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Chicken keepers

Meet others keeping chickens on our Mumsnet Chicken forum.

Original poster

Thinking of getting some Hens but...

25 replies

Hogiabach · 19/01/2009 07:31

We live in suburbia - lots of foxes! Is it hard work to keep them? What's the cost involved?
I've been looking at the Eglu Coop and was wanting to know if it's good?

Also what happens to the hens when you want to go on holiday?

Sorry lots of questions! All advice much appreciated.....

OP posts:
MrsBrendaDyson · 19/01/2009 07:33

i think keeping hens is ridiculous. Its become some sort of ubermater trend.

but good luck

madlentileater · 19/01/2009 09:06

can't comment on the eglu, I think people like them but they're expensive. Have not had a problem finding neighbours etc to look after hens- It's a quick job twice a day and they get eggs in return.

Original poster
Hogiabach · 19/01/2009 11:05

Good point about the neighbour madlentileater

OP posts:
bronze · 19/01/2009 15:02

Eglus are fantastic but dear. Wooden coops are cheaper but are so much more work (I have both) I would check what your neighbours think first then get a decent book and read up on it.
If you join the omlet forum you'll most likely find a sitter if you can't get someone you know ot look after them when you're away.

thesockmonsterofdoom · 29/01/2009 16:34

eglus are fab, keeping chickens is not ridiculous it is great fun. I have an eglu cube, very little work, about 10mins a day. My mum comes once a day when we are on holiday as I leave the house door open so they come and go as they please.
Eglu and cube are fox proof, run is fox resistant. my run is weighed down with bricks to increase safety.

conkertree · 29/01/2009 16:39

yup its not ridiculous to have them although we live in a wee village rather than an urban location - so would be a good idea to check with close neighbours.

If you only go away for a few days as well, they can look after themselves cause they wont over eat so you can leave a few days food for them, and they will not have eaten it all by the time you get back - just have to make sure their water won't freeze if you are away in the winter.

But free eggs is a great way to get neighbours involved as others have said.

conkertree · 29/01/2009 16:41

costs involved - we buy a big sack of pellets every month or so - about £12/13 a sack, and then corn for treats and sometimes extra grain - so not a huge expense at all - especially when you count your savings on buying eggs.

my 17 month old absolutely loves them too - loves chasing them round the garden.

Doodle2U · 29/01/2009 16:53

Eglus brilliant.

Not very expensive to keep.

Much fun involved and eggs are divine.

Chickens make good pets and shit ready made fertilizer.

So many reasons to keep chickens, so little time to extol them all.

Is jumping into the middle of a topic and describing the whole of that topic as ridiculous and reducing it and all those who participate as being nothing more than trend followers, a new trend?

thesockmonsterofdoom · 29/01/2009 17:06

anyway I think having children is ridiculous, at least chickens give you eggs.
I cant believe how that comment has made me.
I am in a very urban area btw and all my neighbours love the chooks.

Doodle2U · 29/01/2009 18:13

Narked me an' all! My first reply would have been reported! I had to tone it down!

Geepers · 29/01/2009 18:14

Chickens are gross. They shit more than any other creature known to man. And they smell. And they will shred your entire garden.

Doodle2U · 29/01/2009 18:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Geepers · 29/01/2009 18:30

Doodle2U, thank goodness we don't have your eloquent posting style, eh?.

Chickens do shit a lot.

They do wreck your garden.

They will ruin any grassed area.

You will not be able to let them free in a garden where young children play because they shit everywhere, a lot.

I won't be hiding the topic, nor will I 'off I fuck'.

Doodle2U · 29/01/2009 18:37

Actually Geepers, you are right. I apologise and just so you know, I reported myself right after I'd hit the 'Post Message' button.

My reaction to you was really a reaction to a post further down the thread. You are entitled to your opinion and I should have respected that.

BTW, "we don't have your eloquent posting style..." - who is we?

Geepers · 29/01/2009 18:40

I missed an 'all' out of my sentence.

Thank goodness we don't all have your eloquent posting style is what it should have said.

conkertree · 29/01/2009 20:18

they do shit a lot, but they only wreck your garden if you let them wander around over the whole lot - we set up areas that they can go to, and dont always let them on the grass so that it has time to recover if they have been pecking it a lot.

we go round picking up the shit from areas that ds will play in, and then mix it in to the veg patch since its good fertiliser.

Anything can either be seen as a problem or not depending on your attitude. Obviously if you dont like the shit, you dont have to keep chickens. If you are prepared to put in a bit of work to keep things fairly clean, they are great pets.

Geepers · 29/01/2009 20:22

The good points are they are cheap to keep after initial set-up, they are funny, the eggs are fabulous, and apart from the shit, they are fairly easy pets to keep. They can be left for a couple of days in a fox-proof run with food and water without needing anyone to come in and look after them.

bramblebooks · 29/01/2009 20:28

My hens are funny, adored by the kids, busy clearing the flower beds of pests and providing me with good fertiliser for the compost heap. Minimal maintainance for the eglu and people queuing up to care for them when we go on hols.

So far, reliable egg laying and a couple of comical girls enjoying life in the garden.

babypringle · 29/01/2009 20:32

Sorry to hijack, but what do you do when your chickens get sick/old?

I bought a book about keeping chickens which helpfully detailed how to ring their necks, but being a vegetarian softie I really don't think I could. But then it seems a bit to take a chicken to the vet...

Geepers · 29/01/2009 20:37

babypringle, take them to the vet, same as any other pet.

thesockmonsterofdoom · 30/01/2009 17:52

It really is true that any thread can kick off on mumsnet isnt it.
you have to remember we all love chooks, thats why we are on this section in the first place.
while they do shit a lot as has been pointed out many times, it is hardly offensive poo. I just go round the garden with a rubber glove and a bucket when they have been out, or leave it to the rain, takes 2 seconds. they have not wrecked my garden, they have access to all of it and it is only a small garden, they do eat some plants, I had a fuschia that they stripped in about 5 minutes, I replaced it with lavender which they dont go near.

Ratface · 31/01/2009 20:58

lol at a chicken thread kicking off !

hellymelly · 31/01/2009 21:08

Well I am relieved sockmonster,as we have just ordered our coop.I have never had chickens before so I am nervous too,but we have moved to a rural village and I have been waiting for years and years to have them so I am excited.Now I have to decide what to get-I only want two or three but we have ordered a coop to take 4 as I don't want them cramped.I didn't go for an eglu in the end as I thought wood would be more comfortable for the hens and also i think an eglu looks better in a more urban garden.Eglu looks easiest to clean though.

thesockmonsterofdoom · 01/02/2009 08:51

how exciting helly, you will not regret it I promise.

Doodle2u · 01/02/2009 13:18

Good luck Helly. Second the sockmonster - you'll love 'em!

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