Keeping Hens

[calismum]

For quite a while I have been considering having a few hens.

Really just a few to get some eggs from.

So - Advice on best breeds, age to buy etc would be welcomed.

Have done a bit of research and am now totally befuddled - point of lay for max eggs, but I don't want/need loads. How to keep them - total freedom, confined at night, in an enclosure or in one of these hen house things that get moved around the garden.

What advice, experience can you offer, and what is best number to keep 3/5 etc.

Thanks

[alexgirl73]

Hi CM

I am a relative novice in the world of chook keeping lol, Smudgley would probably be able to answer your questions better but I will give it a go.

I have 8 chickens (started off with 3 but they are addictive lol). They live in a converted shed with a run on the side. They get out to freerange in the back section of the garden as well though. I used to let them have all of the garden, but since I would like things to grow in my veggie patch, they now have to be confined!! Three is always a good number to start off with, that way if one unfortunately dies, the others have company still, and it's very difficult to integrate one chicken with others.

The hen houses that move around the garden are great, until you get fed up with moving it LOL! And tbh a permanent one is easier. You can get all sorts of fancy breeds, but good old warrens (the brown ones) are your best layers I find. They are great fun to keep and I wouldn't want to be without mine now

[Mags]

I'm sure Smudgley will be able to give you loads of advice CM, she's the 'chicken lady' amongst us.

[calismum]

Thanks alexgirl73 and Mags.

Never thought about the moving it about all the time, although I'd put it in the field beside the house so there'd be lots of space to move it around in - just wondered if it was too confined for them! I like the thought of hens running around free and popping into the kitchen etc. OH says they'd ruin the garden and s*** all over the kitchen so I've to be less 'romantic' and more 'sensible'.

[dinahsmum]

You might even think of bantams. Smaller than chooks and smaller eggs, though with the same size yolk as hens. You can get really gorgeous ones and you could have more in a small space, they won't do as much dmage round the place etc etc

[calismum]

Originally Posted by dinahsmum

You might even think of bantams. Smaller than chooks and smaller eggs, though with the same size yolk as hens. You can get really gorgeous ones and you could have more in a small space, they won't do as much dmage round the place etc etc

see - I knew catsey would be a great source of real info about chooks.

Thankyou

[angieh]

1st question: How many eggs per day will you and your family eat - do you want to be able to "sell" any surplus to friends (not talking about marketing - that's a different thing)

2nd question: Do you have predators around the farm - eg foxes. If you do, you really need to give major consideration to having a fox proof enclosure, with buried wirenetting as foxes will dig underneath and get at your hens.

3rd question: If you have a local breeder, it is probably best to go there because those hens will have already adapted to their environment. Hybrids are hardiest and tend to be the most consistent egg layers. Pure bred hens might look prettier!!! Point of lay is a good option, as you will have the best of their egg laying lives and at the start of their laying, they sometimes tend to lay double yolkers!

So first, get your fox-proofed enclosure, with an enclosed roof too if you want to exclude wild birds from eating your chicken feed/corn. Decide how many chickens you want and depending on that how large your hen house will need to be which depends on the number of nest boxes needed.

You can still let your chickens out in a field if you want during the day. Chickens put themselves to bed generally, but then their house needs to be shut up securely against the fox. Those things that you can move around the garden are good if you have a small number of birds, say 2 or maybe 3, but I found them to be heavy and I wasn't able to move it on my own. You really do need to move it every other day in order not to ruin your garden.

Other things: Chickens need to dust bathe so an area inside the enclosure where you can place a good sized tray for sand is great. You can add mite powder to their dust bath to keep them parasite free.

You will need somewhere dry and vermin free to store their sacks of feed/corn etc. They will need a hopper for their food and something to drink from.

Chickens are lovely - having your own eggs is special. I would thoroughly recommend it.

I think Smudgley keeps chooks.

[Mags]

You'll find more info on the different breeds here

[calismum]

Originally Posted by angieh

1st question: How many eggs per day will you and your family eat - do you want to be able to "sell" any surplus to friends (not talking about marketing - that's a different thing)

2nd question: Do you have predators around the farm - eg foxes. If you do, you really need to give major consideration to having a fox proof enclosure, with buried wirenetting as foxes will dig underneath and get at your hens.

3rd question: If you have a local breeder, it is probably best to go there because those hens will have already adapted to their environment. Hybrids are hardiest and tend to be the most consistent egg layers. Pure bred hens might look prettier!!! Point of lay is a good option, as you will have the best of their egg laying lives and at the start of their laying, they sometimes tend to lay double yolkers!

So first, get your fox-proofed enclosure, with an enclosed roof too if you want to exclude wild birds from eating your chicken feed/corn. Decide how many chickens you want and depending on that how large your hen house will need to be which depends on the number of nest boxes needed.

You can still let your chickens out in a field if you want during the day. Chickens put themselves to bed generally, but then their house needs to be shut up securely against the fox. Those things that you can move around the garden are good if you have a small number of birds, say 2 or maybe 3, but I found them to be heavy and I wasn't able to move it on my own. You really do need to move it every other day in order not to ruin your garden.

Other things: Chickens need to dust bathe so an area inside the enclosure where you can place a good sized tray for sand is great. You can add mite powder to their dust bath to keep them parasite free.

You will need somewhere dry and vermin free to store their sacks of feed/corn etc. They will need a hopper for their food and something to drink from.

Chickens are lovely - having your own eggs is special. I would thoroughly recommend it.

I think Smudgley keeps chooks.

Thank you for all that angieh.
In response -
1) 2 or 3 eggs a day would be ample.
2) We get the odd fox but they are generally much further away from the house. But I would still want to ensure any enclosure was fox (and pheasant) proof
3) Only know two folks hereabouts that we would consider buying from. One only sells pol Rhode Island Reds, the other shows a lot and tends to have fancier breeds but would maybe be able to point me to a local breeder.

So – I’m thinking if not the move around type then a small hut with a hole in the door to protect against weather and a small run fox proofed but the option to let them out and about might be ok.

The dust bath could be in the run as could a feeder. Feed will be stored with all our other animal feed.

Do you not have chooks any more then?

OH has just come in for lunch and is cursing you all for being so helpful

[calismum]

Originally Posted by Mags

You'll find more info on the different breeds here

Oh no, now I want one of each