hi im wondering if any chicken keepers couldgive me some advice, over past weeK or so i have been pondeRing the idea of chickens as i have seen a lot of threads on them and i have a large garden, but how easy are they to keep what breeds would You need for lying eggs, what kind of housing is suitable and also is it realy do able, as we do have queit a few foxes round here ilive in parsons cross, and i am also worried bout them getting pinched,ive got guinea pigs but i wont have them outside for that reason so am i stupid to want chicken?ANY ADVICE NEEDED

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=475887 might answer a few questions. pm me if you want to come and have a chat and a neb at my lot :)

thanks henhuggerxx

oh wow that website for the battery hens is fab and i would deffo want ex battery hens,but its getting them which would be a problem but can at least look into it i dont mind how much they lay as i am realy getting them just for me and my little boy so we can enjoy our eggs on our own at home but know our pets are loved and looked after henhugger i would like to visit you and get some ideas ect where abouts are youx

I've pm'd you :)

Hiya

Just wondered if you'd heard of eggloo's. Try google there quite a new funky alternative chicken house. Their website also had information on keeping chickens too.

Just a thought but unless you are buying your house there used to be a clause in the council's tenancy agreement saying that you couldn't keep chickens or pigeons on their property :sad:

Not all councils are against it, and it is possible to have clauses removed, although not easily.

Eglu's are very nice, but rediculously expensive!

Not all councils are against it, and it is possible to have clauses removed, although not easily.

Eglu's are very nice, but rediculously expensive!

Well it's a long time ago that I noticed it and things may have changed now, I would love some chickens too :)

when i bought my house in 1994, the council just said i couldn't keep pigeons (even after i'd bought it) lol

To help prevent visits from foxes, bury your wire mesh quite deep. Foxes aren't averse to digging for their food, but they get bored if the wire is buried deep.

Just a thought but unless you are buying your house there used to be a clause in the council's tenancy agreement saying that you couldn't keep chickens or pigeons on their property :sad:

OH i am a council tennant aswell

I've been thinking about chucks for the new allotment, need more reading up on though

OH i am a council tennant aswell

Might be worth looking into then, if you are allowed don't tell me or I will be having a few as well :hihi:

i realy do want some but i am now deciding against it just becouse o the fox thing and the fact the housing will require some realy digging into the ground and i have just done my garden and dont have the muscles to do it mysef lol so i may have to leave it unless i suddenly meet a nice strong man who is animal mad lol

i realy do want some but i am now deciding against it just becouse o the fox thing and the fact the housing will require some realy digging into the ground and i have just done my garden and dont have the muscles to do it mysef lol so i may have to leave it unless i suddenly meet a nice strong man who is animal mad lolIf you gone off that idea what about qauls although some need alot more attention depends what exactly your doing with them.
Infact could do with a small pair myself.

what are they?i wanted them for fresh eggs, but i also wanted ex battery to give them a new life as there just killed once they have finished laying, i know ex batery dont lay a lot of eggs but it was only for me and my son so we wouldent require a lot, and also its education for my son to learn how to take care of them along with the rest of the farm lol

what are they?i wanted them for fresh eggs, but i also wanted ex battery to give them a new life as there just killed once they have finished laying, i know ex batery dont lay a lot of eggs but it was only for me and my son so we wouldent require a lot, and also its education for my son to learn how to take care of them along with the rest of the farm lolwell you can eat there eggs only problem is there very tiny lol compaired to chicken eggs.They remind me of a lttle partridge i guess

there yu go if yu watched garderners world all u need to keep chicks is a space of 6 x 4 water food grit sorted or if yu have a garden like mine let them run free in day and at night put away in there coop

http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/42967/2339882310100660248S600x600Q85.jpg (http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2339882310100660248xZTveB)

http://inlinethumb13.webshots.com/42636/2235969720100660248S600x600Q85.jpg (http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2235969720100660248FvFkMN)

http://inlinethumb39.webshots.com/26086/2964884180100660248S600x600Q85.jpg (http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2964884180100660248hgaOyx)

right peeps these need help just had email saying they have to rehome 10,000 chicks so get on and look

www.littlehenrescue.co.uk

www.henrehomers.net are also looking for homes. Next rehoming 7th June.

ooooo dont i cant get housing done and i feel guilty now lol

If you can't dig down there are other ways of protecting from foxes. You can run the wire down the side of the enclosure and then out along the ground, for about a foot I think but you will have to check, this means they can't dig close enough to get under. Also laying slabs around the perimeter will have the same affect.

I would fully recommend keeping chickens. We got our ex batts in October last year and they are amazing!! They are so funny and really rewarding and I have been getting all through winter and still am getting 2/3 eggs a day from 3 ex batts - more than enough for us !

mlc1 thats a rilliant idea i never thought of that, and 2-3 a day for me if ample that would bebrilliant where did you get yours from, and how much does it cost you to keep them?, obviously the inital outlay for them will be a bit i dont mind that as long as they have a good home

I used to have hens. Bear in mind that providing you never let them out between dusk and dawn you don't need to fox proof the run providing the henhouse is secure.

Foxes wont come out during the day.

I used to have hens. Bear in mind that providing you never let them out between dusk and dawn you don't need to fox proof the run providing the henhouse is secure.

Foxes wont come out during the day.


Hate to break it to you but a hungry fox will come out any time of the day or night to feed. Especially if it's got cubs. And foxes won't just take what they need, they'll kill everything and leave the carcasses for later.

Better safe than sorry!!

we have been intouch with hen rehomes and getting 3 more on the 23rd may to add to the 4 we have allready
www.henrehomers.net

just thought i would let yu all know if you are stuck for building a new home for your hens then go were ive been today its a old farm in brampton he buys old parts of sheds from shedlands and sell the panel for £5 each infact nearly everything hes got is £5 and if you ask him for a small fee will deliver for you to , he used to keep chickens and knows his stuff so if you need advice to he will help out .

this is were the farm is
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.388131&lon=-1.271747&z=19.1&r=0&src=msl