Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[Pepsico]

Hi everyone,

 

For some weird and unexplainable reason, I find myself contemplating raising a few chicken in our garden. My wife is not so keen on the idea, and to be fair, I do have a few concerns, hence my thread to convince both of us.

 

Whilst I did have in the past cats and dogs, I found them to be quite needy in terms of attention and maintenance (still have dreadful nightmares of having to wake up early on Sundays to walk the dog on a cold rainy morning after a very lengthy Saturday night out….)

 

So here are a few questions:

 

• How much attention and care do they need? Is it a just a matter of opening of the Eglu in the morning and closing it in the evening + feeding them a couple of times, + the occasional treat and/or free ranging? Reading the forum it seems the work needed is quite heavy with all the cleaning (chicks + house + run), clipping, worming, sickness, etc….. Do you find yourselves forced out of your warm and cosy home in the middle of a freezing winter to care for your chicken?

 

• What are the real costs involved? The sticky for beginners mentions that very few things are needed, but the extras don’t really seem optional. How much does it really cost to feed, treat, worm, remove lice, go to the vet, essential oils for fly, anti pecking thingy for winter, etc… and the Eglu cost is quite hefty, especially if you want to give them more space with a run extension, or god forbids a walk in run…. I’d rather avoid thinking I need only £X to raise chicken only to find out I need in fact 4 times the amount…

 

• Red kites. We do not have the occasional one, but rather we constantly have 1 to 10 kites circling above our home. Whilst I wouldn’t be afraid for their safety, wouldn’t the chick be stressed to death by the constant presence of a predator circling above their heads? I don’t want to end up with stressed to death chicken hiding in the Eglu because we are in a red kite heavy area.

 

• I hate mowing the lawn. Will they do that for me?

 

• Noise levels. I read different views on the topic, and I really wouldn’t want to disturb my neighbours in any way. The Eglu web site say no one will notice, but I have my doubts, the forums seem to indicate they are quite noisy when laying, which tend to happen quite early morning, especially in summer. What are the real risks?

 

• What do you do when you go on holiday or long week end off? Can you leave them alone for a couple of days? Do neighbours just need to put in water/food + collect eggs or would they need to do much more?

 

• How likely is it to attract rats? Previous owner had a kennel in the garden that attracted a lot of rats, thankfully none subsided since we moved in, but there are plenty of places for them to settle, and if they like chicken food and poo, they may decide to come back….

 

• Poo… enough of a problem with a cat or dog, so how is it really with chicken? Do you need to be constantly s"Ooops, word censored!"ping poo from the run/garden or is it more of an occasional thing? Can you add chicken poo to a worm composter?

 

• My wife wants to plant some veg in the garden, I guess chicks will decimate them if free ranging, any solution?

 

• I would want to take this opportunity to give some responsibilities to my 3 year old, what breed is most friendly whilst laying a decent amount of eggs?

 

I probably tens of other questions, but these should suffice for now. Thank you for your time.

[squiffs]

I'm a first time chicken keeper - my chicks haven't arrived yet - but I've spent around £372 (precise, I know) on the things I need so far and the bits I haven't got yet will take me to just over £410 in total. That includes 2 chickens (from Omlet) and an eglu (pre-loved on ebay from a chicken keeper who is upgrading to a cube).

 

 

As for your other questions - there are actually a bunch of threads in the 'chicken' section and also other sections that answer most of your questions (similar to ones I had before I took the plunge, I found the forum search function very useful - but you have to have posted a few more times before that becomes available to you!)

[Sam]

Hello & welcome to the forum

 

Care and attention depends on your set up. Say if you get a standard eglu + 2m run with 2 chickens, you could leave the eglu door open for them so they can come and go as they please in the morning so you do not need to get up early to let them out, which as you say can be handy if you don't want to get out of bed on a Sunday morning! They also need access to grit which helps the production of the egg shells. If you choose to get an eglu, the grub+glug will last about 2 days before they need refilling.

 

I have 4 chickens, a 20kg sack (£9) of layers pellets last them a month. I worm them every 3 months with Flubenvet which costs £15 for a tub which will last ages! I just clean the eglu (every Saturday) with washing up liquid or jet wash it, you can buy special poultry house cleaning products but I haven't had a problem with my regime so far.

 

They will mow your lawn for you, but they will also scratch up the grass and you will be left with a nice patch of mud! I section off parts of the garden for them with a net so it gives parts of the garden to recover! They will eat your wifes vegetables so best to buy a net and section them off!

