Solitary chicken - need advice

[Guest]

Hello all,

 

this is my first post..

 

I have been thinking of having a couple of ducks or chooks in our suburban (7M x 20M) garden for a while now (well since we moved in almost 1 year ago). We are now at the point of seriously thinking of having some so I have some dumb questions I need some help with. I've got several books from the library, read loads of internet pages, but I still have some questions.

 

1. We were thinking of ducks (awh ain't they cute), but I I believe the chooks (is that the correct spelling) will be easier for first timers, and also won't smell as much, be as distructive, or be as noisy. Am I right?

 

2. From what I have read in the forum, 3 chooks will be happy in the eglu and normal size run. Mine will spend most of their time in the run with some free ranging when we are there. Is this correct that 3 in the run semi-perminant, will be ok? What about 4? (I discounted 2 on the point of if one dies, the other will be lonely). Normal birds, not bantams

 

3. I will be around the house and garden, when chooks are free-ranging, but not necessary suppervising them (I cannot make my garden fox proof, it just not practical). Are daytime foxes really a problem in an urban garden?

 

 

Dumb questions below!

4. Life span 1 - believe it or not I can't find this info... How long does a chook live? (ducks seem to be 8-12 years).

 

5. Lifespan 2 - eggs - I think they start laying at around 20 weeks, how long will they lay for? Until they die?

 

6. hard question this - veggies and children look away - The chooks will be pets (probably) and just for eggs, but when they come to the end of their laying life, can they be culled and eaten? (I read somewhere that the meat would be ok for curry?).

 

7. I have a 5m x 13m patch of lawn, if I was to move the eglu and run every week (so around 1 week in 10 on a patch) would the lawn survive (especially over the winter), or am I better to leave it in one place (for a year) and move to a new perminante place and reseed the old?.

 

8. Veggie plot - I assume I will have to keep them out (well if I want to eat the veggies that is) so how high do I need to put up the chicken wire and how many machine gun posts do I need to keep them out?

 

I'm sorry this is soo many long questions, but none of this stuff is in the FAQ, and very limited info on this seems to be easily availible. I can't believe that the lifespan thing isn't in every book.

 

I just need the above answered to tip us over the edge and buy some.

[Guest]

 

Hi!

 

I don't have experience of ducks - but wouldn't they need/want some water? I understand they are quite smelly too.

 

3 chickens in an eglu would be fine, especially if they get a bit of free-ranging too. You can get a run extension if you are worried - even at a later date.

 

I don't sit in the garden with my chickens all the time they are out. I am more careful at this time of year because the foxes have cubs and are bold and desperate. I try to keep a window or door open so I can hear them if anything happens.

 

The life span is 4-5 years for Hybrid egg-layers. Pure breeds can live up to 10 years.

 

Eggs at 20 weeks, not sure how long for. Certainly 3 years.

 

Not sure about meat, but your plan makes sense.

 

Not sure what to advise about the garden either. I lost all of my grass in the first winter! They free-ranged.

 

Veggie plot - definitely need to keep them out. If they don't eat it, they will dig it all up! 4ft fence should do it.

 

Good luck with your decision. I don't think there are many Welsh eglus, but some over the border - Bristol, Gloucester. It might be an idea to look at someone's set-up first.

[Liz Steed]

Hi

 

I shall just tackle 1 answer, and I'm sure there are busy fingers typing away elsewhere right now

 

4. Lifespan

 

Hybrids live up to 5 years, I've just lost one at 2, but that's not really the norm. They put their all in to their first year of laying and then they slow down ( however my other 2 year old is still putting out 5 eggs a week). Even though they don't live as long as pure/ rare breeds, they tend to be more hardy and have less health problems, as they are crossed from strong lines from the rare breeds.

 

Pure Breeds/Rare Breeds can live up to 8 years(ish) but don't lay as much ( they have a nice rest over the winter ) but consequently this has less of an impact on their bodies. They can be less hardy and can have poorer health in later years ( my supplier says this is due to inbreeding, don't know whether this is accurate.)

 

Lots of people on here have a mix of both types, although I only have hybrids.

 

I'd say go for a permanent site for the Eglu, knock in some log roll as an edge and use Hemcore as deep litter for the run (you can get it from horse feed suppliers) THEY WILL TRASH YOU GRASS AND BOY CAN THEY POO!!!

[debratugwell]

Hi - I too understand that ducks need access to water.

 

I got my Eglu and three chickens at the beginning of April and bought a run extension. Mine spend all day in there and are let out for a couple of hours each night when I get home from work. They are currently on a small piece of grass, but moving the Eglu every other day/week will not prevent the grass from getting trashed - it just doesn't recover in time. Ours will eventually be moving into the front garden on a purpose built wood chip area so the grass won't be affected and will still be let out for a couple of hours each night. However, my front garden is nicely planted and has veg also so I will be purchasing some chicken netting/poles (probably from Omlet although a little expensive I think) to section areas off each time they come out.

