to foxes.

Quite a few of our farming neighbours keep hens and they are fine roaming free range during the day, but they must be brought in every night, and the coops / runs need to be dug in deep and made very secure, on top too, as our main predator is a natural climber - the pinemartin. No foxes here though. I have the space in the area I have planned for the chickens so will be able to make a decent sized run. Was thinking 6m x 3m or thereabouts. Would that be adequate if for whatever reason they had to stay in the run for the odd day e.g. when I have to go for overnight hospital appointments and I won’t be back to let them out?

Another question - are hens likely to show any interest in in polytunnel plastic? We have just put up a Keder tunnel after dreaming about one and saving up for it for years. Dead pleased with it mind! Thanks again!

Hi thanks for posting again

Yes it was horrible, really horrible. After 10 years and having 30 ducks and rescue hens at one time we were so shocked that a fox came on to our land as our security is really high knowing full well that we back on to woods and that there would be foxes up there. We have seen them ourselves on walks up there. So shocked even now . Talking of which my husband chased it back out at 6.30am this morning and it literately leaped over a 5ft 5" fence including leaping through a couple of Lilac trees and other tall shrubs. This fox is being an absolute nightmare at the moment and hasn't given in since the attack in March.

Anyway sorry to ramble on but I am very passionate about what I do for my rescue girls and was hoping to get some more soon but I dare not just at the moment. I really miss them so much

Ok so your question about your Polly tunnel. No they won't touch the plastic. I have one here and they do like to go inside and have a mooch around. Mine is small so I use it for storing all my plant bits and bobs like veg trays etc. They have never touched the plastic ever but they have laid eggs on the lower shelf in one of the empty plant trays. I had to go up there daily to collect them. So your plastic is safe but your plants may not be if the door is left open. Maybe you could net the door(s) so only you have access and not them.

With regards to the coop you may like to consider doing what we have done and that is to sink the chicken wire in to the ground and throw a load of old bricks on top to hold the wire down and pull it straight then pour concrete on the top. That way there is no way a fox or any other animal can dig under the wire and get to them at night or whilst they are in the coop if you have a day out and leave them in the coop as you may be back late. Ours is sunk in to the ground to around 3ft down in the ground all the way round the whole boundary except for the two doors of course. If you can't do that you could lay paving slabs or rocks all the way around the boundary and just check on a very regular basis to make sure nothing is trying to dig their way in anywhere. If you do find that you see evidence of digging just fill the hole back in and lay some additional paving slabs further out from the others and just make it harder and harder for predators to get in.

The coop door will need to be strong and secure with maybe two bolt type locks. We have one lock half way up and another lock at the bottom. Plus we have extra wood around the door its self so there is a double layer of wood which makes the door stronger. Also our doors have chicken wire on the outside of them so a fox can not scratch its way in. Our hens hotel and nesting box is externally attached to their coop so they are totally covered in chicken wire including the hotel roof and all of the nesting box plus the nesting box is bolted shut. This may seem a bit over the top but as we back on to woods we have always known that their security at night was paramount so went for gold when putting the coop up etc. 10 years ago.

I hope this info has given you some help.

Edwink

SunMoonStars

Thanks Edwink,

Really useful advice, loads of pointers to keep me on the right track.

��

edwink

SunMoonStars wrote: »

Thanks Edwink,

Really useful advice, loads of pointers to keep me on the right track. ��

Do come back and let us know what you decide to do. Would be nice to have a new poster on here with happy hen stories if you definitely decide to rehome the hens with you.

You will be surprised how much fun it is keeping hens. All of them have a personality of their own. They are loving funny little things and the bonus is you get lovely fresh eggs from them in return for looking after them. You can't get better than that.

Edwink

edwink

Pingu and Hoppy have spent most of the day out and about as we lined up outdoor jobs to do this weekend so they could spend time out of the coop. Otherwise they are being supervised closely whilst in the pond or mooching about around the pond area and then they go back in to the coop for a few hours until we are back outside again for more supervised time.

We just don't trust that fox one little bit. I know I have already mentioned that he was seen here again and when my hubby ran out the back he leapt over the 6ft fence, through 2 Lilac trees and other shrubs to reach the other side. Well when he did that he left a gap in the trees and shrubs which obviously is now visible. Now we have noticed there are another 2 gaps in different areas of that same section of fencing. So we know even though we haven't seen the fox that he has been in near the house again. We have one loose fence post in that section that is on the list for replacing so we have put off netting that area but it looks as though we will have to net it then take the netting down and put it back once that post is replaced.

Besides the fox being here again which is not good news we have now received a favourable quote for the new fencing which is great. The only thing is the guy forgot about the 6 posts we want replacing from other areas so he is adding that to his quote and will get back to us. Might as well get those posts done at the same time. The posts are ok still so not worried about them but after another winter they will need replacing anyway so we have decided to do it all in one go. So slight progress here but we are definitely not in the fast lane yet :rotfl:

The main thing is Pingu and Hoppy are fine and spending all their time together bless them. When I go up to the coop I see them sitting side by side which is lovely to see because those two were not mates before as we never saw those two together ever. Pingu was always with Ebony and Hoppy always sat with Cathy the Aylesbury female duck. Its so nice to see them together now and it warms my heart, it really does.

How is everyone else getting on? All good with your feathered friends I hope.