 

Only one of my girls can be quite noisy in the morning, but the others are very quiet. I spoke my neighbours and gave them eggs and neither of them said that they could hear her, whether they were just being polite or not I do not know, but they haven't complained so shes staying!

 

We've had ours for 6 months and haven't had any rats, but if you've had rats before I would just bring in the feeder at night and keep the area clean so there would be no reason for them to attract rats.

 

They do poo quite a lot, but I just rake over their run and don't bother picking it up. I guess just do what suits you. When I clean them out, dad will sometimes put the shavings and poo straight into the veggie patch, not sure about the wormery though

 

I'd suggest hybrids. I think they're the quietest and most friendly and great for beginners. Oh and they lay a lot of which is always a bonus!

 

Also to save money, think about if you want to expand. I bought an eglu but I want to upgrade to a cube now which of course will cost me a lot. If you think you will just stick to 2-4 chickens then just buy a house that size, if you think you'll want more chickens, buy a bigger house straight away.

 

I'm sure someone else will be along to answer some of the questions. Sam

[Franki]

Hi there!

 

I, like you, toyed with the idea of getting hens for years before finally committing, now I wish I'd done it earlier!

I got my hens in September last year and they are such a lovely addition to the garden. I love seeing them potter about enjoying themselves.

My husband wasn't so sure and was fed up when they were continually free-ranging (poo all over the patio) but now I have them mostly confined and it's better. I allow them to free-range when I'm in the garden and sometimes for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

 

My hens are not noisy at all, just light clucking to be heard! No noisier than if you had a guinea pig, probably quieter. But then I only have 2!

 

They are fairly easy to look after. They really just like to be left to do their own thing and take themselves to bed at night. As long as someone is there to let them out/feed them and lock them up at night they are quite happy.

 

I probably don't clean mine out nearly as often as I should (couple of times a month)! But in a farm environment they don't even do that, they just keep layering on new straw but this isn't practical in an urban environment.

Have had no problems as the eglu is so easy to keep clean.

 

It could be an issue, when you go on holiday, as you'll need someone to come in the morning/evening to let the hens in and out of their coop. My mum lives nearby and is happy to do this if we go away for a weekend. Or I will take my hens to a friends farm for a holiday. I am not happy to just leave the coop door open, so they can access the run, as we have foxes (actually seen them in the garden).

 

We too have loads of red kites and they haven't been a problem with our hens. The hens haven't seemed bothered by them but can be bothered by any little thing (bag blowing across the lawn/different feeder!) so I wouldn't worry too much. I wouldn't trust the kites with chicks though, best to keep in an enclosed run.

 

I haven't had any illnesses (yet) so not sure of the costs involved in that area.

I have spent quite a lot, £100 from Flytes so fancy on wormers/disinfectant/diatomaceous earth and other bits, but my farmer friend rolls his eyes when he hears this. He doesn't bother with any of it.

I buy a big sack of layers pellets and mixed corn from the local pet shop for £10 each, which lasts about 2 months for 2 hens.

Also, the initial outlay of the eglu cube and my father in law made me a lovely walk-in run. I bought the cube as i had heard that chicken keeping becomes addictive. This has proved to be true and I'm currently raising some cream legbar chicks. Also planning to raise some Pekin Bantams in a couple of weeks (waiting for chicks) but don't tell my husband!

 

All-in-all hens can be cheap and low-maintenance. They are a lovely addition to the garden but I would consider confining them (all depends on the size of your garden I guess) for your wife's sake. Also research the breeds as some are more destructive (digging up flower beds and the like) in the garden and some are easier to keep in confinement etc.

 

Do your homework and then sell it to her!

[SteveC]

... and the answer is definately CHICKEN.

 

Welcome to the forum - as a relatively new chook keeper, I went through most of the same thought processes as you. End result was 4 chooks, an Eglu Classic and a 12x6ft WIR!

 

Care and attention - daily routine is open / close the Eglu, check the food and water (refill glub / grub every 2 days for 4 chooks) - takes a few minutes. Less frequently - quick health check weekly, empty poo tray 2x weekly, cleaning Eglu monthly. Easy really!

 

Real costs - mainly in your set up Eglu and Run - and this depends on whether you Free Range them - run size / security are the most important criteria. Basic other stuff is feed (20kg does 4 chooks a month) and treats (discretionary), wormer (quarterly), few cleaning materials. Other stuff is on an as required basis - and most things will not arise if you follow a basic health / cleaning regime.

