Keeping Hens

[angieh]

I started with 4 Black Rocks (Rhode Island Red x Barred Plymouth Rock) but 1 died - I found these hens to be not particularly easy. Good layers and very hardy but quite aggressive. http://www.blackrockhens.co.uk/

Then I got some Isa Browns - who were much friendlier but not nearly as hardy as the Black Rocks.

When we had our garden redesigned and completely remodelled, the remaining chooks, who had by then passed their best egg laying days were found a retirement home.

I had made the mistake of giving them names!

I found the cats after an initial interest left them well alone, but we did have a strange dog come into the garden that chased them (they all had free range of the garden) and put them off their lay for a while.

Please apologise to your OH from me - I didn't know that he wasn't in on this enterprise! He will be once he tastes the eggs!

[dandysmom]

How wonderful, CM; wish I could keep a few; City regs don't allow it. My grandma kept White Leghorns and a few banties; for some reason I can't remember she disliked Rhode Island Reds. I wasn't allowed to name them, because when they stopped laying they were destined for the pot! Do keep us posted n the enterprise, I find it very interesting!

[farthing]

Hi CM,
we have 25 chickens and keep them in 5 big permanent runs- seperate runs to keep the cockerels from killing each other.
We have them in 6 x 4 BandQ sheds with a nest box added and some perches. This works out cheaper than buying a fancy hen house and you can also keep the food and water inside, as recommended these days. As said before you need to make sure whatever you decide to do is safe for the hens.

If you just want eggs for youselves, you can afford to go for rare breeds who don't lay as much, but look nice. If you want lots of eggs, go for something like a black rock, which is a hybrid designed for free range. A rare breed chicken will lay maybe 200 eggs in her first couple of years and then the numbers start to drop, a hybrid will lay over 300 in her first couple of years.
What might be a good idea is to get 3 to start with and after 3-4 years whe egg numbers start to drop get another couple. It is much better to add more than one bird or the poor thing gets severly hen pecked, at least the abuse is more spread out if there are a few to pick on.

Initially we chose 5 breeds so we could get different colours of eggs- araucuna for blue eggs, maran and welsummer for dark brown eggs, speckled sussex for cream eggs and a scots dumpy for white eggs.( the rest are all rescues)its much more fun when you know who laid what.
Another option would be ex-free range/battery hens as both are culled at 2 years old as they no longer are commercially viable.
Good luck and enjoy.

[calismum]

Originally Posted by dandysmom

How wonderful, CM; wish I could keep a few; City regs don't allow it. My grandma kept White Leghorns and a few banties; for some reason I can't remember she disliked Rhode Island Reds. I wasn't allowed to name them, because when they stopped laying they were destined for the pot! Do keep us posted n the enterprise, I find it very interesting!

I am quite excited about it too. I remember my grandfathers friend saying Rhode Island Reds were over rated! I really don't know what breed I'll end up with.

Obviously, firstly I need to decide on accomodation and get all the accessories required before I get them. Then I'll be able to bore you all with 'guess what my chooks are up to' stories.

[calismum]

Originally Posted by farthing

Hi CM,
we have 25 chickens and keep them in 5 big permanent runs- seperate runs to keep the cockerels from killing each other.
We have them in 6 x 4 BandQ sheds with a nest box added and some perches. This works out cheaper than buying a fancy hen house and you can also keep the food and water inside, as recommended these days. As said before you need to make sure whatever you decide to do is safe for the hens.

If you just want eggs for youselves, you can afford to go for rare breeds who don't lay as much, but look nice. If you want lots of eggs, go for something like a black rock, which is a hybrid designed for free range. A rare breed chicken will lay maybe 200 eggs in her first couple of years and then the numbers start to drop, a hybrid will lay over 300 in her first couple of years.
What might be a good idea is to get 3 to start with and after 3-4 years whe egg numbers start to drop get another couple. It is much better to add more than one bird or the poor thing gets severly hen pecked, at least the abuse is more spread out if there are a few to pick on.

Initially we chose 5 breeds so we could get different colours of eggs- araucuna for blue eggs, maran and welsummer for dark brown eggs, speckled sussex for cream eggs and a scots dumpy for white eggs.( the rest are all rescues)its much more fun when you know who laid what.
Another option would be ex-free range/battery hens as both are culled at 2 years old as they no longer are commercially viable.
Good luck and enjoy.

Thanks for that farthing. Like the idea of different egg colours. I had heard ex battery hens would struggle to be outside birds in our extreme weather - is that rubbish do you think?

We are not huge egg eaters so I'm not too bothered about volume.

[farthing]

I would think battery hens would be a bit less sturdy, but if you get them at this time of year it gives then time to build up for winter. The advantage of a shed would mean that they could stay if it was a bad day.

[angieh]

Just think of all those cakes!!!!

[random]

My mum is getting some too so I have enjoyed this, exciting times!

[angieh]

If you get POL, you have to sing to them to encourage them to lay ...... you know the song, I'm sure .......

"Say little hen, when, when, when
Will you lay me an egg for my tea?"

(I used to be called "Mad Chicken Lady" too!)

[calismum]

Originally Posted by random

My mum is getting some too so I have enjoyed this, exciting times!

Oh, we'll be able to compare notes etc.

Originally Posted by angieh

If you get POL, you have to sing to them to encourage them to lay ...... you know the song, I'm sure .......

"Say little hen, when, when, when
Will you lay me an egg for my tea?"

(I used to be called "Mad Chicken Lady" too!)

Never heard of this song

- mad chicken lady