Storms and chickens

[Liam]

Hello Everyone,

 

I have been visiting this forum for a while and am confused about getting chickens... well not confused, I really really want them, but... there a few things that I need to get sorted before I take the plunge. It is quite a big undertaking and I need to be sure i`ve got it all sorted before I just do it! Wondered if anyone has any comments on the following things, which are my current concerns, all help appreciated!

 

1) My garden isn't huge. I live in a 2-bed terrace and so its as wide as the house, and about 20 metres long. It's in a small ish village and open farmland is just 20 metres away from the garden, so when i`m out they are going to have to stay in the eglu, for fox reasons!. Which practically means free-ranging just at the weekends. Is this ok to keep three hens in an eglu, or should I get an extension too? Or just two hens? But then I worry that if one dies, the other will be lonely until I get a replacement.

 

2) Neighbours. One side seems pretty miserable, the others OK but I am still worried about noise. How bad is it really? Do they make noise only when laying and if alarmed, or is it constant?

 

3) For the same reasons as above, it's going to have to be a pernamently sited eglu. If I use bark chioppings as a floor covering, is it a good idea to put paving slabs underneath to prevent foxes from digging in? How do you keep bark chippings clean? Or do you just replace them? If so, how often? This hemcore stuff, does it get soggy if it gets wet, and what is it made from? Can I compost it?

 

4) Do chickens try to fly over garden fences? The fences are 5 or 6 foot all around.

 

5) I have a fluffy monster cat. He's a good lad and only ever brings me mice, not birds! But I am worried that cats in general might startle the birds at night and hurt themselves and make noise. is this a real concern?

 

6) I am out a fair bit and realistically, 2 nights out of seven the eglu door isnt going to get shut. Is this OK? I have seen these light-sensor things which close the door for you.. are these compatiblew with eglu's? Or is it |OK to leave the door open?

 

 

Despite all the above, i`m quite experienced with poultry.. My grandad was one of the country's top breeders of show bantams and had a huge orchard with about 300 birds in it, which I absolutely loved and spent lots of time with! So I reakon I`m OK at handling poultry, etc, and can blame my grandad for this desire to get some chooks of my own!

 

Hope someone can help with the above, sorry for this mini-essay...thanks in advance!!

 

Liam

[lisa33]

Hi Liam,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

My garden isn't very big. I have an eglu with an extension and three chickens live in it.

 

During the winter they only get to free range at the weekend and on Friday afternoons due to having to go to work.

 

I am waiting for the evenings to get lighter so that I can see them.

 

We were originally going to get two chickens but were advised by our local poultry centre to get three as they like to have a pecking order. I am really glad we got three (although I would like another 2 or 3 )

 

Our girls are only noisy when alarmed. They make lovely calming clucking noises a lot of the time but it's not loud at all. You can always bribe neighbours with fresh eggs.

 

We put hemcore or aubiose in our run. It magics poo away and seems to soak up water. We just rake it out and pop it in the compost bin every two - three weeks. We don't have the run on slabs, but we have secured it with those screw in pegs that you can get in the Omlet shop.

 

The cat shouldn't be a problem at night as the girls will be tucked away in the eglu fast asleep.

 

I hope this helps with some of your queries. i'm sure there'll be lots more advice posted soon from people with lots more experience than me.

 

Good Luck.

[leopardstar]

Welcome,

The chickens won't fly over a 6 foot fence but just clip one wing (which sounds difficult but isn't?) to be on the safe side.I've got a cube which the bantums live in all the time and they're really happy. People say if they're not used to free ranging they won't miss it.

 

If you're not able to shut the door the hens will automatically go in the house for the night and foxes can't get into the house or run because of the skirt at the bottom of the run.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I think I can answer all your questions (most of them relate to my setup too!). Here goes:

 

1) My garden isn't huge. I live in a 2-bed terrace and so its as wide as the house, and about 20 metres long. It's in a small ish village and open farmland is just 20 metres away from the garden, so when i`m out they are going to have to stay in the eglu, for fox reasons!. Which practically means free-ranging just at the weekends. Is this ok to keep three hens in an eglu, or should I get an extension too? Or just two hens? But then I worry that if one dies, the other will be lonely until I get a replacement.

My garden is the width of my house (bog standard size) & about the same length. I have a field at the end of my garden & have seen foxes (not since getting my girls though ). I have 3 in an eglu with extension & mine only freerange w/e's and sometimes on 2 other days. (Summer makes freeranging easier). Three is a good number to get for the reason you give.

 

2) Neighbours. One side seems pretty miserable, the others OK but I am still worried about noise. How bad is it really? Do they make noise only when laying and if alarmed, or is it constant?

I have just the same . One of my girls sqwarks occasionally & I worry a bit but it's certainly not constantly & "Ooops, word censored!"ody's said anything. Might be different when people are out more in the summer but it's not a horrible noise so don't think people would complain.

 

3) For the same reasons as above, it's going to have to be a pernamently sited eglu. If I use bark chioppings as a floor covering, is it a good idea to put paving slabs underneath to prevent foxes from digging in? How do you keep bark chippings clean? Or do you just replace them? If so, how often? This hemcore stuff, does it get soggy if it gets wet, and what is it made from? Can I compost it?