 

Red kites - no idea I'm afraid, not an issue where I live (WIR would address!).

 

Lawn - they will decimate a lawn given the chance. I don't FR mine but do let them have some of the (short) clippings to eat! (WIR would address!)

 

Noise levels - my 4 are very quiet even when laying and when looking for treats - low clucking is about all - I have neighbours on both sides and would be amazed if they even know we have chooks (I didn't ask them in advance as I felt it was none of their business!)

 

Holidays - short breaks are just a matter of water/food + collect eggs so neighbours / friends will often help (in return for eggs! ) - or for the odd night you can just leave them on their own - need a secure run though (WIR would address!). For longer breaks there are pet sitters (see elsewhere on the forum) and farms offering 'hen holidays' that you can research. Typical cost of a 'holiday' is c.50p to £1 per bird per night away.

 

Rats - should not be a problem if you don't leave food around overnight (WIR can also help this problem - dependent on mesh size!).

 

Poo - they do poo quite a lot. If you keep them confined, it depends on the base of the run - lots of people with fixed runs use woodchip which needs raking over periodically and changing once or twice a year - lots of alternatives that need cleaning out a bit more frequently. If FR, then periodic raking of the lawn. Poo goes into the compost bin. (WIR would address this!)

 

Vegetables - if FR, then chicken wire off the area to keep them out - needs to be about 4ft (or even 5ft) as they can jump! (WIR would address this!)

 

Kids - I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old. Best to go for hybrids (lots of eggs) and certain breeds are more docile (my Amber Lee, Speckeldy and Goldline are great for this). I also have a White Star which is often viewed as 'flighty' but is actually as docile as the others! Advice - little ones should wear gloves to protect from pecks (little fingers look like little worms maybe? ). My one year old loves them and will crawl manically up the garden to sit with the chooks and throw them corn!

 

Several of your concerns would be addressed by a decent size WIR - clearly adds cost, but has lots of benefits!

 

Lots of other advice through the forum - have a browse!

[witzend]

for what it's worth (!) I've not been counting the costs but I know it's FAR more than I set out .............you know how it is.........chickens don't take up much space etc etc...........and then you about the room you have and how much you could happily alot to said chooks

 

I've had my eglu and ALL (yes, ALL ) accessories in my lounge for 3 weeks waiting for me superdooper WIR which should be built this Friday.

 

As for chooks...........I'm going for 3/4 bantam (small ones) cos the bigger ones really are BIG in comparison - all different breeds and laying different coloured eggs..............I wasn't bothered about quantity............300 per year from hybrids/layers x 3/4 is a heck of a lot of eggs

 

There's lots on the internet/books about which chickens are broody/what colour eggs/how many eggs/size of bird etc

 

I suggest LOADS of research before you plump!!!

[surfer_chicken]

Hello and welcome to the forum

 

 

• How much attention and care do they need?

Daily you need to open and close the eglu in the morning/night, check food and water levels and collect eggs. Then I clean the eglu once a week, and the nest sooner if they've been sleeping in it , but this only take about half an hour to an hour max. Treats and free ranging is optional, but I've found once they know about it, they seem to expect it, and all the other work is very rarely done. (Wing clipping once a year, worming every few months, and sickness- when they're sick). Don't forget people come on here when something does go wrong, so problems are not actually that common. I don't really like having to grab a bowl of soapy water and cleaning out the eglu in the snow, put it's only once a week compared to everyday walking a dog.

 

• What are the real costs involved?

-Housing (ranging from standard house, to house and a run, to full on walk in run, which I'm not lucky enough to possess yet )

-Food

-Bedding

-'First Aid Kit' (wormers, lice powder, anit-peck spray etc).

-Trips to the vet, put this depends on how much you're willing to spend on each individual problems, or whether you see the chickens as equal pets to dogs or simply a nice way to get eggs. You can even go on a course to find out how to humanely put a sick hen out of her misery at home (sad, but necessary).

 

I haven't added it up myself, but some people have posted it on here before, such as £6 per egg over a year or something ridiculous like that But, once you have the main cost over with (housing) the price per egg goes down over time.

 

• Red kites.

We don't have red kites down here, so I don't really know, but I have heard in terms of sparrow hawks and other birds of prey that they will largely ignore chickens and go for something easier.

 

• I hate mowing the lawn.

Well, as above, you won't need to mow the lawn anymore

Our lawn was fine over summer, they kept in nice and short, but once the ground was wet and soft in winter they ripped up the grass from the roots when they were scratching.

