Chickens and ducks

[PaulaB]

Well I am now trying to get a full plot allotment, if I can I will have 1 1/2 allotmernts and am thinking about keeping a few chickens and a couple of ducks.  So can you tell me what i need I am thinking of somthing like this
http://www.forshamcottagearks.com/chicken-runs/safeguard-poultry-house.htm

or this
http://www.pinnegarandbarnesstables.com/page7.htm
What are the pros and cons of keeping livestook what do I need to do to keep them healthy.  I work 12 hour shifts on a 2 on 2 off 3 on 2 off 2 on 3 off pattern but could go to check and feed the birds before or after and then there is the every other week when I can be on the allotment 5 days out of the week.  Are there any books to read first?  Would a talk with my vet on health problems be advisable?  I want to spend the next 12 months learning as much as possible to make an informed decision on whether to do this or not and make sure that I can keep the animals in good condition.  I do realise it is a long term project and don't want to mess up on it as the birds will be the ones to suffer if I do.

[Geoff H]

I think chicks go quite well with vegetable growing. Chickens are great at clearing up annual weeds and crop debris and they manure as they go. i went down the route of investing in an electric fence so i can move them around, so I dont have an attached run. Each of my hens gets 10 square metres to forage in. I am trying to split my area into two so that they graze one area while I rest and reseed the other. I find that chickens don't dig into grassland if they have bare earth they can dig holes in. Mine turn the bare earth areas into something that looks like an area that has suffered intensive shell fire. When I go round I will see several heads peering out of a shell hole as though they are watching out for an enemy. I am reseeding the resting areas with pasture grass and white clover.
I also invested in an automatic door opener. This means I don't have to be there at the same time each morning to let them out and don't have to put them to bed. I go down to give them corn, check them over and sort out the water... and collect eggs. i usually pop by in the afternoon when walking the dog  just to see them and at present I check them after dark using a torch just to do a head count - just to make sure they all got in the door. I will probably stop doing the last visit. I only installed the door opener and closer yesterday and the last chicken seems to go in about 25 minutes before the door comes down. I haven't a clue what time it opens but it is a god send not having to run round  to open them up.
I think that you could do without feeding the corn, it is really just a treat and they mainly eat layers pellets that they get ad lib via a feeder. So at a pinch you might get away with one visit a day at certain times if you had the right set up.
Try reading Katie Thear's book on Free Range Poultry or her book Starting with chickens
P.S. You will need a bigger compost heap. They produce a lot of poo.

[Geoff H]

You mention ducks as well. They are going to need water. They at least need to be able to wash in water and probably something that they can get into and at least splash about in - and that will need changing regularly. Their housing requirements are different. Chickens perch, ducks dont. Also they need a wider pop hole than chickens and i understand they are not as good at getting themselves to bed as chickens.

[PaulaB]

Thanks for the help, I want to spend some time learning as much as I can before doing this, if I mess up with a packet of seeds there is no big problem.  Mess up with a birds life isn't fair to the bird and I want to do it properly.

[Funky Farmer]

May I suggest you get Khaki Campbell ducks. The lay well and can be let loose in your garden. They won't eat your veg but love slugs and snails.

[Plot69]

May I suggest you get Khaki Campbell ducks.

I was going to suggest Campbells, I had a couple of white ones. Couldn't keep them in my garden though, they poo twice as much as a small hoarse and boy does it pong!.

Great if you have the space though.

[Robert_Brenchley]

My sister tried some once, and when they didn't lay (she may have been too impatient) we ate them.