Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Ethical living

Discover eco friendly brands and sustainable fashion on our Ethical Living forum.

Original poster

Keeping Chickens - how easy is it?

39 replies

satc2bringiton · 19/04/2010 11:14

Me and DH are thinking about getting 4 chickens for the back garden.

Have spoken to the council & neighbours and they are fine with it. We have also been doing lots of reading online.

Would love a idea from people in RL that already have some.

Are they easy to clean out etc?

OP posts:
Littleblue · 19/04/2010 11:16

They are a doddle really..but read everything you can..and shut them in at Dusk..easy pickings for Mr Fox otherwise!..be warned,their doodoo stinks something chronic (if you get it on you)..as livestock goes..they don't hum too bad..don't get a cockerel!

LilyBolero · 19/04/2010 11:18

They are really easy to keep, but I keep mine in an enclosed coop/run because the foxes come day or night, even in broad daylight. They have plenty of space though and are really happy.

We have the run/coop on paving slabs, so nothing can dig under, then use equine bedding (aubiose or easibed) for them to scratch in. V easy to clean - just scrape up the bedding material and put fresh down.

Original poster
satc2bringiton · 19/04/2010 11:18

Yeah we would definetely keep them in at night as we do have lots of foxs around us.

Not planning on getting a cockerel

Do they make much noise?

OP posts:
LilyBolero · 19/04/2010 11:24

not a lot of noise.

If you have them out during the day unsupervised, be prepared for the fox to get them. The only way to be 100% safe is to have them secure at all times.

Original poster
satc2bringiton · 19/04/2010 11:26

Thanks lily I will bear that in mind

OP posts:
Littleblue · 19/04/2010 11:30

They like to show off when they lay..depends on what breed your after?

Original poster
satc2bringiton · 19/04/2010 11:37

DH wants to get Sussex breed.

OP posts:
chickensaresafehere · 19/04/2010 11:45

I love my chickens,have had them for 3 years now.They are greatCannot recommend them enough,but be warned once you get them you'll be hooked.
We are on the waiting list for some ex-batts,as we have just bought a second hand omlet cube from e-bay!!
Good advice from others about foxes & getting a decent henhouse.Be warned though if you let them in your garden to free-range they WILL wreck it!!!Happy Chickening!!

Littleblue · 19/04/2010 12:05

Sussex are great..amiable and good layers,if you have little kids i recommend Pekins wholeheartedly...so benign and cte..great layers.....of teeny eggs

Original poster
satc2bringiton · 19/04/2010 14:23

Im feeling quite excited now and cant wait to start looking for coops etc

Yes, I do have DC's and I childmind, so all the kids are looking hoping we get some.

Thanks for all the tips.

OP posts:
Littleblue · 19/04/2010 16:22

The eglu's supposed to be fab...but chooks arent fussy have fun...they are nice to have about!

Original poster
satc2bringiton · 19/04/2010 19:05

I have my eye on this £365 set

OP posts:
nappyzoneloveslindor · 19/04/2010 19:16

I would love some i really would - that 2m kit though do they stay in that all the time or do you let them out to wreck your garden and if you do do they amble back in at dusk or do you have to chase them round the garden like a loon? Also finally im worm phobic - do they drag up worms and cause a worm fest in your garden? Thought id come in with my stupid arse questions

ThatVikRinA22 · 19/04/2010 19:24

am watching thread with interest - have also decided to get some for eggs.

nappyzoneloveslindor · 19/04/2010 19:26

I have guinea pigs two of them i clean twice a week, pet daily and fedd oviously daily twice in fact. Are they harder than that? Would i be ok to go to work and leave them in their eglu thig all day or is that a bit battery hen farming cruel?

