Jump to content
clucking mad

nettles and bantums

Recommended Posts

i'm new to chickens and am just clearing a bit of garden for them to free range, i understand that they like weeds and stuff to peck at. there are also a few nettles, are they ok with these or should i remove them before they arrive?

in the eglu omlet says that you can keep uup to 4 chickens, or 5 bantums. what are bantums, i assume that they are smaller, but do they lay smaller eggs or behave differently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello and welcome to the forum.

 

They will soon let you know if they like nettles. If they don't they will leave them after a few pecks.

 

Bantams are small hens....you can get bantam versions of some existing pure breeds, or some that there is no large equivalent to...such as Seabrights.

 

If you put 4 normal sized hens into an Eglu then you will definitely need to extend the run, as the standard run won't give them sufficient room, which might lead to bullying problems within the group.

 

Bantams do lay smaller eggs, and they don't scratch the garden up as much as hybrids.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bantams do lay smaller eggs, and they don't scratch the garden up as much as hybrids.

 

:lol::lol: come have a word with my white silki bantam shes a vandal.

 

as for the eggs they are fab, great for the kids, and they are alot creamy that a normal egg if we have any left my inlaws soon want them.

cant wait for mine to restart laying, at min she is broody sitting on eggs.

grt pet as well for smaller kids

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Clucking Mad said

there are also a few nettles, are they ok with these or should i remove them before they arrive?

 

When I got my hens, my locum vet who is a show breeder of hens suggesting hanging nettles upside down in the run for them to peck at if they were going to be left for a while as it gives them something to do. They eat the leaves and any bugs on them.

 

Mine love them!

 

Not quite sure why they had to be hung upside down though :?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My girls prefer the non-weeds (ie the plants I want to keep!!). I still have daffodils and tulips in the garden (which according to the list are poisonous for chickens) but they have just left them alone. I also have ivy in the borders (also poisonous) but they just scratch under it for the bugs.

 

The nettles should be hung up so they don't get trampled underfoot and spoiled rather than eaten.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...