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From: A.Lee on 19 Apr 2010 14:02 Donnie <NOTVALID(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > Well, there seems to be some serious research being done in the Canning > household re chickens and the keeping thereof. > This is the plan so far anyway, but thought I would see if there's > anyone on here that has chickens and might be able to give me some > suggestions as to whether this is viable and if there's any obvious > hurdles that I havent even considered yet? Sounds OK. Have you got fences around your garden? If so, then just let them out in the morning, and they'll be free-range. I think keeping them in a caged off area is cruel, as they get bored pretty quickly. Mine have never been locked up in the daytime from day one. One side of the garden has a 6' wooden fence, the other, a 3' wire fence. I have only had one 'escape', and they soon came back when they heard the food tin rattling. (rattle the tin when you feed them, then they soon know it is food time when they hear it.) Make sure they are secure at night, else a fox will have them. Alan. -- To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.
From: Donnie on 19 Apr 2010 14:09 Thomas said: > On Apr 19, 10:01�am, "Donnie" <NOTVA...(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > > Well, there seems to be some serious research being done in the > > Canning household re chickens and the keeping thereof. > > > > So, anyone on here keep them and have any thoughts on the best way > > to do so? > > > > Plan is to convert the kids wooden playhouse into the actual coop, > > should be simple, it needs the plastic windows (2 of 2 foot x 2 foot > > perspex) replacing with wood and then convert the inside for the > > roosts. > > > > Size of the house is 5 x 4 foot on the floor and is another 4 foot > > to the roof which is an apex. > > > > Then its a matter of sorting a run, looking at wood, wire fencing > > etc in wickes / homebase plus fixings it looks like it'll be easier > > and cheaper in the longer run to buy one from the likes of ebay. > > > > This is the plan so far anyway, but thought I would see if there's > > anyone on here that has chickens and might be able to give me some > > suggestions as to whether this is viable and if there's any obvious > > hurdles that I havent even considered yet? > > The only animal more stupid than a chicken is a turkey, and that's > purely a body mass/brain weight issue. > > You are what you eat. Nurse! I'll have what he's having 'cos to come out with that gibberish it must be something good!! -- Donnie Honda CB500R "Look out, Donnie's about!" Lambretta Series 2 186cc "The Shitter" Lambretta LD 175cc "The Chopper"
From: Donnie on 19 Apr 2010 14:12 A.Lee said: > Donnie <NOTVALID(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > > > Well, there seems to be some serious research being done in the > > Canning household re chickens and the keeping thereof. > > > This is the plan so far anyway, but thought I would see if there's > > anyone on here that has chickens and might be able to give me some > > suggestions as to whether this is viable and if there's any obvious > > hurdles that I havent even considered yet? > > Sounds OK. Have you got fences around your garden? > If so, then just let them out in the morning, and they'll be > free-range. I think keeping them in a caged off area is cruel, as > they get bored pretty quickly. Mine have never been locked up in the > daytime from day one. One side of the garden has a 6' wooden fence, > the other, a 3' wire fence. I have only had one 'escape', and they > soon came back when they heard the food tin rattling. (rattle the tin > when you feed them, then they soon know it is food time when they > hear it.) Make sure they are secure at night, else a fox will have > them. Alan. Yep, 6 foot high fencing all the way round though the back gates got a gap that is on the list to sort beforehand anyway. I was under the impression that it is best to have them in a run when there's no one in the house, ie so they are protected but not in their coop uncomfortable IYSWIM. -- Donnie Honda CB500R "Look out, Donnie's about!" Lambretta Series 2 186cc "The Shitter" Lambretta LD 175cc "The Chopper"
From: A.Lee on 19 Apr 2010 14:23 Donnie <NOTVALID(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > A.Lee said: > > Sounds OK. Have you got fences around your garden? > Yep, 6 foot high fencing all the way round though the back gates got a > gap that is on the list to sort beforehand anyway. > I was under the impression that it is best to have them in a run when > there's no one in the house, ie so they are protected but not in their > coop uncomfortable IYSWIM. If you have a fox in the daytime, then yes, probably best to keep them behind wire, but in most places, the fox doesnt come out until dusk. Cats dont tend to be a problem, dogs can be - they like chasing things, so best to not let unknown dogs in. Try it out and see how they get on, ours are quite happy out all hours, they even go to bed on their own, unlike the ducks, who have to be chased in every night. Alan. -- To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.
From: The Older Gentleman on 19 Apr 2010 14:23
Donnie <NOTVALID(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > Well, there seems to be some serious research being done in the Canning > household re chickens and the keeping thereof. > > So, anyone on here keep them and have any thoughts on the best way to > do so? > > Plan is to convert the kids wooden playhouse into the actual coop, > should be simple, it needs the plastic windows (2 of 2 foot x 2 foot > perspex) replacing with wood and then convert the inside for the roosts. > > Size of the house is 5 x 4 foot on the floor and is another 4 foot to > the roof which is an apex. > > Then its a matter of sorting a run, looking at wood, wire fencing etc > in wickes / homebase plus fixings it looks like it'll be easier and > cheaper in the longer run to buy one from the likes of ebay. > > This is the plan so far anyway, but thought I would see if there's > anyone on here that has chickens and might be able to give me some > suggestions as to whether this is viable and if there's any obvious > hurdles that I havent even considered yet? We keep 'em. First thing is that whatever run you have, or nearly, the foxes will find a way of digging into it. Wire netting needs to be buried, or spread out flat along the ground by the run so the foxes can't start digging adjacent to it. Just don't underestimate foxes. We've lost two to Mr Fox in the last couple of years, due to the garden being invaded in the middle of the day when we thought it was safe and let them out. Foxes normally hunt at night, but in winter they got really hungry and desperate and came out at midday. We have an Eglu (www.eglu.com). Yes, it's pricey, yes, it scores over wooden runs in that it is amazingly easy to clean, yes it is 100% fox-proof. Worth the dosh, I'd say. Next: chickens are unbelievably stupid. Words can't describe. And they have an utter preoccupation with food.. Everything is tested for edibility. Eggs. Our three chooks deliver two or sometimes three eggs per day. Laying tails off in winter, a bit. The eggs are fabulous: creamy, sun-yellow yolks, delish Watching chickens is hilarious, especially when they establish the pecking order. Someone has to be Number One, and chicken politics is highly amusing. Do it. They're fun, and therapeutic, and the eggs are fab. -- BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Honda CB400F Triumph Street Triple Suzuki TS250ER GN250 Damn, back to six bikes! Try Googling before asking a damn silly question. chateau dot murray at idnet dot com |