 

• Noise levels.

We've never had any complains with our hens, and they are noisy. I think the main thing is only allowing them out after a sensible time (ours are out at 7am), by then most people are awake and they don't seem to mind. Our neighbours like the noise Everyone's different though, so be wary.

 

• What do you do when you go on holiday or long week end off?

We just get our neighbours to let them out in the morning and put them away at night, making sure food and water is topped up. Most people are happy to do it on the theory they get free eggs in return Ours are confined to the run while we're away to make the job easier.

 

• How likely is it to attract rats?

We don't get rats, but we have had a mouse problem in our supplies box (free food plus a nice lovely bag of hay to nest in ). It was easily sorted by putting the food into a metal bin though.

 

• Poo… enough of a problem with a cat or dog, so how is it really with chicken?

We add ours to the compost heap and the product is lovely I don't know about worm heaps though, but I don't see why not. Chicken poo is full of nitrogen which apparently is essential for composting. As for collecting it, the eglu tray from the house just gets pulled out and empty straight into the bin and we rake up the poo once a week (we only have a couple of chickens though, so not too much mess).

 

• My wife wants to plant some veg in the garden, I guess chicks will decimate them if free ranging, any solution?

Ours is fenced off. The bottom half of the garden is chicken land, and there's a fence and gate to go through to get to veggie land. It's been standing for over two years now and has been chicken-proof, and we open it in winter so they can run around it when it's empty, scratching up weeds and pooing

 

• I would want to take this opportunity to give some responsibilities to my 3 year old, what breed is most friendly whilst laying a decent amount of eggs?

Most hybrids basically, with some training, although my amber star is the most docile thing I've ever met, I swear she thinks she's a dog . I think most people on here will agree that each hen has a different personality though, so go down to the breeders and look at them and handle them to find the most friendly. My nephews come over a lot and they love the chickens (managed to convince George they laid his easter egg so he tried to give it back )

 

 

We had been considering chickens for a while, but in the end we ordered the eglu and chickens spontaneously and learnt on the job, which was fun

 

Good luck anyway, and I hope you make the right decision (which is of course joining this mad bunch and getting chickens)

[counturchickens]

Hi, we have only had ex batts, great fun, lots of eggs but maybe a bit more tlc to start but lots of satisfaction! You do also have to account for how much time you'll end up watching them!

[Chortle Chook]

Hello and welcome

My immediate answer to your title question would be 'Chicken' . . however reading through your questions I think perhaps it should be 'no chicken'.

Chickens, like all animals and birds, do need care and attention and in all weathers too - also early in the morning not just part way through the day. Plus, as with all hobbies they also equal cost. So if you are trying to convince yourself that they are as little work as a computer critter then perhaps you shouldn't

 

They are noisy, they do need attention early in the morning, last thing in the evening AND when it is freezing cold, they doo poop (for England) the housing is rather expensive (unless you waste money on something that will disintegrate in a year) and they can get some alarming ills. However if you are an animal lover then you won't mind all this and you'll find them the best thing ever. (But if you aren't then no worries, there are lots of other things to be doing )

[Chortle Chook]

P.S. we do have red kite here (guess you may not be that far from me) and though at first the chickens flattened down each time one flew over they quickly got used to them.

[fluffy chick]

Hello and welcome

My immediate answer to your title question would be 'Chicken' . . however reading through your questions I think perhaps it should be 'no chicken'.

 

I agree I'm afraid they do need a fair amount of commitment.

[Heidi-Hi]

My immediate answer to your title question would be 'Chicken' . . however reading through your questions I think perhaps it should be 'no chicken'.

 

Mmm, I think I agree. I got the feeling you were trying to convince yourself 'no chicken' too...

[Tweety]

Keeping chickens is as much of a responsibility as having any other animal. They do need daily care - food, water etc - and they can be noisy and do make a mess. Sometimes they are ill and may need to see a vet. Housing is expensive, and requires cleaning and maintenance.

Having said that, they are wonderful creatures and worth every penny and minute of the time it takes to look after them.

At the end of the day, only you can decide if keeping chickens is right for you and your family. If you have any doubts, don't do it.

[migsy]

Hi everyone,

 

• How much attention and care do they need? Is it a just a matter of opening of the Eglu in the morning and closing it in the evening + feeding them a couple of times, + the occasional treat and/or free ranging? Reading the forum it seems the work needed is quite heavy with all the cleaning (chicks + house + run), clipping, worming, sickness, etc….. Do you find yourselves forced out of your warm and cosy home in the middle of a freezing winter to care for your chicken?