 

There's no doubt about it that despite your best efforts, they will eat/trash/poo on anything going so if you want to maintain some sort of nice features in your garden you do need to put some extra work in.

 

Having said that they are extremely interesting and funny to watch and we got our first egg yesterday so that was cool.

 

I understand they live for about 4 years but only lay for 2/3 so still haven't given much thought as to what to do with a retired chicken - I do know however that I couldn't curry it however (in fact we eat a lot of chicken but since getting the "pets" I find myself cringeing when I have to touch raw chicken breasts)!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hope this helps.

[James516]

I've had my girls for all of 8 days now, so not quite an expert, but I did visit somone with both hens and ducks before taking the plunge. Ducks need running water, or at a poor second a pond that you will be willing to clean on a very regular basis. They will absolutely demolish your lawn - they use thier bills as rotovators. They are also loud, compared to hens. However, they have loads and loads of personality and a quite entertaining.

 

We have an Eglu and run converter to give the hens about 3m or so of run, which they seem fine with, and let them out into the garden on weekends. We both work long hours, so the girls have sometimes gone to bed before we get home. We plan to move the Eglu from place to place on our lawn every week, and will see how bad it gets over winter. It seems the vast majority of people on here have permanent sites for their Eglus.

[Gallina]

Re daytime foxes: I think it is true to say that almost everyone on this forum who has lost chickens to foxes has lost them in broad daylight. (This is of course because the chickens are safe at night when they are locked away in the Eglu.)

 

Urban foxes are fearless and do come out during the day. Many of them have been hand-fed by neighbours and they are very tame indeed. The ones in my garden don't even run away when I come out.

 

There do seem to be areas which are not plagued by urban foxes, and there are plenty of chickens that free-range in gardens. But you are taking a chance: there is a sad story today on the forum. Foxes can come out of the blue. If they can smell chicken at night, they may come back to try their luck later. They are very quick and very sly, and some people are only aware of them for the first time when their chickens are taken.

[debadoodledoo]

I'd say go for a permanent site for the Eglu, knock in some log roll as an edge and use Hemcore as deep litter for the run (you can get it from horse feed suppliers) THEY WILL TRASH YOU GRASS AND BOY CAN THEY POO!!!

 

 

I agree with Liz, permanent site for the Eglu is a must and Hemcore/Auboise (excuse spelling) is unbelievable at coping with poo

[Olly]

agree with the permanent site, it will make life much simpler - the Eglu is actually not that easy to move, although I guess if there were two of you it would be easier. Hemcore/aubiose is a must.

 

Re foxes: mine had a narrow escape last week, I went into the house for two minutes - quite literally -and that was all it took for the fox to come into the garden. Even when I ran up the garden shouting, and he still didn't back off until I was quite close. Urban foxes are MORE dangerous than rural ones, as they are used to humans and less scared of them.

 

Some people on here have been lucky, plenty of others have a sad tale to tell (witness Caroline p's posting today). I wouldn't take the risk, personally - it's a nuisance, but my rule is free-ranging only if I am in the garden.

 

Can't answer the other questions, but I guarantee you will not regret getting an Eglu and chickens!

[chelsea]

we have a permanent site. with hemcore/aubiose in the run.

 

I would go for 3 chickens - they will be ok in the run and if you lose one you still have the 2 chickens.

 

Its great now because of the summer nights your girls will still get some time to freerange in the garden after work....ours stay out until 8pm. We go away at weekends occasionally and mine our fine with plenty of food and water for 2 nights away in the run. We have just added the run converter to give them more room.....if you were having 4 hens I would think you would need the converter and the run extension for more room.

 

Our girls are pretty good with our plants and grass, however chickens DO love grass and if you have only a little grass area it will probably quickly disappear

 

I have heard that ducks are noisier and messier....but I dont have any personal experience of keeping them.

[Guest]

I understand they live for about 4 years but only lay for 2/3 so still haven't given much thought as to what to do with a retired chicken - I do know however that I couldn't curry it however (in fact we eat a lot of chicken but since getting the "pets" I find myself cringeing when I have to touch raw chicken breasts)!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hope this helps.

