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Hallo!! I've been thinking for a while now about getting a couple of chickens for my back garden. Does anyone know anything about raising chickens - what kit is needed - where chickens can be bought - any advice at all welcome!
Hallo!! I've been thinking for a while now about getting a couple of chickens for my back garden. Does anyone know anything about raising chickens - what kit is needed - where chickens can be bought - any advice at all welcome!
They need a secure to perch to sleep on at night, somewhere the fox can't get them. A box for them to lay eggs in saves you going looking.
A couple of chickens can survive on household scraps and a bit of mixed grain if they have somewhere to scratch and can catch a few insects.
If you just want a couple of hens I'll give you a couple, nothing fancy just mongrel hens, I'll let you have a cockerel too then you might get some baby hens.
melted_wellie
10-May-06, 20:02
They need a secure to perch to sleep on at night, somewhere the fox can't get them. A box for them to lay eggs in saves you going looking.
A couple of chickens can survive on household scraps and a bit of mixed grain if they have somewhere to scratch and can catch a few insects.
If you just want a couple of hens I'll give you a couple, nothing fancy just mongrel hens, I'll let you have a cockerel too then you might get some baby hens.what else ye givin away? im lookin for a goat to save me cuttin the grass.
what else ye givin away? im lookin for a goat to save me cuttin the grass.
I can let you have two goats, one wouldn't be happy on its own.
Hallo!! I've been thinking for a while now about getting a couple of chickens for my back garden. Does anyone know anything about raising chickens - what kit is needed - where chickens can be bought - any advice at all welcome!
190 C degrees for 20 minutes per pound and add on 20 minutes at the end.
Oops! just realised....... You said "raising chickens"!
hens would be great - not so sure about the cockeral - my neighbours might complain - my oh is a joiner so I'll ask him if he'd be able to build something...
You'll like the chickens, but will your neighbours like the crows and scorries, that come at feeding time, and then drop the 'scraps' in your garden. Long live the cats.
I do have a really big garden so neighbours shouldn't be too affected - it would just be the noise from a cock that might bother them first thing. Any negatives appreciated too though -want to make sure we make the right decision.
does anyone know where we could buy a chicken coop or is it easy to covert an existing shed?
connieb19
11-May-06, 19:15
Don't chickens attract rats?:confused
Billy Boy
11-May-06, 19:46
A city slicker moves to the country and decides he's going to take up farming. He heads to the local co-op and tells the man, "Give me 100 baby chickens." The co-op man complies. A week later the man returns and says, "Give me 200 baby chickens." The co-op man complies.
Again, a week later the man returns. This time he says, "Give me 500 baby chickens." "Wow!" the co-op man replies, "You must really be doing well!"
"Naw," said the man with a sigh, "I'm either planting them too deep or too far apart!":lol:
A city slicker moves to the country and decides he's going to take up farming. He heads to the local co-op and tells the man, "Give me 100 baby chickens." The co-op man complies. A week later the man returns and says, "Give me 200 baby chickens." The co-op man complies.
Again, a week later the man returns. This time he says, "Give me 500 baby chickens." "Wow!" the co-op man replies, "You must really be doing well!"
"Naw," said the man with a sigh, "I'm either planting them too deep or too far apart!":lol:
[lol] hee hee
There was a man driving down the highway going about 55 miles per hour when this chicken with three legs began running beside him. He decided to speed up to 65 miles per hour, but the chicken stayed right beside him. So he sped up to 75 miles per hour, but still the chicken stayed with him. He came up to a fork in the road and the three-legged chicken went left and ran into a farm yard. Curious, the man decided to investigate so he pulled up to the farm and got out of his car. He noticed that the yard was full of three-legged chickens running around at high speeds. Still curious, the man went up and knocked on the door of the house and the farmer came out. The man asked the farmer, "How did you get all these three-legged chickens?" "Well," the farmer stated, "I have a family of three, and we all like the drumsticks, so I decided to engineer some chickens with three legs so everyone is happy." "How do they taste?" the man asked. "Well," the farmer said, "don't know, haven't been able to catch one yet."
Hallo!! I've been thinking for a while now about getting a couple of chickens for my back garden. Does anyone know anything about raising chickens - what kit is needed - where chickens can be bought - any advice at all welcome!
BAAAAAAAAAAA BU:cool::mad:RD FLOOOOOOOO
I have to say the whole bird flu thing has crossed my mind - how big a deal do you think it is??
I have to say the whole bird flu thing has crossed my mind - how big a deal do you think it is??
Its no big deal - just give them Hensip and they'll be as right as rain.
:cool:
Its no big deal - just give them Hensip and they'll be as right as rain.
:cool:
ha ha ha - I'll bear that in mind for sure ;)
Its no big deal - just give them Hensip and they'll be as right as rain.