I have paving slabs down one side, at the front & under the eglu and small pieces of broken slab down the other. I weight the skirt of the run down with a slab or two as well. I have corrugated plastic as a rain cover and the hemcore stays totally dry. Every couple of months or so I move the run, remove the soil/old hemcore and put new stuff down. Hemcore is made from hemp plants and composts beautifully.

 

4) Do chickens try to fly over garden fences? The fences are 5 or 6 foot all around.

I have garages on two sides but a 3 ft wall at the end. I've rigged up netting attached to garden canes to make it about 5 ft. They've never attempted to get over it so I don't worry about it at all now. They had their wings clipped in September but don't know if I'll do it again when they grow back. I think 5 / 6 ft should be OK - they can fly that high but don't tend to get very far. Once they're used to your garden they don't seem to want to stray.

 

5) I have a fluffy monster cat. He's a good lad and only ever brings me mice, not birds! But I am worried that cats in general might startle the birds at night and hurt themselves and make noise. is this a real concern?

At night hens go quite dozy and dopey and nothing would really startle them. I've had horrendous gales recently and although I didn't go and look, I'm assuming they slept through it all!

 

6) I am out a fair bit and realistically, 2 nights out of seven the eglu door isnt going to get shut. Is this OK? I have seen these light-sensor things which close the door for you.. are these compatiblew with eglu's? Or is it |OK to leave the door open?

I close the eglu door every night because I'm always here but there are plenty of people who leave the door open permanently with no adverse effects.

 

That do?

 

If you've got experience already you'll find it all a doddle .

[Liam]

Crikey, you're all pretty quick at responding! Thanks very much for all the advice. Seems that I may be worrying a bit too much, you seem to have all the right answers that put me at ease! Think I might have to speak to the neighbours first - in a "just to let you know" way rather than a "please can I have some chickens without you complaining" way.

 

Glad that 3 chckens is considered better than just 2. I as conscious that I must restrict it to just three though, or I have a feeling I could get carried away and have a graden full! If anyone else has anything to add to my questions, still would appreciate it!

 

Cheers

 

Liam

[Egluntyne]

Hello Liam and welcome to the forum .

 

 

1) My garden isn't huge. I live in a 2-bed terrace and so its as wide as the house, and about 20 metres long. It's in a small ish village and open farmland is just 20 metres away from the garden, so when i`m out they are going to have to stay in the eglu, for fox reasons!. Which practically means free-ranging just at the weekends. Is this ok to keep three hens in an eglu, or should I get an extension too? Or just two hens? But then I worry that if one dies, the other will be lonely until I get a replacement.

 

If it were me I'd get three hens and an extension. Hens are sociable creatures (once they have sorted out the pecking order issues!) and a group of three is ideal. as you say...if one dies, then the other won't be lonely.

2) Neighbours. One side seems pretty miserable, the others OK but I am still worried about noise. How bad is it really? Do they make noise only when laying and if alarmed, or is it constant?

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the noise. they wont make any more noise than the usual neighbourhood sounds....think barking dogs, shouting children, lawnmowers etc. They do occassionally "Boc Boc" either to shout an alarm or to anounce that someone has laid an egg, but generally that is only now and then.

 

3) For the same reasons as above, it's going to have to be a pernamently sited eglu. If I use bark chioppings as a floor covering, is it a good idea to put paving slabs underneath to prevent foxes from digging in? How do you keep bark chippings clean? Or do you just replace them? If so, how often? This hemcore stuff, does it get soggy if it gets wet, and what is it made from? Can I compost it?

 

Definitely get some slabs. It will stop foxes and rats from burrowing in, and is very easy to hose down. Make sure you weigh the skirt of the run down with something heavy like boulders or similar.

Aubiose/Hemcore is fab to use, is made from a hemp plant and is compostable. It is advisable to cover the run with a plastic shower curtain or similar to prevent rain soaking into it.

 

4) Do chickens try to fly over garden fences? The fences are 5 or 6 foot all around.

 

Sometimes. You can clip their wings if you wish.

 

5) I have a fluffy monster cat. He's a good lad and only ever brings me mice, not birds! But I am worried that cats in general might startle the birds at night and hurt themselves and make noise. is this a real concern?

 

The hens will probably give a good account of themselves if the cat tries any mischief.

 

6) I am out a fair bit and realistically, 2 nights out of seven the eglu door isnt going to get shut. Is this OK? I have seen these light-sensor things which close the door for you.. are these compatiblew with eglu's? Or is it |OK to leave the door open?

It is OK to leave the door open. I do. I don't think light sensors are compatable with Eglus.

 

Despite all the above, i`m quite experienced with poultry.. My grandad was one of the country's top breeders of show bantams and had a huge orchard with about 300 birds in it, which I absolutely loved and spent lots of time with! So I reakon I`m OK at handling poultry, etc, and can blame my grandad for this desire to get some chooks of my own!

 

Hope someone can help with the above, sorry for this mini-essay...thanks in advance!!

 

Liam

 

You might like to get bantams instead of hybrids as space is an issue and you are used to them.

 

Good luck.