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Does anyone keep chickens?

157 replies

KatieMac · 14/01/2005 20:49

Is it easy?

Can anyone do it?

What will I need?

What do I need to know?

OP posts:
gingerbear · 27/04/2005 21:39

Ginger would like to report that she is now on the mend and has chased Babs away for being so horrid to her whilst she was so ill. You know who your friends are in times of trouble believe me......

handlemecarefully · 27/04/2005 21:48

Redsky - as a chicken aficionado, can you answer PFP's question about Arks versus eglu's in terms of fox impregnability? I'd like to know the same...

handlemecarefully · 27/04/2005 21:48

KatieMac

Are they difficult to get hold of then?

KatieMac · 27/04/2005 22:07

I don't think so - I've just been tied up with my extension...so I've not done much

OP posts:
charleypops · 27/04/2005 22:12

Do any of you eat your chickens? I'd rather eat my own chickens than buy them from a supermarket that have had a crap life. I am hoping to keep chickens next time we move.

Tommy · 27/04/2005 22:56

I am hen sitting for my friend at the moment as she is on holiday. She has 3 in an urban back garden. She has no plans to eat them

HRHDuchessofPeahead · 27/04/2005 23:05

well in terms of foxes getting in they will either get underneath the run or through the door. to get underneath the run they either dig (which is why it is important to move the run as often as possible) or bodily move it, and the Forsham ark is v heavyso impossible for them to do that. I don't know how heavy the eglu is. Re getting through the door, my local clever foxes did manage to UNDO the latches of the forsham, get in and eat my chickens but I emailed them about that and now they put super heavy colditz style latches on them) (as opposed to jsut butterfly latches) so they should be impregnable really.

HRHDuchessofPeahead · 27/04/2005 23:07

I don't have enough to eat but as soon as one of my hens goes broody we are going to try raise a clutch and then any cockerels are for the table I'm afraid!

HRHDuchessofPeahead · 27/04/2005 23:11

ps may I recommend this fabulousmagazine which also has a very good forum for all your chicken related questions?! hehehehe

redsky · 28/04/2005 08:22

Tigerfairy - chickens are really easy to look after. All they need is food and water daily (much more of both than you would think for their size), poo tray in their bed area needs cleaning out about fortnightly and we move the 'eglu' to a fresh patch of grass about fortnightly.
As for the vet visits - we felt pretty stupid about it - 30 minute drive to suitable vet (our local one didn't do birds) - how much would it cost? - was it worth it for just a chicken etc? Anyway pleasant surprise as vet took it all very seriously, prescribed appropriately and all up paid I think less than £20. (£10 for consultation). Not bad I thought.

I think the eglu is pretty well fox-proof. It is quite heavy to move. The bed area is a completely enclosed plastic capsule so has no access underneath. To open the door from the bed area into the run you lift and turn a knob. To open the front of the run there is a wire stake threaded through two loops and pushed into the ground. The sides of the run (strong wire) extend about 10 inches to lie flat on the grass all around the run which makes it difficult for anything to get in that way.

tigerfairy · 28/04/2005 20:04

Thanks for your advice Redsky. Thats me sold! Better start saving and just gotta convince everyone else now. Chickens here we come

handlemecarefully · 28/04/2005 22:16

I think I'll go for the forsham ark - thanks PPH. I'm getting the ark plus some chickens for my birthday!!! (bit different to perfume or beauty treatments I suppose)

Pol25 · 28/04/2005 22:18

had 6 bantams at last jobs I worked at easy to keep, don't really need to know much either. they're great!

handlemecarefully · 28/04/2005 22:25

P.S.

I can't tell you how excited I am....

HappyDaddy · 28/04/2005 22:29

I've got a couple in my freezer...

handlemecarefully · 28/04/2005 22:31

lol!

jasper · 28/04/2005 22:44

I used to.
the amount of sh*t they produce is quite extraordinary and is the only reason I ould not have them again.

handlemecarefully · 28/04/2005 22:57

Don't you go bursting my bubble.

However, i don't care about shit - if it's on the grass outside. If it was in the house that would be different.

handlemecarefully · 28/04/2005 22:58

Well to be honest I don't like it on the climbing frame or garden furniture either...

HappyDaddy · 28/04/2005 22:59

Hope you don't sit on your grass often, then...

redsky · 28/04/2005 23:12

We've fenced off half the garden with some green netting but both the chickens usually manage to escape during the day. Today I found them both halfway up the staircase to our flat and had to clean up poo off the doormat!

handlemecarefully · 28/04/2005 23:27

nice!

HRHDuchessofPeahead · 29/04/2005 11:13

oh hmc, enjoy them!

and if you keep them in the ark full time the poo is contained. move the ark every other day and you won't have a poo problem, it just fertiisesl your lawn beautifully!

darlingbud · 29/04/2005 11:18

Yes - I keep chickens in my freezer (sorry couldn't resist).

I am an animal lover BTW!!

WideWebWitch · 29/04/2005 11:20

We've just been to a farm and I want some chickens! But we can't, our garden is VERY poxy.