:cool:
That is a lot of codswallop
Funky_Foal
12-May-06, 20:42
That is a lot of codswallop
maybe it is codswallop maybe it isnt to dont rush in with negative comments scout
Billy Boy
12-May-06, 20:42
That is a lot of codswallop
no that's what you talk lol
Whats hitting a fish got to do with hens?
Funky_Foal
12-May-06, 20:45
DaScout doesnt know what hes talking about
Cedric Farthsbottom III
12-May-06, 20:50
That is a lot of codswallop
Codswallop.Thats no a bird flu cure.Thats abusement o' fish..............ach!!!!teuchter got their first.DOH!!!!!!
http://www.comedy-zone.net/pictures/images/animals/animal003.jpg
I can let you have a shot my rare breed[lol]
Don't chickens attract rats?:confused
Correct they do attract rats and mice. It's the feed that attracts them.
Correct they do attract rats and mice. It's the feed that attracts them.
then you can get a cat, and it will go into the neighbours gardens, along with the scraps that the crows and scorries have dropped.
Hallo!! I've been thinking for a while now about getting a couple of chickens for my back garden. Does anyone know anything about raising chickens - what kit is needed - where chickens can be bought - any advice at all welcome!
send a pm to piratelassie she got four last year.
Don't chickens attract rats?:confused
I don't know if that's always the case but my former neighbour kept chickens and we had a rat problem which persisted until the new neighbours moved in with their two cats.
chickens are best served on a plate[lol] mayby if i wasnt so scared of them i would think differently, but i was attacked by one many years ago in thrumster, ok so it was a cockrel, same difference, now im terrified of any birds. so a plate with sauce or cravy is best.[lol]
Kevin Milkins
13-May-09, 23:34
I do have a really big garden so neighbours shouldn't be too affected - it would just be the noise from a cock that might bother them first thing. Any negatives appreciated too though -want to make sure we make the right decision.
Mmm... Mrs M is of the same mind.:confused
If you have the room for them and it is not going to bother the nieghbours then I would suggest having a couple and see how you go with it.
Remember, a chicken is for life and not just for Christmas. If you are serious about keeping live stock then I am sure you could enjoy all that it brings , but any live stock means a commitmant 24/7 and if you are prepared to give that then I am sure keeping chickens will be great fun for you.
Good luck
Dog-eared
13-May-09, 23:58
They need a shed with laying boxes, perches in the shed and feeding and watering hoppers and protection from foxes or other threats.
They also drink much more water than you would expect.
For hens try Mr Grogan at Spittal 01847 841242
Mmm... Mrs M is of the same mind.:confused
If you have the room for them and it is not going to bother the nieghbours then I would suggest having a couple and see how you go with it.
Remember, a chicken is for life and not just for Christmas.
A Turkey is though.
I thought you could keep a chicken in a freezer for up to three months. I only put one in last night and it was dead this morning.
manloveswife
14-May-09, 00:48
Got eight chickens last year.....Best eggs you will get by far.
Heres a simple recipe for keeping them
A simple shed with a nest box or two ( mine all lay in the same one.. even two or three in there at a time:lol: )
A good 2" by 2" roost (perch)
Best put a pop door in (Cut a hole in side of shed about chicken size and fit a sliding door over it )
Feeder and waterer ( from CLB )
Layers pellets from CLB
Some mixed grain for a treat (CLB)
Get your name down for some loman browns from Allans of Gillock
REMEMBER to shut them up at night else Mr Fox will have them for tea.
And regarding rats.. well, we have 4 cats and have not had a problem ( don't know what the neighbours think though:Razz)
Forget the Cockeral, more trouble than he is worth, and likely a viscious sod to boot ( our daughter literally did boot him when he attacked her.. alas he is now here no more.. sent him to a friendly farm / pot ;) )
NO PROBLEMS.. Chucks are great characters and highly addictive
....now does anyone know where I can get some Jersey Giants
Have a look at these:
http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_services/products_services.php?view=Chickens
Green_not_greed
14-May-09, 08:59
Have a look at these:
http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_services/products_services.php?view=Chickens
The Eglu - love it!
We have 6 chickens and they live within something resembling Stalag Luft North. Having lost a bunch of chickens and ducks to Mr Fox several years ago, it was designed and constructed to be very foxproof.
The only information I can add to whats been posted - and hopefully useful - is that if you are considering building a chicken run then if it is fixed in place the chickens will kill all the grass growing within it. A mobile/moveable run (such as the Eglu) will save your grass. The downside of having no grass in the run is that you need to let them out to forage properly, which means your flowerbeds/vegetable garden etc will suffer if not fenced.
Loved the chicken jokes, BTW!
GNG
Cedric Farthsbottom III
15-May-09, 20:36
I am getting a bit aulder and was wondering if my memory was going.Man this brings back memories,seems only like yesterday.I remember this thread,I was a 3 month newbie,good times:lol::lol:
manloveswife
15-May-09, 20:49
Blimey.... hes right too:lol:
Thread started May 2006?
Now up running after a rest in May 2009....:Razz
Is it a record???? Longest running Thread.
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