 

I'll probably be in the same boat as these will be pets. I can't really see me culling anything just some choocks that are pensioners in several years

[Cate in NZ]

It sounds like most of your questions have been answered - I hope, so I just wanted to add my encouragement. I don't know much about ducks so couldn't fairly compare ducks and chickens, but I love my chooks. They're great personalities, they liven up the garden no end, provide loads of lovely fresh eggs and a fair bit of free fertiliser too (great for the veggie patch ). But they're inquisitive, greedy, will eat or scratch at anything in the garden and the poo is unbelievable I never realised that they could produce quite so much Foxes are a worry, you do need to be alert, but they're cunning creatures who will go to great lengths to catch themselves a fresh chicken supper

 

Good luck with the decision.............. of course I whole-heartedly recommend going for chickens

[Guest]

Thanks for the infomation folks.

 

It seems like a perminante base is prefered by most. Maybe I'll initally try the move the eglu up the lawn trick and see the damage until I'm ready for a perminante site.

 

Someone said that they sometimes leave the chooks for a weekend. I assume that if you provide enough food and water and that they are locked in a run that there are 'usually' safe from a fox when you are away?

[chelsea]

yes, they stay in the run.

 

We have 2 grubs (food) and ensure the water is full up when we leave. They have been totally fine.

 

My sister will come over and collect the eggs if I ask her, but otherwise they amuse themselves in the run.

 

I hung up a "peckablock" (seeds/nuts block that hangs from run) which keeps them happy for treats.

[MisHapp]

Hi

 

I have 3 bantams and a couple of call ducks for 2 years. If you did want to have ducks, you could keep them in an Eglu with run an a large washing up bowl. Most ducks don't actuallly need a pond as such - but they do have to be able to put water over their eyes.

 

We made a decision to allow ours a large free range area that is fenced off by chicken wire. We know there is a risk with foxes but we do have 6 ft fences and we felt that the positive benefits of them free ranging outweighs the risk for us. So far so good- but we are under o illusions that we may get caught out! As such, we are vigilant about locking up at dusk and are around in the early morning.

 

Good luck with your chooks - they are great fun! And, as someone who has only recently converted to an Eglu - the are well worth it!

[Guest]

Thanks all for the encouragement and info.

 

We ordered the elgu this morning (delivery 15th May). We just have to decide on what breeds to have.

 

Basically these need to be layers and preferable no able to jump too high (small fence when they free range). any sugguesitons of good first timers?

 

another question. Should I opt for 3 of the same or 3 different breeds of hen? any problems with 3 different?

 

I assume the heavier breeds are the lest likly to fly / jump the fence when free ranging?

 

I've been looking at the breeds on here and fancy a few, but I will probably have to find a local supplier and then get what they got

[debratugwell]

Thanks all for the encouragement and info.

 

We ordered the elgu this morning (delivery 15th May). We just have to decide on what breeds to have.

 

Basically these need to be layers and preferable no able to jump too high (small fence when they free range). any sugguesitons of good first timers?

 

another question. Should I opt for 3 of the same or 3 different breeds of hen? any problems with 3 different?

 

I assume the heavier breeds are the lest likly to fly / jump the fence when free ranging?

 

I've been looking at the breeds on here and fancy a few, but I will probably have to find a local supplier and then get what they got

 

 

 

 

Hi - when I got ours I was determined to get 2 Black Rocks. When we got to the breeders and she opened the door we immediately changed our minds and got 1 Black Rock, 1 Bluebelle and 1 Light Sussex. All cross breeds, all should lay about 6 eggs per week (in summer). Now that they've settled in they are all quite friendly but the Black Rock is by far the friendliest. She jumps on my knee, follows my daughter round like a dog and pecks at anything and everything. She doesn't mind being picked up and carted round in the slightest.

[Guest]

Hello (again),

 

a friend purchsed some chooks from here:

 

http://www.penrhiwgarn.co.uk/chicken.htm

 

The have black rocks so I'll take one or two of them, I may take one of each (make life much easier fromone breeder). Te only thing making me cautious is that the speckledy said most suited to free-range / barn? I wont be able ot be pure free range (most time in the run) so do you think she'll be ok?

[Liz Steed]

I have a speckledy, a Cuckoo Maran and she's a sweety...no probs with being in the run, which they are at the minute cos of building going on in the garden. She was described as a placid calm bird. I'd also heard that Black Rocks are better as free rangers and that they have a tendency to feather peck if cooped up, however, when you look at them, they look just like a Pepperpot, so I don't know if there is any difference. My LSH friend has had hens for years and tuts every time he sees my and says "has she started feather pecking yet"

[Carolinep]

Hi Medicman & welcome to the fabulous world of the chicken!

 

I'm looking forward to hearing about your new arrivals once they "land".

 

As others on the forum have already mentioned my unfortunate experience this week I just wanted to add "Please keep an eye on your girls when they are out and about ranging" Mr & Mrs Fox have cubs to feed at the moment, as my poor girlies found out.....