 

I'd say about 10 minutes a day plus more at the weekend for cleaning. The amount of cleaning depends on the number of chickens you have plus your set up.

 

• What are the real costs involved? The sticky for beginners mentions that very few things are needed, but the extras don’t really seem optional. How much does it really cost to feed, treat, worm, remove lice, go to the vet, essential oils for fly, anti pecking thingy for winter, etc… and the Eglu cost is quite hefty, especially if you want to give them more space with a run extension, or god forbids a walk in run…. I’d rather avoid thinking I need only £X to raise chicken only to find out I need in fact 4 times the amount…

 

The housing is the most expensive thing. This is variable though. Other essentials are of course, a feeder and drinker, red mite powder, occasional worming and food. Expect to pay £300 + set up costs. I have not worked out the weekly costs. For 7 chickens I would estimate it to be about £7 per week. I buy food in bulk.• Red kites. We do not have the occasional one, but rather we constantly have 1 to 10 kites circling above our home. Whilst I wouldn’t be afraid for their safety, wouldn’t the chick be stressed to death by the constant presence of a predator circling above their heads? I don’t want to end up with stressed to death chicken hiding in the Eglu because we are in a red kite heavy area.

 

Don't have any birds of prey round here so I don't know.

• I hate mowing the lawn. Will they do that for me?

 

They may well trash your lawn. It depends how big it is and how much of it you let them on it.

 

• Noise levels. I read different views on the topic, and I really wouldn’t want to disturb my neighbours in any way. The Eglu web site say no one will notice, but I have my doubts, the forums seem to indicate they are quite noisy when laying, which tend to happen quite early morning, especially in summer. What are the real risks?

 

They make a lot of squarking when they lay. I don't think the noise is a big issue unless you have a whole load of birds and or cockerals.

 

• What do you do when you go on holiday or long week end off? Can you leave them alone for a couple of days? Do neighbours just need to put in water/food + collect eggs or would they need to do much more?

 

You could leave them for a couple of days max. You really need to have someone who would be able to chicken sit.

 

• How likely is it to attract rats? Previous owner had a kennel in the garden that attracted a lot of rats, thankfully none subsided since we moved in, but there are plenty of places for them to settle, and if they like chicken food and poo, they may decide to come back….

 

If you take the food in at night or have a rodent proof run I think you should be OK

 

• Poo… enough of a problem with a cat or dog, so how is it really with chicken? Do you need to be constantly s"Ooops, word censored!"ping poo from the run/garden or is it more of an occasional thing? Can you add chicken poo to a worm composter?

 

Loads of it. 20 x more than a dog or cat but not as disgusting. Yes, you can put it on the compost

 

• My wife wants to plant some veg in the garden, I guess chicks will decimate them if free ranging, any solution?

 

Yes, unless she covers the veg or fences it off.

 

• I would want to take this opportunity to give some responsibilities to my 3 year old, what breed is most friendly whilst laying a decent amount of eggs?

 

Hybrids e.g. Isa Brown, Amber Star are generally pretty docile. I can't see a 3 year old being responsible for any animal though!

 

I probably tens of other questions, but these should suffice for now. Thank you for your time.

[beach chick]

pepsico - I dont know which way your decision will go, but I REALLY hope you will appreciate how much time and effort omleteers have put in to responding to your questions.

 

mods, I dont know if this thread could be useful as a sticky about whether or not people really want chickens?

[Pepsico]

Thank you for all your answers, some clarified the point, and some will lead to further analysis.

 

To follow up on some of the comments: yes, for having had pets before I do realise that getting any animal is an important responsibility. That is why I want to understand as much as possible what these responsibilities are and whether I am prepared to accept them.

 

I wouldn’t want to adopt an animal and not give it the living standard it is entitled to or have to go through the emotional (and financial) burden of having to end the adventure and relocate them elsewhere.

 

Am I looking to be convinced not to pursue this idea? Not really, I really want to make an informed decision. Too often people are being too emotional about things and their judgment can get clouded (just look at all the people who want to leave cities to manage an idyllic pub or a farm and don’t realise all the work and issues that are associated with them, or people who buy dogs/cats and have to get rid of them after just a few months because they didn’t think it through ).

 

From all the answers above, the current sticky point for me (apart from convincing my wife) is going to be the cleaning bit. I can live with the daily opening/closing/feeding/treat bits, but 1 hour a week in the freezing wet English winter weather cleaning poo will be ok for the occasional week, but weekly for a few years? Guess I need to do some more inner searching/questioning!

