JTaylor

Anyone keep them? Lizzy and I fancy the idea, but we’re concerned about the fox that shares our garden. Experiences?

andy97

iTrader: (1)

You will need very good fencing, buried deep down and coverage all across the top to stop a fox.
chain link, not chicken wire. The chickens will trash the area if grass.

JTaylor

Thanks. It’s not grass, it’s an area which is currently covered in stone chippings and is essentially redundant. Thinking about a proper coop like these:

https://www.chickencoopsdirect.com

lozgti1

Sister did. They certainly poop a lot and eat anything!

Thing that amazed me was chickens rather like high branches. Always saw them as creatures that never left the ground!

bobbyd182

iTrader: (2)

Abit like dogs, there are hundreds of different shapes and sizes. Some good layers, some are more broody than others.

I would recommend looking at

Silkies
Ostralopes
Light Sussex.

These are smaller birds, and are great layers.

Silkies are my favourite, little ***** of fluff.

I've kept chickens and ducks for over 15yrs. Had lots of different breeds.
Just have 3 Indian runner ducks and 6 silkie hens and 2 ***** now.

Would really love a bird of prey ( harrier hawk) just don't have the time to keep it.

If a fox wants to get in it will! Stotes,weasels and ferrets are the worst if they get in... you will have nothing left.

DTB

Wire over the top of the run is essential if you have a fox lurking about. They can and will climb up any fence, over into the run. However, the most important thing is to shut them in at night because that's when a fox is most likely to be about.

Black Rock chickens are great. Very reliable layers. Or you could pick up some ex-battery chickens and give them a few more years of life - but laying reduces with age. If you do get chickens, familiarise yourself with how to spot things like mites which can be quite common.

Feed them on a good compound layers pellet, but chuck in salad leafs and stuff too. We used to grow quick greens just to throw into their run. They loved an occasional tomato too!

Damn, I miss having chickens.

bobbyd182

iTrader: (2)

Reinhold

My uncle rears ostriches for the table; foxes are no threat to them but they are probably unsuitable for the average garden.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

My wife's school have five, they get five eggs a day like clockwork.

BUT: expensive to set up, not cheap to feed the proper food. I know they will eat anything. Neighbour has 17 in a long run in France near our house. They get all our scraps too. They will fight over a mouse if I catch one in a trap, and will kill any snake that goes into their pen.
But hers get scraps, some corn mix and that's it. As a result their eggshells are very thin and have to be handled like...eggshells.
When I mentioned to her that the school chickens have this special feed that contains the grit and calcium, she said, "Ah, yes...but then you are paying for your eggs?"

They do trash any area, even a stoned/chippinged one. They dig, and like to scratch out a place for hot days. Remember shade is important in the summer. They can easily dig under a non-buried fence.

The school chickens have a chicken wire cover over their pen, the french ones have their pen set at 2500mm.
Both lots are closed in at night.

Over Christmas the school chickens came to stay with us. They have a small coop in our greenhouse for night time, and I close the greenhouse door for protection. They roam part of the garden during the day, enclosed by a green plastic fence.
While they were with us their coop at the school was moved and a couple of flagstones placed inside to keep the egg-collector monitors out of the mud. They eat ALL the grass and love it. You would need to feed them grass too.

The school eggs are used in the classrooms, the children bake, make egg sandwiches, cook scrambled egg etc. The kids LOVE it. The chickens had names but now look pretty much the same. One was called Jeff...LOL

JTaylor

Great info., men! Thank you very much! Will update this thread if and when we get set-up.

SouthWalesSam

iTrader: (1)

I never fail to be impressed by the breath of knowledge and experience of the SNeter community.

Keep it up people!

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

I really like chickens.
When I'm down in France on my own, I often take a lawn chair and sit with a glass of wine or a Pernod and watch them. They are quite funny, and each one has it's place in the pecking order.

ray54

Would,nt have anything to do with the shortage KFC are experiencing by any chance


Brilliant........... and good luck..

JTaylor

No. Not at all. Why? Why do you ask?

ray54

Made big news... KFC ran out of chicken, just thought you had found a new business venture.