jess8619 Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Sorry to be a pain but my mum has said yes to chickens but my dad is still refusing, could someone please give me a lst of all the positive things about chickens- see if this helps at all? THANK YOU! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 1) A supply of fresh eggs every day (and they taste totally different to the ones you get in the shops). 2) They bring the garden to life, they are so entertaining to watch 3) They eat snails and bugs 4) They are really, really easy to look after - ten minutes a day, and then half an hour every two or three weeks to clean out the Eglu 5) They will eat up vegetable peelings, and produce fantastic compost for the garden. You will gather that everyone on here is very positive about them! Do you know what his reasons are for not wanting them, it might be easier to give you some arguments to counter that - e.g. is he worried they will smell (they won't) or that they will ruin the garden (only if you let them, it doesn't have to happen). This is definitely the place to get any questions answered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Well done Olly...that's it in a nutshell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 how about you list his objections and we can counter them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess8619 Posted October 8, 2007 Author Share Posted October 8, 2007 Ok, his objections: *Too many foxes living around here, and they are very tame. *Cleaning it out *How much room we give the chickens (We can't let them out free range as our garden is only fenced of by trees) *Rats and the smell *What will happen to them when we go away *The cost of it all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 (edited) if they are cleaned our regularly - there is no smell. Some owners give their chickens garlic powder in their food which means their poo doesnt smell either. Chickens enclosed safely in a run dont need to free range - they will live quite happily in the run but would enjoy freeranging with supervision (when you are in the garden for an hour or so with them) Again - if you keep them clean, clear up old food and un-eaten s"Ooops, word censored!"s - chickens do not attract rats. We have had ours for 18months - not a rat in sight Cost - Bag of pellets £4 (lasts us a month), red mite powder for your eglu/chicken house (we bought a tub 6months ago for £7 and its still going strong), we give them a few treats a day - but they can eat your leftover veggies etc. You'll also need bedding/straw for the nest box ( a few pounds) Going away - they could be left at your home and a friend/neighbour/relative could pop in and check on them once a day to check their food and water. Or if you have a friend/relative you could take them to them. Sometimes an omlet forum member near you could always help out if you have one near your area willing to help. And you'll be saving on the cost of buying eggs! Edited October 8, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess8619 Posted October 8, 2007 Author Share Posted October 8, 2007 Ok, I've been taking notes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsoggyx Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 I had the same thing with my wofe but caught her in a good mood in the end (after a bottle of wine). ANyway: *Too many foxes living around here, and they are very tame - The run is fox proof *Cleaning it out - Volunteer to do this yourself VERY quick and easy. 20 Mins per week max ! *How much room we give the chickens (We can't let them out free range as our garden is only fenced of by trees) - The run is enough or just extend the run as necessary (See omlet shop) *Rats and the smell - Dont get smelly rats get Chickens instead ! Every pet smells if you are up close. As long as you clean each week there should be no smell. *What will happen to them when we go away - Ask a friend or neighbour to look in if more than 2 nights away. Also there are chick sitters on here as well *The cost of it all - Contribute or strike up a deal with MR Stinge !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess8619 Posted October 8, 2007 Author Share Posted October 8, 2007 Alcohol is a very good idea. So if we just keep them in the eglu run they'd be happy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Ok, his objections: *Too many foxes living around here, and they are very tame. *Cleaning it out *How much room we give the chickens (We can't let them out free range as our garden is only fenced of by trees) *Rats and the smell *What will happen to them when we go away *The cost of it all Eglu is foxproof. Eglu is designed to be easy to clean and low maintenance (I wouldn't keep chickens if it weren't for the eglu!). Standard run is supposedly the size required by 2 chickens to live in permanently (battery hens have nowhere near that amount of room) you can use Omlet netting to make temporary enclosures if you really feel they need more room or get a run extension. Be careful with the food and you shouldn't get rats, feed them garlic and they hardly smell at all. You can leave 2 chickens for 2 days to their own devices as long as their glug and grub are full up before you go, any longer than that and I'm sure you'd be able to find a couple of willing volunteers to pop in and top them up in exchange for some tasty eggs. There are not many products on the market that you can leave outside in all weathers for 2 years and then sell on ebay for 2/3 what you paid for it. Or even better, buy a second hand one. Also, Omlet sometimes have reconditioned ones for £40 off retail price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 I agree with all that has been said, we have quite a few foxes visiting our garden (I have seen various sizes of foxes in various states of health), and our chickens are still alive and healthy... we reinforced the 'skirt' of the run a bit with some more mesh on the floor, though if you can put them down on something hard like concrete that wont be needed... not so much fun for the hens though who like a mud bath. Rats? We had one rat regularly visiting our garden, getting into amazing s"Ooops, word censored!"s with our cats, but we haven't seen it for months, and we've had the chickens for months... The only rats I ever see are our two pet rats... The cleaning and maintaining is dead easy... my 8 year old daughter does it single-handed and has been doing so ever since we got them (she was just 7 at the time)... they're her chickens and I have not found it a problem for her to take care of them... so anyone can really raise to the challenge, it only takes a little bit of time each day to feed/check water/add hemcore if used/give s"Ooops, word censored!"s/collect eggs... I always have my daughters asking for more pets (from hamster to pigmy goats) and really the chooks I have never regretted... no down side with them, they are fantastic pets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 The run is fox proof I think omlet claim the eglu is fox PROOF and the run fox RESISTANT. If correctly constructed (maybe extra clips) and located etc. I would estimate it would be 99% fox proof. Not being negative, just would hate someone to rely on it being fox proof and find out the hard way. Otherwise, everything above is correct (IMHO) H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pearsons Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 I love cleaning out my hens. And they enjoy the time I spend with them whilst doing it. Hens are the best pets ever. Helen in Hume Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozkate Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Try to find an idea he hates even more (horses are expensive) then bang on about it for weeks. Hens will then look like an easy option!! Works for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Its just a shame you can't pull them out of the washing machine & pretend you have had them for ages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 very good, Cinnamon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Good one Cinnamon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...