Keeping Hens

[dandysmom]

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 that one!

[angieh]

I've been looking on YouTube - there is a whole episode of The Good Life from 1975 called "Say little hen" but whether the song is actually sung, I can't remember! It's a sort of nursery-rhyme type song - I can't do the tune but the words are

"Say little hen when when when
Will you lay me an egg for my tea?
Say little hen when when when
Will you try to supply one for me?
Make a little nest
Take a little rest
Do your very best
And I will do the rest
Say little hen when when when
Will you lay me an egg for my tea?"

(the words do tend to vary a bit as you can imagine.)

Then there's Chick chick chick chick chicken,
Lay a little egg for me ...... I'll see if I can track that -

(I am one sad woman - but at least a cat loves me!)

Here it is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jdn8Q1Fn8Q

[calismum]

Originally Posted by angieh

I've been looking on YouTube - there is a whole episode of The Good Life from 1975 called "Say little hen" but whether the song is actually sung, I can't remember! It's a sort of nursery-rhyme type song - I can't do the tune but the words are

"Say little hen when when when
Will you lay me an egg for my tea?
Say little hen when when when
Will you try to supply one for me?
Make a little nest
Take a little rest
Do your very best
And I will do the rest
Say little hen when when when
Will you lay me an egg for my tea?"

(the words do tend to vary a bit as you can imagine.)

Then there's Chick chick chick chick chicken,
Lay a little egg for me ...... I'll see if I can track that -

(I am one sad woman - but at least a cat loves me!)

Here it is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jdn8Q1Fn8Q

I know that one!

[smudgley]

Chickens.

Everyone should keep chickens, they are wondeful little creatures!

Breeds, (these are all hybrids) I love calder rangers, otherwise known as columbian blacktails. They have been bred as a good layer & are placid & docile & make wonderful pets. I like black rocks too, they are also very good layers and are hardy in all weathers and have a good resistance to disease. Any hybrid layers are your best bet. Isa browns, RIR, goldlines.

Light sussex are good layers if you want a bit of varirty in coat colour.

I would get them at POL. Day old chicks are cute, but hard work as they make such a mess, they are fairly easy to rear if kept in the right conditions but make a mess with their water & food and all the bedding gets messy very quickly, they need heat and a safe area away from puss cats!

How many - well, we have 7 now. Ours have a large hen house made by my hubby from a shed. It has nest boxes on the sides, so the eggs can be collected without disturbing the hens. If you just want some little pets and a few eggs, I would say get 3 or 4. (Not 2 though, if one pops-it, you'll be stuck with one and you'll need to find her a friend)

They are no trouble & easy to keep. They are cheap to feed and give a lot of pleasure. They love treats though, ours have tinned sweetcorn at bedtime.

They are nosy and will come in your house if given the chance, ours will wander in the conservatory if the door is open. In fact the other day John shouted me to show me that the dog & 3 of our cats & 4 of the hens were in there chillin out and the kids had left the TV on in there, so it looked like they were having a social gathering & watching the telly. I soon booted the hens out as the house is out of bounds.

Ours have a large run attached to their house where they are safe whilst we are at work, but are allowed free roam of the garden when we are there. Don't EVER think your chickens are safe from foxes. A fox will come from miles and sniff out some chooks. We have lost 2 lots to the foxes (1st time Ashleigh had collected the eggs from the old pen when you had to go into the hen house and locked the run door behind her but all the chickens were on the wrong side of the door, ie in the garden, we didn't realise and the fox had them all overnight. We got another batch and the next time Lucy had gone into the garden after school and let the hens out but it was pouring with rain, Lucy forgot to tell us they were out so we didn't put them to bed, fox had the lot) It's really sad when it happens and without sounding heartless it is an expense to replace them. My kids are older now & we have rules around the chickens.

If you go away you have to get someone in to look after them and if they have to be let in / out of the run you need somoene to come twice a day. Our run is attached to the pen with a little door for them which stays open so they can come and go and the run itself is completely fox proof. It is made of galvanised mesh panels which were from kennel runs and the roof is the same. Roof is also covered so they don't get wet in bad weather. So if we go away, it's just a case of someone popping in to collect the eggs once a day and check their food & water.

Eggs are great, it's like winning the lottery when you get your first one, hard to describe unless you've been there.

So in a nutshell, my advice would be get some POL hens from a reputable place, Calder rangers are my favourite. Get 3 or 4. Have a house that has an attached run which is safe. Don't be fooled that foxes won't get them, because they will day & night. Take lots of photos of them and post on Catsey.

The end!

[calismum]

Thank you for that smudgley. I am gathering all this info together and when lambing has quietened down will have a discussion with OH. I have wanted chooks for years but never really sat down and tried to do something about it.

I think we will opt for a small hen house/hut type building and a secure, covered run. The hens will be able to get out of the run.

I think 3-5 to start with, maybe a couple of different types and everyone seems to recommend hybrids and POL so that is how I'll start. I loved farthings idea about knowing who laid which egg.

Thanks for all your help everyone and I'll keep you up to date with developments.

(it's my birthday in the summer - and OH always looks for ideas - 5 chooks would be good )

[angieh]

Smudgley's advice re the fox is spot on. I am glad she has told you about her losses. Remember "as cunning as a fox" and as destructive and ruthless too, especially towards chickens and ducks too.

I love that Smudgley's chooks get tinned sweetcorn as a treat! That reminded me of another really good reason for having chooks. They love all the outside leaves and stalks of cabbages, broccoli etc and of course you can compost their used straw bedding and droppings! Wonderful for the garden.

If I were you I'd start collecting cards and pictures of chickens and just leaving them around your house as an aide memoire for your OH

[calismum]

Originally Posted by angieh

Smudgley's advice re the fox is spot on. I am glad she has told you about her losses. Remember "as cunning as a fox" and as destructive and ruthless too, especially towards chickens and ducks too.

I love that Smudgley's chooks get tinned sweetcorn as a treat! That reminded me of another really good reason for having chooks. They love all the outside leaves and stalks of cabbages, broccoli etc and of course you can compost their used straw bedding and droppings! Wonderful for the garden.

If I were you I'd start collecting cards and pictures of chickens and just leaving them around your house as an aide memoire for your OH

[dinahsmum]

And a nice house/run? www.flytesofancy.co.uk I hope that works - I'm working at a 'foreign' laptop, so haven't got my normal access to stored websites. Google flytesofancy if the link I gave fails.
.... and dont forget the bantams!

[angieh]

Cluck cluck! Designer chickens!

[calismum]

Originally Posted by dinahsmum

And a nice house/run? www.flytesofancy.co.uk I hope that works - I'm working at a 'foreign' laptop, so haven't got my normal access to stored websites. Google flytesofancy if the link I gave fails.
.... and dont forget the bantams!

Link worked fine thanks - now I'm compiling a 'shopping list' (including the bantams!!!!)