Anyone here keep chickens?

[Mr Celine]

We got four bantams over five years ago. One of them (RIP Tikka) died in the summer, unfortunately she was by far the best layer. Even at five years old we were still getting 15 eggs a week from the four of them. They live in a converted Wendy house with a run attached which is never used as they just roam around the garden, which is big enough that they don't do serious damage. If you have a veg plot let them on it during the winter, as they scratch up and eat slug eggs. Any seeds planted anywhere have to be fenced off or they get scratched up.
I was against getting chickens but was overuled. I wouldn't be without them now, they are an endless source of entertainment (and eggs).

 

[Fnaar]

A friend of mine was really enthusaistic about her chicken-keeping (loads of eggs, easy to keep etc) till she found herself one day having to stick her finger up one of the hen's jacksie, as it was eggbound ...

 

[Durian]

A friend of mine was really enthusaistic about her chicken-keeping (loads of eggs, easy to keep etc) till she found herself one day having to stick her finger up one of the hen's jacksie, as it was eggbound ...

I heard your friend, Miss Goodbody, liked a cock-or-two.

 

[stephec]

For those of you who leave them free in the garden all day, are local cats ever a problem?

 

[welsh dragon]

For those of you who leave them free in the garden all day, are local cats ever a problem?

My next door neighbour has cats. They aren't a problem . They never bothered with the chickens.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

For those of you who leave them free in the garden all day, are local cats ever a problem?

Similar to Welsh Dragon, I have a cat and she didn't bother with them at all, nor were the hens bothered, to the extent my cat would sleep on top of the wire mesh on the run.
More of a problem were the mice trying to get the food. I kept it in a galvanised metal bin in the garage, but you have to be very careful not to spill any in case it attracts them.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

For those of you who leave them free in the garden all day, are local cats ever a problem?

nope and they boss our dogs about too.

 

[Mr Celine]

For those of you who leave them free in the garden all day, are local cats ever a problem?

Cats are cowards. They only attack things that are scared of them. The chickens ignore any cats that come into the garden, so the cats keep well away.
At night when the chooks are locked up there is often a cat watching for any mice after the chicken's food.

 

[AndyRM]

My folks keep chickens and were advised to get an even number, don't remember why I'm afraid. They won't be fussed about a domestic pet but they do need protection from vermin.

They'll establish a pecking order too, which I had never realised was an actual thing!

Also, if you've not had 'proper' eggs before, prepare for a taste sensation!

 

[AndyRM]

Cats are cowards. They only attack things that are scared of them. The chickens ignore any cats that come into the garden, so the cats keep well away.
At night when the chooks are locked up there is often a cat watching for any mice after the chicken's food.

My parents' cat Peko is a tough wee countryside raised beastie, I've seen her fight all sorts. I don't think I've seen a cat move quicker than when she had a pop at 'Madge', the top hen. All it took was a squak and a wing flap and Peko was gone.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Dragging this post up from the crypt. I've kept lots of chickens over the years. Mixed flocks of large fowl mainly.

I've recently lost almost the entire lot to an attack by Blaireau. Unfortunate privilege of living in the countryside.

I'm just over 2 weeks into hatching some La Fléche, Coucou du Rennes, Ixworth, legbars and Vorwerk.

Anyone got a chicken project on the go?

 

[summerdays]

Well not chickens but quails. We hatched them at Christmas time and have had lots of fun and eggs... we are just getting ready to boot them outside.... we built their enclosure last week, but still needs a roof to keep out the rain.

 

[classic33]

There used to be someone on here that took in a few rescued hens, and it was lovely seeing their gradual improvement in health from when she first got them.... Goes off to search....

Well, find it?

 

[Electric_Andy]

It's not critical to close them up at night,

We used to lock ours up every night, as soon as it got dark they were in on their perches anyway. The couple of times I remember my parents not locking the shed, a fox got in and killed all 12.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

We used to lock ours up every night, as soon as it got dark they were in on their perches anyway. The couple of times I remember my parents not locking the shed, a fox got in and killed all 12.

I take your point. I was thinking about my own hutch which had a lower run and a bit upstairs which the hens went to bed up a ladder. In the summer I'd leave them to go to bed and leave the ladder down, primarily so I didn't have to get up early and let them out. As long as the run is fox proof I think it's pretty safe.