Ex-battery Hens & Chicken Advice Generally Please

beetrootjuicer

Just to update you all: been in touch with the Battery Hen Welfare Trust for more information and am waiting to hear from them. Whole family now getting very keen on the idea - DH engrossed in plans to build the run, even grandma's getting misty-eyed about them remembering when her granny kept chickens.

Still wondering if I ought to wait til spring though - worried they'll suffer from the cold if they're short of feathers and come out of a warm battery house.

Magentasue

They'll feel the cold and look dead miserable in the rain but they will adapt. Worse that cold is damp - the coup needs to be well ventilated. In a small coup, a few hens will generate quite a bit of heat and you can insulate with plenty of shavings/straw.

Outside, they'll need to be able to shelter from wind and rain. Cold doesn't seem to be such a problem even without feathers. They moult every year to some degree and even when they look oven ready, they wander around quite happily.

So, yeah, spring makes sense but I'm sure they'd be fine now,

lindens

I wondered if anyone can answer me a few questions please.
I live in the 'burbs - will i be allowed to keep chickens? we have a largeish garden but live on an estate - am i living in a dreamland to think i will be able/fair/allowed to keep hens?
I also have 2 cats , presumably not a problem? they dont chase birds anyway, only mice and frogs

Hapless_2

Check your property deeds, some properties including ex council, have clauses that forbid the keeping of livestock. Chickens are classed as livestock.

Hapless_2

Also some councils forbid the keeping of chickens in their properties and can be a clause for eviction.

lindens

Good point as its shared ownership with housing association.
I have checked with them and there is nothing from their point of view to stop me.
I presume you mean as a council tenant rather than the council just not allowing me as a tax payer?
There is a farm accross the fields from me who has a cockerel and donkey which i can hear on a daily basis.

Magentasue

We live in a residential area with neighbours on both sides. We asked both out of courtesy although our chickens are quieter and more productive than our children and we didn't ask anyone about them.

Our deeds do prohibit us from burying people in the garden but not from keeping chickens.

Cats will do a bit of chasing out of curiosity when they first meet but tend to be put off by the squawking and flapping they get in reply. We have two cats and a spaniel and they all share the garden. Chicks are a different matter - they're no more than a large mouthful for a cat.

beetrootjuicer

Magentasue wrote: »

We live in a residential area with neighbours on both sides. We asked both out of courtesy although our chickens are quieter and more productive than our children and we didn't ask anyone about them.

Our deeds do prohibit us from burying people in the garden but not from keeping chickens.

.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Please keep posting, Magentasue. You make me laugh so much!

Hapless_2

lindens wrote: »

Good point as its shared ownership with housing association.
I have checked with them and there is nothing from their point of view to stop me.
I presume you mean as a council tenant rather than the council just not allowing me as a tax payer?
There is a farm accross the fields from me who has a cockerel and donkey which i can hear on a daily basis.

When my brother had his house, when he bought it from the council there was a bylaw which prevented the keeping of livestock in residential areas. The farm would be classed as agricultural. We can't keep chickens but we live 40 yds from a dairy farm.
Our neighbours own their houses so they can, so we may come up with some sort deal where they have them in their unused garden but we care for them.

lindens

Thats a shame hapless i hope you can sort it out.
I have checked with both HA and council and they are both fine about keeping hens. the council said if i want a cockerel i need a licence. But i dont want one so its OK.
Off to do more research and talk OH into it;)