CZ550Kevlar Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Following on from Ducks as pets we have had a chat with my 5 year old an said basically ducks are out, noise, poo etc etc but how about chickens. We are looking to get probably 4 chickens, they don`t have to be great layers as we don`t eat that many eggs and there is only 3 of us so probably 4 or 5 a week would do us, are there any breeds people could recommend that are friendly being the priority and also not prone to flying as we don`t want them going into the neighbors garden. Bring forth the comments etc and thankyou in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) Get Bantams, (basically small varient of most breeds) Clip one wing job done & only need redoing every moult. Chickens still poop alot mind, you will eat more eggs as theyre so much better than shop bought. Chickens can be great little characters, Ours spot us at the back door of the conservatory and go mad if they think theyre getting fed treats (they'll eat all the kitchen scraps going) Layers pellets have really gone up in 3yrs, we started paying just over £5.80 and its now nearing £9 for 20kg Edited March 4, 2012 by TaxiDriver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUNCEMOUNT Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) If you get 4 chickens and you don't eat a lot of eggs then i suggest you only keep 2, as with the summer months and the late nights coming in those chickens will lay an egg most days. Or get 4 chickens and sell a few eggs on and put money in a tin, that way then, the money you save in the tin, buy the chickens their food. Thats what i used to do. Edited March 4, 2012 by RUNCEMOUNT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
working dog Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 We keep large fowl for eggs and find that Croads are very calm birds. Having these around our mixed flock calms down some of the more skittish birds. If youre not bothered about eggs, pekins are great for kids. We keep three pekins for our 5 year old niece and they are now tame enough for her to hold. Eggs are not huge but two eggs gives you more yolk than a normal egg with about the same amount of white - great for a full english. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 You could buy some ex battery. They used to virtually give them away but they not much to look at. Most are nigh bald and frightful in appearance but it is very satisfying nurturing them back to fully feathered proud creatures. Good seeing them adapt to an external environment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Harry Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 I have about 30 chickens of many breeds. The friendliest is an Australorp but they are not really pets and don't get much attention. If you hatch them out they will get very tame if you give them enough fuss. Chickens will scratch your lawn up and when it's wet make a right mess. You would be best off making them a pen and only letting them out when the weather is good. Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majordisorder Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 We've got ex battery hens the four of them looked like they had escaped from a butchers they had so few feathers. Six months on and they're fully feathered and very happy we get an egg a day from each even in the winter. Don't expect your garden to survive though, our have an area around 10m x 5m to roam in and it looks like a battle field. They've eaten everything green and dig holes everywhere. On the plus side the kids love them and they are very easy to handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 We have just got chickens again for the children. We have 5. The best ones for being friendly are the plain brown/ red warens. Bantams can be skittish. The warens follow the kids around the garden and let them pick them up. as redtail says :good: i wouldn't go for bantams we had them 1st time round and they not only skittish but they get broody in the summer and if not treated they can starve themselves on the nest as they may not get up, dont worry about the larger chickens laying too many we have 3 hens and get 3 eggs a day we dont eat loads but it keeps the neighbours happy as we give them some when we get a build up colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 i have a friend who imports chicken runs/coops and will get a 6 bird one with a run etc and the living quarters that sits off the ground. that way they can live in the run and when we are around i`ll let them have a run round the garden for a few hours that way they aren`t going to wreck the entire garden, one side of my garden has a border which runs for about 10 metres so i can move them up and down the border to rotate it and let bits recover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Chickens make great pets and the eggs they lay are a delicious bonus! Dont get a pair because when one dies of old age you will need to get another doubly quick as hens get depression when on their own.A good number is 3 or even better 5 as you will still get 2-3 eggs a week during winter when days are short.Their food (layers mash or pellets) is cheap at £9 per 20kg sack which will last 5 hens around 4 weeks.I give mine mixed corn too which makes their yolks go a bright orangery yellow. They have very individual personalities and get tame when handled regulary so do pick them up at every opportunity.One of mine which is a fearless little thing will literally push my 2 dogs aside to get to their bowls when they're eating and the dogs (Boxer & Bullmastiff) wont dare challenge them.Poultry keepers biggest nemesis though is the crafty fox so either make your garden