Chickens

  • Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
You can tell which ones are laying and which aren't by holding them by the legs and if you can lay 2 or 3 fingers flat between the pelvis bones, they're most like laying or are nearly ready to lay.

This is best tried after she has a couple of pints. Oh, chickens? Sorry I was confused.

I have three hens and a rooster. The rooster is great. He herds the hens around when they are out of their enclosure and calls them when he finds a large worm or other bug. My first rooster got eaten when I left the door open one night. Haven't made that mistake again. I have three Buff Orpingtons and a Rhode Island Red. The Orpingtons are the gentlest, most calm chickens I've ever had. Would recommend the breed for eggs, don't know about meat since I haven't killed any.
 
here are mine allways kept a few not for meat now days just eggs easy to keep and a pleasure.
002-8.jpg


003-8.jpg
 
Several of you have mentioned protecting your chickens from foxes. I also see a couple of pens that are open topped though; is there no problem with hawks then?
 
Several of you have mentioned protecting your chickens from foxes. I also see a couple of pens that are open topped though; is there no problem with hawks then?

Short answer is no, I don't think we have many hawks at all and I think they are on the endangered list here (though I am not great with things like this). I am pretty confident to say we don't have the big birds like America does. The only problem with open topped fences is that sometimes foxes can jump/climb over them
 
The only problem with open topped fences is that sometimes foxes can jump/climb over them

As happened to me a few weeks ago.

Neighbours at garden's end built decking, a greenhouse and water butts along the 7ft chicken fencing. Mr. Fox just used the water butts to clear the fence - ho hum.

I've five chickens now and getting another 5 (maybe more) and the fencing has been beefed up - guard towers, mined area, trip wires etc.

Anyone looking to rehome chickens could do worse than give the charity Edinburgh Cyrenians Farm a call (0131 333 5202) and ask for Tom. They're organic chooks that are getting "a bit long in the tooth" - pun intended and I think they're selling for a fiver.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE