Topic: To get or not to get?

[weston]

Hi all, I am debating wheather to get some chooks for my new allotment.
I don't really eat eggs and I would like some chooks because I just like them, I want to save a few from the battery farm up the road, has anyone got any ideas on how many I should get and the size run/home I need for them?

Thanks x :)

[goodlife]

I love keeping chickens....they are such a good fun and so useful too!
It doesn't matter if you are not eating any eggs..even better..they are good currency for swapping for other useful things. I have never found any problems with not having any egg takers.
After weeding you can chuck your weedpile for your chikens to sort through, some time later you clear those into your compost bin + droppings= ready activated and fertilised good stuff.
After while you do not need use much other fertilizers when you have your own good compost. If you only want few, 6 chickens is plenty for one person..they have potential to give you aprox 5 eggs a day..everyday..most of the year!
As for room wise...well my 6 girls are housed into 8x4 ft.shed with with 8x8ft. pen outside. With that room they are comfortable and there havent been any "hen pecking" going  on...just to give some idea...
 

[prink13]

Hi Graham, I have 4 chickens in a run approx 10ft wide by 30ft long - plenty of room for them, they have a house - with two nest boxes, and also a couple of compost bins in which they can shelter, as it's quite exposed up here.

Hope this is a small help

Kathi

[hazelize_uk]

For sizing an easy guide is a foot square per hen inside and a metre square each hen for the run as minimums  :)

[GodfreyRob]

Just to add that hens love to scratch - and the small areas mentioned above will soon be scratched bare and turn into swamps when it rains. The grass never gets a chance to grow back either.
If possible try to have at least two runs. Only allow the chicks into a single run. Then when that one starts to look battered close it off and let them into the other whilst the first recovers. I would even go so far as the restrict access to several hours a day if the areas are small.
With a bit of luck they will then have grass/weeds all the year round - healthier hens, less mud and cleaner eggs ;)

[Philbasford]

we are lucky in that we have a nice large garden(a corner plot ) which is fenced in alround by six foot fences so the girls get to  roam free from getting up to going to bed.they have a large grass area, beds in which we are planting chicken resistant/friendl plants /bushes and a greenhouse where they can go in during wet weather and have a dust bath!:)

[weston]

Thank you all so much, I think I am going to go ahead and get some chooks. I am very excited now. So are you saying that I put all my weeds and cuttings in with my chooks and what ever is left can go onto the soil heap?

[KimT]

Just to chip in here..................Hens are the things I have ever had.................just love them. If you don't eat the eggs your self they are good for swaps e.g veg etc..........good bargining tool!

Good luck and enjoy.

[goodlife]

Thank you all so much, I think I am going to go ahead and get some chooks. I am very excited now. So are you saying that I put all my weeds and cuttings in with my chooks and what ever is left can go onto the soil heap?

Yep...that is what I do..
I do not have luxury for large runs and my run would go muddy if I would not provide scratching material regular basis. I have build plastic roof/cover over the pen to keep worst of the rain away and keep some straw as bedding + weeds and old greens (cabbages etc.). Then every so often I just clear it all out and into compost bin.
Winter I tend to dig it straight into ground where it readily rots down for the spring/summer....I do not waiste nothing..
It is a little bit of extra work..but "beggars" can't be choosers...
In shed I use woodshavings as bedding, as this do not get muddy, it is used twice. From shed to pen and then with rest of the pen bedding into compost bin.
For me the cheapest way to get woodshaving is from horsebedding suppliers.
When I weed perennials like dandelions or dog etc. I do keep them separate from other weeds..they do not go to chickens...tough things to kill..but if dandelions have good top growth..I'll just chop that off ...my chickens favourite...dandelion leaves...
All this may sound complicated, but it is just matter of programing yourself for to do things sertain way...and then it come as rutine.
I do let my girl out of the pen into big wild world..garden....every other day..when I'm around as they are allowed to strech their legs only under strict supervision...give them free run for half'n hour and the garden looks like world war site..plants dug up etc..
We are not allowed to keep chickens in our allotments, but I'm lucky to live next to my plots so weelbarrowing stuff backwards and forwards is not propblem.
You'll find out your arrangement soon enough...but just go for it...
you get tons of laughs with them...chikens are so comical.. 

[teresa]

I dont eat many eggs, but I do bake cakes and pastry and the colour of a sponge useing my own eggs lot better than shop bought eggs.
My girls are at home so I move the poo to lottie and bring the weeds etc home for them works for me.
On the lottie last year I grew kale and was growing it for the hens to eat through the summer and winter as greens.
You can have so much fun with hens they are funny its lovely they get excited to see you.

[Old bird]

Yes Yes Yes Graham!!

Are you Weston Super Mare?  It is me being nosy - I am due some soon from the Battery Hen Welfare Trust who fetch them from a farm Bristol way - was wondering whether they may be from the same place.

I am just so excited now and I have nearly completed the house and run and am trying very hard to be paitient!

They deserve to have a pleasant life having survived the horrid conditions that they are currently in.

Can't wait.  Hope I get mine before you!!!!!

Old Bird

 ;D