chickflick Posted November 23, 2007 Author Share Posted November 23, 2007 when you say it lasts ages - how long does one bag(£8 or so)last you?-i understood from one of your posts that you use one of these amonth.Is that about right?-Just trying to work out running costs also! Thanks for all you interesting replies.I am still in the researching stage of chicken ownership and have much to consider and learn! On the subject of running costs- how much do chickens cost to keep?Same as a cat? More questions i know! thanks fran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 If you don't factor in the cost of the eglu/cube I reckon you can run six chickens for the price of one cat. We have six chickens and one Cat. The excess eggs we sell to friends and family covers the cost of the feed etc. I have not had much luck trying to give away Cats eggs If you are worried about the amount of poo/damage to the garden then bantams may be they way to go, (bantams are smaller and less likely to trash your garden). Is that true all you Banty keepers? Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 how long does one bag(£8 or so)last you?-i understood from one of your posts that you use one of these amonth.Is that about right? 1 bag lasts me about a month....for 8 hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 I use about 1 bag of layers mash a month plus about a third of a bag of pellets - my posh pekins (partridges) prefer pellets and the brahmas just eat anything and everything.....including spinach and rhubarb from hubbys polytunnel and fruit cage. I made him a nice steak and kidney pie that day. Not that I was creeping, you understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Hi Chickflick, (if I can JUST get back to the matter in hand ladies !) I have three children, 2 5 and 7 and they love the hens. Chickens do poo everywhere, in the summer when the kids were out a lot more I used to go round with the hose at the end of every day and you can just hose it in to the grass. My children haven't really had a problem with the poo. the dog poo is a different matter! But I don't find that chicken poo smells, and it's not like having a dog or cat poo in your garden, I don't find it anywhere near as offensive. They also eat your plants although ours seem to leave all the shrubs alone. I personally think hens are fantastic for children to be around. Ours checkfor the eggs every day, they watch them being looked after, cleaned, they like to feed them, I think children should see animals being cared for whereever possible. (Not that I'm biased or anything!! ) Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 IHow much do chickens poo?fran Well. If you weigh the food that goes in, work out the increase in chicken weight, deduct one from the other - and thats what has to come out again. ... ish Chickens poo a lot - but I keep mine on shredded paper in the Cube. I have an earth floor to my run which I dig over every now and again. I just don't worry about the garden. As has been said, chicken poo isn't nasty like dog poo. I wear my crocs to go down and into the chicken run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
