Hens, some newbie questions

[DadnDom]

Will I have to be at home every night to put the hens away or do they have the sense to tuck themselves up at night back in the hen house?
We have around two acres for them to roam, will I have to cage them in or are they ok to roam, IE will they wander off for good?
We have a lane running past the property seldom used but have they the sense to avoid the odd vehicle?

We are semi rural and have seen the odd Fox last summer, is there a design of hen house the hens can get back into but not the fox....

Thanks for the reading.

[DadnDom]

[kt.]

Mine all tuck themselves away at night as dusk sets. However, I still go down each evening and secure the entrances to the cree to prevent unwanted pests - foxes etc. Other places near me have hens roaming wild. They will just nestle in bushes or wherever they feel safe. You may lose the odd one every now & again - especially if they are chicks. Rats love the small ones. If there are several large hens around - they can usually fend off the odd pest.

If they have a central area foe sleeping (if you make a cree), they should end up there each evening. You will probably find most of your eggs in the same place too. You don't want to be roaming acres of fields looking for eggs do you.... ;D ;D ;D

[glow777]

theyll come back to sleep when the light fades as KT says but its best to shut the door behind them.

foxes will attack from dusk onwards and one fox will kill every hen just for the sake of it. You can get automatic cosing doors which shut and open depending on light levels but they may be a bit expensive

if someone could train a hen to shut and lock the door behind them they would make a fortune but I cant get the kids to switch their bedroom lights off ;D

[DadnDom]

but I cant get the kids to switch their bedroom lights off ;D

ohhh I'm hearing that loud and clear, our place is like a lighthouse some nights.
Thanks for the advice so far everyone, much appreciated. I will be buying a house for them to live in and putting it in a field (thats the plan anyway) I am away every now and then overnight, so I think the risk is minimal. Lot more research yet to do.
Could anyone reccomend a variety thats easy to keep for a newcomer? Mainly want them for eggs but the odd one for the pot would be nice.

[glow777]

Could anyone reccomend a variety thats easy to keep for a newcomer? Mainly want them for eggs but the odd one for the pot would be nice.

I would go with Black Rocks a nice cheap hybrid that doesnt go broody, lays well, tastes ok and lays through the first moult.... and easily available

http://www.blackrockhens.co.uk/
http://www.countryfayre.co.uk/Sections-article36-p1.html

[DadnDom]

They certainly look like they fit the bill, thanks for that.
Do you know any good books or websites for the new keeper?

[M J B]

Ive got this book http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/431829/-/Product.html?searchstring=starting+with+chickens&searchsource=0 not got any hens yet but it seems to have some good info in it. I bought it off ebay brand new for about £5!

HTH
Mark

[HealerDave]

The website for Black Rocks by glow777 is an excellent site for information, but sadly they only do collection from them and they are in Scotland. However, there is a link on their website to a really reliable breeder of Black Rocks, (they are not all what they seem to be from some breeders) and the website is cyrilbyson.co.uk, based in Craven Arms in Shropshire.

You will find the Black Rocks exactly as stated here by others, a cracking all-rounder, but be careful where you buy them from. The www.blackrocks.co.uk is very helpful and informative.

Hope this helps a bit more,

Dave.