Cube Mark One Run

[doctors girls]

Did anybody read the article in the Daily Express the other day and i quote "The chicken is the new must have pet. Chickens are the fastest growing section of the pet market with 500,000 households now owning chickens and one retailer reported a 50 per cent increase on the sale of chicken coops" Does that make you feel good or what

john

[quickcluck]

Well I think this in the only thing i've ever been in fashion with

 

It's always good to know there are more of us out there....

[Trougher]

I hate to be the voice of doom, but it worries me somewhat when something gets that popular, because a lot of people jump on the bandwagon, but lose interest fairly quickly. I got my allotment about 8 years ago, before they became a really trendy thing to have, and I've seen loads of people getting allotments, digging them for one year and then abandoning them. Or worse still, taking an allotment and doing nothing with it, particularly annoying as there is a waiting list (supposedly) of about 200 people. I worry that people will get chickens and not look after them properly, and then abandon them (a bit like the latest must have dog).

 

Having said that, I do applaud the general trend of people returning to being more self sufficient, as they were in my grandparents day, when people kept livestock and grew their own vegetables. It's something I've been aiming for for a long time, although scope is limited when you live in a city, and as some friends of our said recently, when we said we felt like Tom and Barbara Good - well actually we see you more as Margo and Jerry!

[sjp]

Trougher I know what you mean about allotments we've had 3 plots change hand twice this year mainly because folk watch these gardening shows and think that there's not a lot of work involved or that they get a plot that is alreadu dug and ready to plant

they don't get away with leaving them for a year through we give them 6 months then we ring them to see if they intend to do any work that either gees them up or they give up but that said we've got one plot that I think we might have to evict this year if they don't give up first. should add I'm chairman of our site

on the chicken keeping front I think this year we might the trend peak unfoetuneatly I think that'll mean a lot of abandend chucks

[Trougher]

Do you let people keep chickens at the allotments? Quite a few people at the allotments in Chester keep them there. Regarding evicting people from the allotments, I have complained a few times to the Council, the plot next to ours has been overgrown for a couple of years, and I asked if I could take it on, but haven't had any joy. I'm afraid you're right about the abandoned chucks.

[Chicken shack]

That's life I am afraid. You will always have people taking up new trends only to give up later but at least they are giving it a go. Lets hope it means less intensive chicken farms so in the long run it will be good for the chickens. In France many people keep chickens in thier back gardens. They may not have the luxury ours have in their Eglu but are nether the less well cared for. We are I am proud to say a soft touch when it comes to our pets.

Edited December 29, 2010 by Guest

[jennydavies]

Next we'll have Paris Hilton carrying a cockerel around in a shoulder bag specially made for him and yes, you are right, in France everybody keeps chickens (they don't give them names though)

[Chicken shack]

jennydavies, I thought you would pop up when I mentioned France. Do all your chickens have names. If yes do the French know or is it your secret? Us Britts are a sentimental lot. Just checked and they do. I wont tell them promise

[sjp]

Do you let people keep chickens at the allotments? Quite a few people at the allotments in Chester keep them there. Regarding evicting people from the allotments, I have complained a few times to the Council, the plot next to ours has been overgrown for a couple of years, and I asked if I could take it on, but haven't

had any joy. I'm afraid you're right about the abandoned chucks.

 

at the moment we don't have any on site we can't stop them but what we say is that do to the fact we've had a rat problem in the past which has taken me best part of 2 years to get under control that we'd prefure that plot holders didn't keep chickens.we also have foxes on site to right by my plot to be exact we've also had a surcurity problem this year to

we're a self manage site as are nearly all of Sandwells sites and Sandwell had a very good Allotment Officer so as long as we did the warnings by the book them the council served the eviction notice in fact we got told off for letting one ex plot holder leave they're plot so long there was a history that it's best that I don't go into in print thats why we are a bit tuff now

[megalin]

I don't understand how people can keep chickens on allotments, unless they

live right round the corner.... How do they manage to get them let out, fed and watered early enough?

 

It's weird the fashions that go around. My partner and I bought each other Christmas jumpers

the other day, with reindeer and all, only to realize we were right on trend!! Can you believe it?

I was quite disappointed!!

 

I hope people are looking after their girls properly,

I don't know how they could avoid getting drawn in really. Chickens demand to be watched for hours

so fingers crossed they're all as soft as us.

[Trougher]

I don't understand how people can keep chickens on allotments, unless they

live right round the corner.... How do they manage to get them let out, fed and watered early enough?

 

I presume that they are not shut up at night, as such. The ones kept near our allotment are in a huge shed/run construction, with numbers of large feed and water containers dotted around, and two quite high levels of enclosed areas for sleeping/nesting. The whole thing looks quite secure, and I would assume that the owner (I have never seen whoever it is) just comes once a week or something to renew water and feed, and collect eggs. It would be quite a palaver to come every day, as the allotment is quite a trek from the (locked) gates.

[jennydavies]

jennydavies, I thought you would pop up when I mentioned France. Do all your chickens have names. If yes do the French know or is it your secret? Us Britts are a sentimental lot. :lol: Just checked and they do. I wont tell them promise :lol:

 

Yes, all of our girls have names and yes, we are very sentimental. Our French neighbours do this when we tell them our hens have names , but It just goes to show - our happy girls are still giving us 5 to 6 eggs every day thanks to mild short winters with no snow.