Allotments and chickens

paul_raynes

I'm currently interested i the idea of renting an allotment. I'm just wondering if anyone has a rough figure on what is a good price to pay and also how much cheaper it is compared to buying fruit and veg at the supermarket.

I'm also interested in the idea of keeping chickens but i don't know how much effort goes into looking after them and how much it costs to keep around 6.

dan1979

70p pack of seeds = abundance of <insert name here> for a couple of years, there's really no way you can compare the costs - it's virtually nothing, only limit is the space you have.

Doubt you can have any live animals on an allotment besides which chickens need regular feeding and checking on.

Seakay

Cardiff 2007 prices are in a pdf at the top right of the page.
http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2868%2C4407%2C4408&parent_directory_id=2865
Not all allotments will allow you to keep livestock, in fact most won't, so you should check that out with your local authority.
It's very hard to predict money saving without knowing what you usually spend and what you intend to grow, but you will always gain in nutrition because your home grown stuff will be so fresh.

Penelope_Penguin

You can keep hens on some York allotments for sure, so it may be worth asking. They're not much trouble, though the initial outlay for housing, fencing, feeder, drinker, can be considerable.

If you do a forum search there are loads of threads on keeping hens.

V_Chic_Chick

As others have said, lots of allotments will only let you keep bees, or nothing at all. Some may have tightened up even more in the wake of the hysteria over bird flu.

As for the mechanics of keeping chickens, they need twice daily attention, first thing in the morning and last thing at night. If you really want to be trekking to the allotment before work, and afterwards, whatever the weather, then go ahead, but I know that I wouldn't be doing that unless the allotment was across the road.

If you have a garden, then you more than likely have enough space. As I have written here, you only need:

Large Chickens (sussex, wyandotte)
Sq ft/bird outside 10
Sq ft/bird inside 2

Laying hens (leghorns, hybrids)
Sq ft/bird outside 8
Sq ft/bird inside 1.5

Bantams (serama, dutch, japanese, diminuative breeds)
Sq ft/bird outside 4
Sq ft/bird inside 1

These are the minimum requirements and they will, of course, be happier if you give them more.

Whilst the day to day costs of keeping them are miniscule (about 5p/bird/day) the initial set up costs can be horrendus, although the cost can be roughly halved if you can build the coop yourself. Either way, you need a coop, run, feeder, drinker, grit bowl and things like that, and you will be spending upwards of £150 for a homemade coop, and upwards of £400 for a bought in one.

arkonite_babe

Allotments threads here on Greenfingers

Chickens threads here on Greenfingers


Some older threads which may be of use to you for further reading

Boudica

I am allowed to keep chickens on my allotment but i've deicded against it for me. The time involved just doesn't fit in with the other things I need to do in a day. They need to be seen twice a day, fed once a day and checked every day for red mites and other little pests. You also need to clear out the hen house daily and completely scrub it out once a week to keep pests down. You would also have to check for site security as there have been cases of sickos getting in and killing the chickens. Sad, but true. If I could keep chickens at home I would.

Think carefully, as you will have to dedicate a lot of time to caring for them correctly. It's not something to be undertaken lightly.