Edwink

Karmacat

I don't have any feathered friends that live with me (apart from the sets of wild birds who use my garden in rotation ) but its good to read this thread. I'm so sorry the fox is still circling Pingu and Hoppy it must be very hard to cope with.

edwink

Karmacat wrote: »

I don't have any feathered friends that live with me (apart from the sets of wild birds who use my garden in rotation ) but its good to read this thread. I'm so sorry the fox is still circling Pingu and Hoppy it must be very hard to cope with.

Aww thank you Karmacat, yes it is hard coping with the fox and it is really upsetting me to be honest. I am constantly worried as I am hard of hearing whereas my hubby hears perfectly. He only works two days a week now so its only those two days that I'm on my own with them but he's home by mid afternoon, thankfully. I take my coffee out with me in the morning so they can go in the pond and mooch about for an hour or so and hubby does the same when he is home. When I am out sitting with them I'm looking about in all directions just checking all the time. My hubby says that the fox won't come in to the garden if either of us are out there but I just don't trust this fox to be honest.

We have wild birds nesting at the moment in our bird boxes. We have Blue Tits not far from the house which are fantastic to watch and Greenfinches in the box further away. Also Robins nesting in one of the hedges. In our log storing area which is quite away from the house we have a bird box attached to our huge tree for wild birds but the bees have made a home of it. We don't mind who lives in the boxes as we encourage bees with the flowers we grow anyway.

I made a bug hotel last year but I don't think anything is living in it yet as I haven't seen anything go in or out of it. I must remember to post a pic of it on here.

Edwink

edwink

Oh my goodness this netting is taking forever. We managed another 2 sections today thankfully so that's another 2 ticked off the long list. We have now managed to net over 100ft + we reckon. The netting is 6ft6 so we have to cut it in half length ways as straight as possible to keep it neat, then cut baton wood to correct length or leave it at ground length for extra support. Then screw and cable tie on to fence posts both ends of the netting and leave a few screws proud so they stick out a bit so we can stretch and attach the netting to the screws.

Both of us up a ladder in this heat with my hubbies Popeye style elbows bashing me in the face and neck is not my idea of fun but it has to be done. We found yet another area where it is pretty obvious that the fox has been leaping over just about. I say just because he/she, more likely a he this time of year is clipping the ivy and Honeysuckle covered fence which is about 6ft6 tall without the netting. There was a bald area in the ivy and snapped/broken stems with quite a few dead ivy and Honey Suckle leaves on the ground. So he is making his way over but only just as has disturbed the shrubs and there was a big dip where all and sundry were broken so no leaves in that bit. He won't give up will he? sadly.

We have also supervised very closely today for an hour at a time whilst Pingu and Hoppy have had a nice swim twice today. I say closely as hubby keeps hearing noises and goes off to investigate leaving me sitting with them. Pingu had a mad half hour and appears much happier now but Hoppy doesn't like the splashing because water goes everywhere including over me. So I sat with her at the side of the pond whilst she was just calmly floating keeping out of Pingu the nutters way. I splashed Hoppy gently and rubbed the water on her back in to her feathers. Then washed her bib and gave her some nice TLC whilst Pingu was still acting like a Looney. So nice to see Hoppy so relaxed and Pingu having fun. Gives hubby and I a break too whilst sitting with them and some quality time together but we have to stop fixing the netting up and just watch over them.

The fences, wait for it, are being done this weekend, hopefully. If not definitely next week, at long last. Materials have been ordered apparently, deposit paid and now just waiting for a phone call for the start date and materials to be delivered. I'm relieved as it is going to take a lot of weight off our shoulders having a new higher fence in two areas, one on the boundary of roughly 80ft at 6ft6 and the other across our land at 7ft. Both will also be netted as soon as our newly ordered netting arrives. We still have some netting left for tomorrows net fitting so can still carry on doing that.

I have just had a shower and I am sure I blocked the big drain plug thingy up as I had bits of ivy, twigs and bobbly bits from the Honeysuckle flowers being washed out of my hair. I thought I had brushed most of it out in the garden before I came in but when washing it that confirmed that I hadn't. Oh well nobody is perfect and my hair is right down my back so that's my excuse for not thoroughly brushing it first. Now have a clean top on and dungarees and when hair is dry I shall plait it so I have my pigtails back. Now I am doing nothing except for preparing salad supper and other healthy bits.

Right that's enough waffle from me. How is everyone else and their feathered friends. Its been really quite on here lately, where is everyone?. Busy with your feathered friends and enjoying this warm weather I hope. As long as all your girls are fine that the most important thing.


No firm decision made now on getting more hens because of this very persistent pesky fox. But, am thinking long and hard about it. Their safety for me is extremely important and I must insure it is safe to have them here first. Just keeping going getting jobs done, supervising the 2 ducks and once new fencing is in and all netting finished shall hopefully be able to make the decision then.


Thank you for reading if you got this far. Only just realised how long this post is, my goodness me I do waffle on don't I?.

Edwink

Cheery_Daff

Ha, I'm a waffler too Edwink and love reading your waffle! :j

Good to hear about your fence progress :j It:ll be up and ready for your new ladies in no time :j

All good here. In the last 3 weeks I've been to Scotland, the far side of Yorkshire, and Denmark, been full of cold, and done a muddy adventure race thing (as well as normal work etc) so that's my excuse for not being round much :rotfl:

Today our beaky pals have been out for about 4 hours this morning, but then had to go in their run while we went to the city for a few hours as we weren't sure what time we'd be back and won't rusk them still being out at dusk.

We got back earlier than thought so they've had an hour out following me round with the rake and have now gone back in the run again (weren't too keen but I tempted them with blueberries )

So all cheerful, just busy