 

Re kids and responsibilities: I was more planning on giving him the occasional responsibility of having to go collect the eggs… I recall how fun it was when I was 4-5 year old at my aunt’s collecting warm eggs in the morning

Re kites: good news that they can get accustomed to them.

 

Anyhow, I am not planning on rushing on things. If I do decide it is the right thing to do, and get the family seal of approval, I would probably aim for early fall or next spring (though I have tons of blackberry bushes that I would be happy to see torn apart)

[witzend]

Re cold-weather cleaning - I'm hoping my roofed WIR will save me (and the chickens!) from the worst of the North West weather.............time will tell

 

If you're able to get a WIR with some weather-proofing - it may not be as onerous as you're thinking

[Lavenders_Blue]

I don't have anything much else to add to what has already been said except to say that I don't do a full clean out every week. Basically I adopt 3 levels of cleaning in my coop:

 

Daily - Poop-a-scoop the coop/nest boxes (5 min job)

Weekly - Remove all bedding from coop, quick sweep out with dustpan and brush, new bedding (15 mins)

Every couple of months - Remove all bedding, clean and scrub coop with poultry shield (disinfectant), leave to dry, put new bedding in (1 hour-ish)

 

Obviously this can vary a little depending on how dirty the coop gets i.e. in winter the hens spend more time in the coop due to longer nights, so needs cleaning out more often.

[migsy]

I don't have anything much else to add to what has already been said except to say that I don't do a full clean out every week. Basically I adopt 3 levels of cleaning in my coop:

 

Daily - Poop-a-scoop the coop/nest boxes (5 min job)

Weekly - Remove all bedding from coop, quick sweep out with dustpan and brush, new bedding (15 mins)

Every couple of months - Remove all bedding, clean and scrub coop with poultry shield (disinfectant), leave to dry, put new bedding in (1 hour-ish)

 

Obviously this can vary a little depending on how dirty the coop gets i.e. in winter the hens spend more time in the coop due to longer nights, so needs cleaning out more often.

 

My routine is much the same as this. It depends how many chickens you have and to be honest, a walk in run leads to a lot more cleaning. If you are worried about cleaning I would get 3 chickens with a big enough run with a bit of shelter over it and put woodchip on the floor. The rain then washes away the poo and the chickens scratch it over too.

[Chortle Chook]

Pepsico, you are clearly very responsible.Good on you to be considering all angles!

 

What I'd say about the cold (and I know that last winter was particularly bad in the UK) is that it did take me by surprise last year. I got my first chooks at the end of last summer and it was all a lot of fun, then suddenly the freezing weather struck and I found myself mixing and feeding warm chicken porridge in various jumpers, a coat and wellies in the garden at about 7.30 every morning. I can't pretend that I enjoyed this at all Though I was used to taking the dogs out in the cold, for some reason I had not realised I'd be putting on coat and layers of jumpers just to stand in my own garden shivering. I also had not realised quite how early it got dark, so the need to give my chooks their corn in the early afternoon (so they had a full crop to digest and keep them warm in the dark hours) always seemed to come when I was in the middle of something else. I will add that it was all well worth it - just not the best bit Saying all this, I have no grim recollections of cleaning them out in the rain or in the freezing cold - can't really think why as I do a full clean of my wooden chook house once a week. I can say that the weekly chook clean is a lot easier than cleaning out my doves and a lot pleasanter than mopping up puppy wee from the carpet

 

I'd suggest it might help if you go to a place that has chickens (if you are in or near South Oxfordshire try Acorn nurseries or Notcutts) and when in front of them, think - are these really the critters that I'm longing to have (especially as it sounds like the care will be mostly down to you). Do real chickens in front of you (rather than a happy childhood memory) grab you? They are certainly more work than a hammy but probably not more than a rabbit. Compared to a dog they are just different. I find I give my dogs a few big chunks of time (their long morning walk for instance) and for the rest of the time they are just with me. With my chickens I find that I have to give them lots of little snippets of time. They are probably quite a bit more work than a cat.

[freddie]

Hi,

they're a bit like having kids.

Terrifying prospect, and then you cant remember what life was like before them.

And I am being serious.

I love mine, and my kids have grown up with chickens, they're one of the few practical pets around, and esp ex batts are stupidly friendly

Hope you end up with some; your little one will love them.

I have fenced my veg patch to keep them out, rather than fence them in.