What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[watfordjc]

I've been umming and ahhing for ages (months--year+) whilst reading lots and lurking on several forums, but I finally admit defeat: you can't Google the answer to questions no-one seems to have asked online (off-topic already, but anyone with a better Googling prowess could you please point out a webpage saying at which point you chuck maggots in with caged brassicas for successful pollination so that flies+flowers occur at same time?)

 

I took on a 5-pole (~125 sq m) allotment plot at the end of April and before I picked up the key did ask about keeping hens and bees. I'll come back to the info I got about keeping hens later in the post, but my first question is with regard to suitable ground for an Eglu Classic/Cube to sit on.

 

Q1) As most of my plot is currently covered in dry couch grass and seed heads (hot weather), with some nettles and dandelions mixed in, would this be a problem for the hens?

 

I'm thinking of getting ex-batts but won't have the space to separate/quarantine new hens and have read they are usually available as 3-minimum. They will be constrained to just the run for at least a year as I still need to get a big proportion of my plot under cultivation (at least 50% needs to have vegetables/flowers growing in the first year).

 

Q2) Is the Classic with standard run big enough for 3 ex-batts (and what 'size' chickens are they generally classed as)?

 

Q3) Is it OK to have two hens (thinking of deaths) and will the Classic w/ standard run be big enough for 4 ex-batts or would I need to extend the run?

 

Q4) Would it be OK to put 3 'new' ex-batts in with a lonely hen, or would disease and/or big injuries be a huge worry?

 

There's a water 'tank' next to my plot but it is like a giant toilet cistern with a stopcock (usually full so clean water not available), although at the other end of the site there is a 'tank' that has a real tap for filling it. There isn't a shed on my plot at the moment and I don't plan on building one for at least a year as I only live a 5-10 minute walk away.

 

Q5) Although the allotment has mains water and the tank with tap doesn't have the issue of the fresh water mixing with dirty water, would it be OK to give the chickens that to drink without knowing what the pipework on the site is like?

 

Q6) As I'd be carrying everything from home to the site (no car/public transport route), how much feed would I likely need to carry down there every day?

 

Q7) Can the Classic be cleaned adequately with just a bucket of cold water and sponge/brush, what cleaning solutions would be considered OK to pour out on the ground where organic is 'encouraged' over chemicals, and would the dirty cleaning water likely cause any problems to plants?

 

Q8) How often would I be looking at cleaning out the Classic, and would the amount of bedding I'd need to take each time fit in a typical supermarket carrier bag?

 

There is a resident fox family (and a regular cat-visitor) on the site, among other wildlife.

 

Q9) Would the hens be OK without being locked in at night, or wouldn't they feel safe enough?

 

Q10) If a mole borrowed into my plot trying to escape a fox (had a huge hole a couple of weeks back + mole tunnels) and surfaced inside the run, would the fox be able to follow and are chickens any good at peck-a-mole?

 

Q11) Is the run frog/newt/snake proof?

 

This is the information sent by the Council's Allotment's person:

"The current Tenancy Agreement provides for the keeping of hens under

section 12 of the Allotments Act 1950, which states:

 

"It shall be lawful for the occupier of any land to keep, otherwise than

by way of trade or business, hens or rabbits in any place on the land

and to erect or place and maintain such buildings or structures on the

land as are reasonably necessary for that purpose: provided that nothing

in this subsection shall authorise any hens or rabbits to be kept in

such a place or in such a manner as to be prejudicial to health or a

nuisance or affect the operation of any enactment."

 

With regard to the above, Watford Council does not allow allotment plots

to be taken solely for the purpose of keeping animals, but allows hens

to be kept on part of an allotment plot maintained as an allotment

garden under the provisions of the current Tenancy Agreement.

 

The following conditions apply:

 

• That the foundations of the hen house are not permanent, and can
  therefore be easily removed;
   
  
• That for the purposes of enabling the Environmental Health department to
  carry out any possible pest control, the hen house should be raised off
  the ground;
   
  
• That access to inspect the hen house and compound by officers of the
  Council must be afforded at any reasonable time;
   
  
• That responsibility for the hen house and its contents, including
  fencing and equipment, shall be the tenant's; (it should be noted that
  both the hen house and the run should be made as fox-proof as possible);
   
  
• That any changes you propose to the hen house or fencing shall only be
  made with the consent of the Council;
   
  
• That at the end of the tenancy all structures are removed by the tenant,
  and the allotment plot returned to a state suitable for cultivation as
  an allotment plot;
   
  
• No cockerels are allowed;
   
  
• That part of the allotment plot is maintained as an allotment garden as
  prescribed by the current tenancy agreement;
   
  
• That all livestock is kept within the prescribed area, and does not
  constitute a nuisance to other tenants of adjoining plots of land;
   
  
• That an illustration of any proposed structure to be approved by the
  Council prior to construction."
  

 

I've attached a copy of the FAQs we give to each tenant. As far as bees

are concerned, you will need to apply in writing to the Development

Officer in charge of the site.

 

I haven't got back in touch with the Council as I have too many questions and concerns to resolve before reaching the point where I can ask "is this OK?" but my main issues I may have with the Classic is 'raised off the ground' and 'kept within the prescribed area', but those questions will have to be asked at a later date.

 

John.

