Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[MissPug+Chooks]

Hello everyone!

 

Been a while since I've been on!

 

I have a small issue - well its not really and issue more a decision.

 

I currently have 3 gals - 2 x Omlet and 1 x Pekin Bantam (I used to have 2 but one died mysteriously a few months ago)

 

None of them lay. The 2 Omlet girls are around 3 / 3 and a half and the Pekin Bantam is blind and does not lay she is about 6 months old (we didn't realize when we got her).

 

The issue I have is that my husband is fed up of me having chicken with them not laying and then messing up the grass.

 

I have 1 of 3 options - a)try and rehome them (I've tried my local Facebook Poultry page - no one is interested) b) dispatch them or 3) add to the flock and get 2 new girls.

 

The problem I have is that they live in WIR 6ft by 9ft and an so in terms of space, we may be quite limited.

 

The Pekin Bantam practically sleeps under one of the other girls so I could probably squeeze 2 new girls in, however I'm worried about over crowding - they do get to free range when its not too rainy so they don't mess up the grass too much.

 

Opinions?

 

I need some laying chickens asap other wise I have a feeling I might come home from work one day and they may not be there anymore!

 

Thanks for reading

 

p.s. Hubby will not eat pekin eggs as they are too small haha!!

[Tweety]

Have you tried rehoming your OH?!

 

Seriously though, I doubt that you will find anyone to take on 3 non-layers, one of which is blind, tbh. And you are a bit short of space to add another 2 hens, as you say. Could you extend the WIR at all?

 

I would never consider culling a hen just because she isn't laying, but that's just me and I know that others take a different view.

 

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

[zakjon-98]

I think you could fit 2 more hens in if you allowed them to free range more but it could be a problem with the pekin in introductions as she could get beat up a lot especially if she is blind. One thing to bear in mind is that 3 and a half is fairly old for a gingernut type hybrid, many live to 4 but some live a bit longer so you may not have them for years and years. I don't think you should cull them, especially with the pekin as they can only be expected to lay around 80-100 eggs a year and if eggs are your priority Pekins probably weren't the best choice of breed to buy. I think the best option is either to find a good home for them or buy a cheap wooden coop so you can do careful introductions with two new girls.

Good luck

[MissPug+Chooks]

Don't get me wrong, its not me that wants to cull them! I'd happily let them live out their days!

 

Hmmmm not sure what to do...might have to put some high security fencing around the WIR so they are still there at the end of each day! Its so frustrating that they've finished laying!

 

The Pekin was not bought for eggs, but as a companion for one of our injured chickens (fox attack survivor) and although the pekin in blind in one eye, they are great friends!

 

Would be nice to just have some eggs

[MissPug+Chooks]

Oh and to add unfortunately we can't extend the run anymore without spending serious money - something the OH is most frustrated about - paying for hens that don't pay their own way! Oh well.....he'll get over it.

[Mrs_B]

These are future situations that need to be considered when buying any sort of pet. Personally I see my chickens more as pets, eggs are a bonus - they are not machines and I know they won't lay eggs forever.

 

I can't expect my cat to pay her way living in the house

 

Why don't you start a new and get some more POL chickens after your old flock have lived their life?

 

Hope everything works out!

 

x

[MissPug+Chooks]

Many Thanks for your thoughts Mrs B - neither do I think of my chickens as 'machines' they ARE also my pets.

 

Just to clarify I DO NOT WANT TO CULL THESE BIRDS, they ARE my pets and I DO want them to stay - I just want to know whether or not its a good idea to expand the flock by getting 2 POL in or to wait until the sad inevitable.

 

Can someone tell me the DEFRA/RSPCA guideline for hens/sqm?

 

Many Thanks,

[zakjon-98]

I think the recommended is 1m squared per hen. But if you kept them in that space it would be good to give them of things to do and free range time

[Chortle Chook]

My suggestion would be to let the Omlet gals live out their lives (I doubt they have much longer on planet Earth as they have stopped laying and are hybrids who don't usually live very long) and meanwhile try and re-home your little Pekin on her own as a pet. (Pekins can have long lives and she could be very bullied by any new big girls)

 

Once all have departed you could get 3 good egg layers but of course a couple of years down the line and you would be back in the same position with old gals who are not laying eggs. If you get 3 breed chickens known for laying e.g. Light Sussex, Barnvelder and Marans then they are likely to continue laying for longer (if not quite as frequently) than a hybrid.