Topic: Clipping chicken's wings and other questions

[cocopops]

Having originally refused point blank to keep chickens in my new garden I am now starting to change my mind.  When we moved in we had a hen house which we gave away, silly me :(  It was a bit pokey compared with some pics I have seen on this site, so I could get my husband to build a new one which would give the birds more space.  Our garden is secure for our young children, and there is still chicken mesh running round the perimeter (around very bushy trees etc.). 

I read on another posting that the chickens need their wings clipped to stop them flying, is this a diy job or should I get a professional to do it? Also any ideas on how many hens we would need to provide enough eggs for a family of four, who love eggs.  Meat here in Brittany is quite expensive, so we are eating less and less, and as a result of egg intake is getting quite high.  The pictures on the television of the turkeys in captivity have also made me think a bit more about the conditions poultry is kept in. 

Also, I have some other really dumb questions (i.e.do we have really have to have a cockerel?) so any pointers to good websites on poultry keeping would be appreciated.

[Marymary]

I can answer a couple of your questions & leave the wing clipping thing to others - I never do it.  You probably need 4 or 5 hybrids to keep you in eggs - more if you go for pure breeds - though they will go off lay for a month or so each year when you will still need to buy eggs - we just don't eat any till ours start laying again.

Good website is run by Practical Poultry Magazine with a forum a bit like this [obviously not as good as this ;D]

I agree with you about the conditions poultry are kept in & I think in France are likely to be even worse than in this country but I might be wrong [I often am]. 

[LILACSPLASH]

I clip my birds wings. you got to have a settled bird first though so get them used to you picking them up and stroking them on your lap. when you can do this have a very sharp and strong pair of sissors and feel where the wing ends and the feathers start, past the quills + another 2" then trim. It won't hurt them and if they're used to being on your lap they won't even notice. Only do one wing, then if they try they go in circles ;) But remember they can still jump and some times quite high!

[kt.]

Go to this link I did last year. As well as information on the thread - half way down the page there is a link that goes to diagrams of where to clip the wings should you decide to do it yourself.

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,26225.0

[cocopops]

Thanks for the advice. 

I now realise that it's not just a case of build a hut, get a few hens!  I will read more on the Practical Poultry site, and previous postings, before we start. I am pleased to hear that things such as clipping their wings is possible, as I am not to sure who I could ask. 

Again, I want to have happy hens and be able to handle them.  Never in a million years did I ever imagine wanting to keep chickens.  Amazing how your attitude can change given opportunity and time.  My eldest child (6) has been pestering me since we got here about keeping chickens, and it has always been a definate no.  Better not tell ther that I am changing my mind else she will drive me bonkers.

[OliveOil]

We had 3 hybrids which kept family of 4 in more eggs than needed... now mr fox took 2 so just one egg layer left. I have 6 purebreeds and i get 2 eggs a day if i am lucky though usually one every other day after a 3 month of nothing (after moulting and winter).

If you want eggs go for the hybrids!

As for clipping wings my hybrids wings were clipped when i got them, though they had no reason to escape or fly.

The worst buggers for flying are pekins - they are also very very noisy, i havent clipped theirs but now keep them in a covered run.

[chickenkeeperfred]

Hi.  We have 10 chickens - 5 ex-battery hens (can be sourced via www.thehenshouse.co.uk/rescuecoordinators.html) 5 black rock and awaiting 5 araucana or cream legbar which lay blue eggs.  This gives us plenty of eggs for our family plus a few left over to sell to neighbours.  This pays for the layers pellets!!

For general useful chicken information including how to clip chickens wings a good book is "Starting with Chickens" by Katie Thear and I think you can probably get that quite cheaply new or used via Amazon.  We clip our hens' wings - the first 12 primary feathers on one wing only about 2 inches in from the tip, but the above book describes the technique fully.

Once you keep chickens I'm sure like many others you will become captivated.  They are wonderful pets as well as productive.  They also  provide poop for the veggie garden which is the best manure available.   We live in a fox and badger area, and like others have said your housing will be your biggest investment.  We have a sizeable chicken ark with combined run  that we bought from www.Lindasgrove.com as well as a cottage henhouse and run  from www.flytesofancy.co.uk.   We also have a 50 metre circuit of electric fencing around the area where we freerange our chickens because Mr Fox has been known to wander across the garden at any time of day. 
No,  you don't need a cockerel unless you want to incubate eggs for more chickens.  We do not keep one because I don't want fertile eggs, particularly if I'm selling them to neighbours.
A good couple of websites are www.practicalpoultry.co.uk and www.countryfayre.co.uk.

[LILACSPLASH]

Black rocks!!!!!! Nooooooooo....... the best thing i can say about them are they are really good layers... but and it's a big but, THEY ARE FOOTBALL HOOLIGANS! they are the skin heads of the chicken world. they don't even give a descent size carcuss...