Topic: Several questions about hens

[antdg]

Hi all

I have had my lottie for over a year now and love it. I thought the next thing to look into was keeping a few hens at home. But and its a big one I have some questions.

1. In my deeds for the house it says no pig, pigeons and poultry, my house is approx 25 years old now. Is there a way around this.

If I can keep hens then I have a few more question.

2. My OH has two very old cats should I wait until they are no more before getting any birds or can hens fend for themselves.

3. I feed the wild birds in my garden and like to watch them, is there any problems cause by wild birds and hens mixing.

4. Do you think it would be possible for me to take the hens up to my lottie for the day and bring them home again at night or am I best just to keep them in a large run in the garden. I'm not sure how good they travel.

I have got some more question but at the moment I cant just think of them. If you do have any more tips pls let me know.

Cheers

Tony

[Marymary]

No idea about the deeds thing - you could just ask your neighbours if they would object & if they were ok [the prospect of a few fresh eggs might help] then who's to know whats in your deeds?  In my experience full size chickens are fine with cats - even my banties see off our old moggie.  Wild birds are fine [except if there is another bird flu scare] but ferrying them back & forth each day seems quite a committment - on the odd occasion I have had to take mine somewhere they have travelled perfectly happily in a pet carrier.

Good luck if you do decide to get some. 

[Robert_Brenchley]

Your current neighbours might not object, future ones could get awkward. It might be worth getting legal advice as to the enforceability of the clause in the deed. A court might hold, for instance, that it's unreasonable to keep pigs in a small garden, but that poultry are OK. I just don't know. All I do know is that deeds can have all sorts of stuff in them that the courts just won't enforce.

[kt.]

I posted thisd on a previouos thread. But you still need to check with your local council as they all have different rules.

Got this reply from the animal health inspector of my local council. The current law on hens in private gardens:

The current government poultry guidelines are : if you own or are
responsible for 50 or more birds you are required to register on the Great
Britain Poultry Register (0800 634 112).

A Poultry keeper with less than 50 birds on private gardens or allotments
are responsible for the welfare of their birds and good practice in animal
husbandry.

Owners of poultry should be mind full of the Five Freedoms that apply
throughout the livestock industry :

FREEDOM FROM HUNGER AND THIRST - by ready access to fresh water and a diet
to maintain full health and vigour.

FREEDOM FROM DISCOMFORT -by providing an appropriate environment including
shelter and a comfortable resting area.

FREEDOM FROM PAIN, INJURY AND DISEASE - by prevention or rapid diagnosis
and treatment.

FREEDOM TO EXPRESS NORMAL BEHAVIOUR - by providing sufficient space, proper
facilities and company of the animal's own kind.

FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND DISTRESS - by ensuring conditions and treatment which
avoid mental suffering.

Should you require further information please forward your address and i
can post to you  the relevant booklets  published by DEFRA or check out
their web site :  www.defra.gov.uk

Regards

Mark Winspear
ANIMAL HEALTH INSPECTOR

[teresa]

Just like Marymary says.
Ask your neighbroughs if they would mind a few hens in your garden tell them you wont have a cockrell. Or if you get 3-5 hens than you class them as pets lot of people do this to get round the law.
Just say you want fresh eggs and they can have some too. My neighbroughs dont buy eggs from shops,  only off me now, they notice a big difference.

Cats may be interested for a few days but hens in a run will be ok from them. They can look after themselves mine have pecked our dogs on the noses so dogs give our hens a wide berth.

Wild birds can pass things on but normal worming of hens twice a year works untill bird flue is around then fine net the run from wild birds.

Traveling unsettles hens and puts them off laying best to bring weeds/greens home from lottie for them.

One tip is not many vets know anything about hens, so read up on illness and how to advoid them. Pet shops dont do much in the way of hens for illness but check out for parrots birds are birds? for lice or redmites etc.

 Ask anything here or on pekinbantums site is a good one.

[Henny Penny]

My cat certainly stayed clear of the chickens once they had sorted out who was boss. In fact the cat was more scared of going through the back door because the chickens would come charging towards me to see if I had any titbits.
Even though they are gone now, the cat still peers out first before she dares to go in the garden.

[emmy1978]

KT, that's very interesting. How do the five freedoms apply to battery farmed birds I wonder, especially with regard to freedom to express normal behaviour!

[teresa]

Well the 5 freedoms are only a guidelines?
If they were law BM would have been closed down before the Bird Flu got to him.

[Marymary]

Well the 5 freedoms are only a guidelines?
If they were law BM would have been closed down before the Bird Flu got to him.

Very good point. 

[Hyacinth]

Hello Tony,

Here's something for you to think about - last year someone local asked our Estate Management for permission to keep chickens (but no cockerel). His neighbours were canvassed and his application initially was rejected after their objections......why? The wide perception was that where there are chickens there will be rats...he asked me to help him with his Appeal and I'm happy to say that after he gave assurances that his grain etc. will be safely kept and that no food debris will be left around, the neighbours were happy to withdraw their objections - the hens are now a favourite with visiting grandchildren & the neighbours are eager for his eggs when he has spare. 8)

We know that rats are around anyway,hens or no hens,  but I think that this may be what your neighbours, also, might think. Best to bring the subject up yourself with the neighbours, I'd say, to reassure them?

Lishka

[antdg]

Thank you to everybody who replied to this. I am still not sure what to do at the moment. But I do agree that a conversation with my neighbours is needed at some point.

Thanks again

Tony

[teresa]

If this over 3 hens is classed as a flock, so 3 hens are pets so no permision needed, but have a back up plan just in case perhaps  a friend.
But if you get on well with neighbrough each side you should be ok for 3.
Wishing you luck, as for rats if no food is left in runs over night their should be no problem.

[glow777]

Hi all

I have had my lottie for over a year now and love it. I thought the next thing to look into was keeping a few hens at home. But and its a big one I have some questions.

1. In my deeds for the house it says no pig, pigeons and poultry, my house is approx 25 years old now. Is there a way around this.

4. Do you think it would be possible for me to take the hens up to my lottie for the day and bring them home again at night or am I best just to keep them in a large run in the garden. I'm not sure how good they travel.

Hi Tony
Silly question time
Why dont you keep your hens at the lottie