 

NB: Interestingly, when I was talking about considering getting bees to someone who took a plot on after me, they said they were told the site was going to be getting bees. A game of Chinese Whispers starting with me, "are bees and hens allowed?" returning full-circle to my ears with "we're going to have beehives on the site". Considering the site supervisor didn't know if bees were allowed, the fact I'm a procrastinator and haven't even spoken to the Development Officer yet... I assume "we're going to have" will become "we'll soon have" once the hens appear, without me even getting to the point where I book myself on an apiary course.

[Patricia W]

Hi John

 

My first thought is that I( personally) would not want to keep hens on an allotment- for reasons of safety as well as the fact that I think you'd miss out on a lot of the pleasures of interaction with them.

 

The safety issues are to do with the chickens -how likely is it that they could be vandalised/stolen? Unfortunately, we have had tales of chickens being stolen from gardens with locked gates! Also, the Omlet products are so attractive, is there a chance the Eglu would be stolen? It has an excellent re-sale value!

 

The pleasure I get from having my chickens close outweights the fact that my garden now looks like a bare-soiled allotment!

 

I'll let others answer your specifics.

 

Tricia

[Olly]

my first question is with regard to suitable ground for an Eglu Classic/Cube to sit on.

 

Q1) As most of my plot is currently covered in dry couch grass and seed heads (hot weather), with some nettles and dandelions mixed in, would this be a problem for the hens?

 

No problem at all! There won't be much of any of it left, before long.

 

Q2) Is the Classic with standard run big enough for 3 ex-batts (and what 'size' chickens are they generally classed as)?

The classic is big enough, but you'd need a run converter to make the run 3m long, for 3 hens. If they are going to be in there most of the time, it might be worth adding an extension of that as well. Ex-batts are standard hybrid size, i.e. not 'large fowl' size.

 

Q3) Is it OK to have two hens (thinking of deaths) and will the Classic w/ standard run be big enough for 4 ex-batts or would I need to extend the run? See above - 3 is better than 2, for exactly the reason you're thinking of, if one goes then you don't have a lone chicken.

 

Q4) Would it be OK to put 3 'new' ex-batts in with a lonely hen, or would disease and/or big injuries be a huge worry?

It's advisable to quarantine new hens anyway for a week in case of disease, and ex-batts sometimes need a recuperation period before they are strong enough to cope with other hens. I haven't had ex-batts myself.

 

Q5) Although the allotment has mains water and the tank with tap doesn't have the issue of the fresh water mixing with dirty water, would it be OK to give the chickens that to drink without knowing what the pipework on the site is like? I would think so - you're right to reject the tank whcih might be stagnant, as long as it's mains piped water it should be ok.

 

Q6) As I'd be carrying everything from home to the site (no car/public transport route), how much feed would I likely need to carry down there every day? I'd suggest you get some sort of waterproof storage bin, to save you taking it every day. You'd only need a small amount of feed on a daily basis, somewhere there's a figure for how much per hen, but you wouldn't need to carry more than a kilo at a time.

 

Q7) Can the Classic be cleaned adequately with just a bucket of cold water and sponge/brush, what cleaning solutions would be considered OK to pour out on the ground where organic is 'encouraged' over chemicals, and would the dirty cleaning water likely cause any problems to plants? Yes - I use Ecover washing-up liquid to scrub mine with. Your plants will love the dirty water as it's rich with chicken-poop! You'll also have to dispose of droppings, a covered composter is a good idea.

 

Q8) How often would I be looking at cleaning out the Classic, and would the amount of bedding I'd need to take each time fit in a typical supermarket carrier bag? Once a week is usually enough, you might need to empty the droppings tray more often, especially in winter. The bedding to put in the nest box could easily go in a carrier bag. If you're going to put aubiose, hemcore, horse bedding etc in the run (or bark chips) you'd need a lot more, but that would be a once-every-few months job.

 

There is a resident fox family (and a regular cat-visitor) on the site, among other wildlife.

 

Q9) Would the hens be OK without being locked in at night, or wouldn't they feel safe enough?

You'd have to be extra sure that the Eglu run was pinned down firmly. Provided it can't be tunnelled under, they should be safe - you're right that they may be alarmed to see a fox, and this can cause panic in the run which sometimes leads to injuries. However some hens don't seem too bothered, strangely - I never close the door on my run, nor did when I had a Cube and run or my original classic, and the hens didn't seem bothered.

 

Q10) If a mole borrowed into my plot trying to escape a fox (had a huge hole a couple of weeks back + mole tunnels) and surfaced inside the run, would the fox be able to follow and are chickens any good at peck-a-mole?

 

Ooh - not come across this one! I doubt a fox could fit in a mole-hole, but I suppose it could use it for a starter tunnel. I doubt if it could enlarge it enough in one night though. I reckon the chickens would send any daring mole scurrying quickly back out again, if it came in.

 

Q11) Is the run frog/newt/snake proof? No - and your hens will love frogs or newts, unfortunately for the said amphibians. It's not snake-proof, but I wouldn't worry too much about that in the UK?

 

The following conditions apply:

 

[*]That the foundations of the hen house are not permanent, and can

therefore be easily removed;

 

[*]That for the purposes of enabling the Environmental Health department to

carry out any possible pest control, the hen house should be raised off

the ground; The Classic isn't strictly 'off the ground' - and you could get a problem with rats tunnelling under it.

 

I hope that answers some of your questions, maybe it would be worth discussing with your local authority officer and showing him pictures of the Eglu Classic to explain that it's different from most hen-houses.

 

good luck with it, let us know how you get on.

[Redwing]

All good advice

 

The other thing I would mention is that the Eglu may be pinched, they have a high resale value