Chickens

[Nonsuch]

Thanks for all the thoughts and Visla your kind offer!

 

[John Lee]

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.

 

[wickerman]

here are mine allways kept a few not for meat now days just eggs easy to keep and a pleasure.

 

[santaman2000]

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?

 

[Miyagi]

Agree with all of the above except....

View attachment 6583

... get sultans, you're not needing commercial laying hybrids, you need birds that lay eggs and look good.

I'd stick that on my hat and call it macaroni...

Liam

 

[Suffolksteve]

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

 

[Miyagi]

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.