LilyBolero · 19/04/2010 19:58

It would be worth getting the run extension to give them as much space as possible. We have 2 coops/runs, each with 3 hens in, the coop bit is 3ftx3ft, and the outdoor run is 9ftx3fr (homemade, so we just made it what 'looked' right). I wouldn't like them to have any less space than that tbh, but those dimensions seem to work well. So they basically have 12x3 ft, but stay in all the time, unless we are in the garden and let them out. But tbh they are so happy in their run, they don't come out much, and it does avoid having chicken poo all over the garden to be trodden in by children!

bramblebooks · 19/04/2010 20:24

we have 4 chickens in a cube with extra extension and 2 in an eglu classic. Any more would be a bit crowded imho. I think a cube with 3m of run would do 5 chickens, but once I combine the 2 little flocks I'll have to get another metre of run as I've tried all 6 in together and there's carnage (no it's not just settling in, they've had since September and are fine free ranging together!).

I like the eglu go, but the classic has that bit more room if you want to house four, if you are going for any more than 2 you'll definitely need a run extension.

How about trying for a second hand cube from the eglus/cubes for sale section or from ebay?

and btw, chicken keeping is fab - and addictive, so if you have a cube you'll have room for more!

Hassled · 19/04/2010 20:29

Yes, they put themselves to bed at night and you just have to close the door behind them. The only downside I'd say is that they poo more than you would believe possible - if you let them wander around the whole garden, it will be a complete poo-fest before you know it. I've not noticed much in the way of pulling up worms. We're down to one - I'm very fond of her. She follows me around the garden like a dog.

nappyzoneloveslindor · 19/04/2010 20:31

so their run thing is covered in poop? - do you have to dig said poop up or do you have some fancy liner (i use newspaper in my guinea hutch and just roll it up and put a new "carpet" down). I am so of you all.

SethStarkaddersMum · 19/04/2010 20:37

I've been surprised by how little poo there is, after reading all these apocalyptic accounts on here
I think they do 4-5 poos per day each (plus the same again overnight in the Eglu).
I suppose that is a lot really but it doesn't take long to scoop it all up.

SethStarkaddersMum · 19/04/2010 20:40

Mine are in the Eglu run most of the time, which we keep on the lawn and move a couple of times a week, and free-ranging the rest of the time.
After moving the Eglu I scoop/rake up the poo/moss they've scratched up.

stealthsquiggle · 19/04/2010 21:20

I have to refrain from posting on these threads, because we are surrounded by commercial shoots, so, funnily enough - no foxes! Our chickens have entirely free run of the garden all day every day and put themselves to bed every night (we do then shut them in and let them out in the morning)

You need wire under whatever you lay for the coop floor, though - you will be amazed what rats can undermine - our brick floor is history and one of this summer's jobs is to dig it all up and lay chicken wire underneath.

Our 4 have done our (large and shaggy) lawn the power of good in that they have eaten a fair proportion of the unfeasibly large number of ants nests, and some of the snails, and have raked a ton of moss and dead grass out.

Top tip for their house would be wood shavings (buy by the bale - like they use for stables) - it absorbs a huge amount of moisture so you can get away with cleaning out less frequently - we use a thick layer in the house and a thin layer under shredded paper in the nesting box.

LilyBolero · 19/04/2010 21:26

We haven't had any problems with rats at all, I don't think they could get through the paving slabs (unless they were SUPER STRONG rats).

hellymelly · 19/04/2010 21:27

I had three free range in our garden,they did trash it but they were worth it ,and then the fox got the lot,so now we have two bantams as we keep them in a run,and only let them free when we are in the garden and we have shut our dog in and captured next-door's cat and shut him in too.they love being free and I wish we could have them out all the time.Chickens are fab.They do poo like a herd of buffalo.They do dig everwhere and make dust baths in the borders,but they are so entertaining and great company in the garden.Bantams might be better for you than full sized,they have smaller poos (a plus) and they are more suited to a smaller space.

stealthsquiggle · 19/04/2010 21:27

Lily - you are indeed probably better off with paving slabs. They didn't exactly get through our bricks - they undermined them until whole bricks fell down into their tunnels' leaving holes