fox proof or lock them away at night.Its envitable you'll get hit by them at some point though and dont think a 6ft fence will stop them because it wont.They'll either go under or over. The most tamest breed and excellent for children is the classic farmyard ginger hen which can be bought for around £5 each.Do try to get them from a reputable source though which have atleast been innoculated against disease. Good luck and happy henning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 My tamest was light sussex. Big lumbering old breed. Beautiful eggs and always the first to charge to the door for treats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Love the bantams so much character Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debo Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 get some Muscovy Ducks they are even quieter than hens and lay lovely big eggs just make sure the wings are clipped because they will fly. other than them if you want chickens bluebells are nice and are very frendly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otherwayup Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) What breed will stand up best to a 14 month ESS running about the garden with them? Have been wondering if Chickens will help me steady him to game. Edited March 4, 2012 by otherwayup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 get some Muscovy Ducks they are even quieter than hens and lay lovely big eggs just make sure the wings are clipped because they will fly. Have you considered Ducks Kevlar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Have you considered Ducks Kevlar? I`m wondering if silky`s would be good, they are small and friendly but probably not good for eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
working dog Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Silkies make good pets but do go broody more than other breeds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
storme37 Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 We have 11 free ranging in the garden love them they are great charecters but they can be noisy and messy and no lawn left but they worth it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drayman Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 We used to let ours free range but they would end up in the neighbours gardens about 3 gardens away. Clipping their wings is a waste of time as they walk everywhere! They would always potter back at the end of the day. If you let them free range in the garden they will suddenly take a liking to a particular plant or veg crop while you're not looking. Result - no plant! You'll also have to deal with foxes. Ours are now in a big run and coup with bushes and shrubs. They are easy to keep and friendly but don't expect them to pay for their keep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted March 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 We don't actually have many plants in our garden, in actual fact i can count on one hand how many we have, we never got round to re-planting after changing the garden so probably works in our favor. i`ve been given some barley, wheat and alfalfa seeds by one of my farmers to plant along the border to give the chickens something to pick at. We also thought getting silkies would be less in food than a hybrid chicken, they are flightless and 4 would give us plenty of eggs a week for what we need which is a bonus, plus because we live on the side of a very free draining chalk hill if they come out for an hour or 2 a day the garden will not get wrecked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harpoonlouis Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 The wife has 3 lomond red cross which make her very very happy and follow her all over the place, lay an egg a day each and are very easy to keep. The mess is staggering and they destroy everything when let out but she loves em. What can I say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 We have 3 chickens not sure what breed as were given them but they are all white bodies with red faces and medium sized. They are great fun to have, all 3 are tame one of them will come up to you and stand by you and follow you around all over the place, the other 2 stick to together but still happy to be picked up. They have a run but recently let them out a bit more in the garden as we have a problem with grass moss which they are eating away at, we only have a 3ft wire fence and they dont bother flying out of it. When the chickens have got out the neighbours arent to bothered about it as we give them eggs regularly which keeps them sweet. Also pretty tuff old birds as well, since pups both my dogs have been in and played with them. I have a video somewhere of my collie having a stand off for ten minutes with one and the chicken won. My spinger pup pounces on them as well and they just shake her off and have a go back. One thing to rememeber though is chickens do not live in fields with perfect grass and flowers, they eat all flowers and produce a lot of poo and scrath the ground making into a bit of a mud patch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 I'd highly recommend Pekin bantams as pets, very friendly and they only lay small eggs so two equate to 1 normal. They are happy to be picked up and as they have feathered feet they don't scratch up the garden. Beautiful to watch as they waddle everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted March 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 I'd highly recommend Pekin bantams as pets, very friendly and they only lay small eggs so two equate to 1 normal. They are happy to be picked up and as they have feathered feet they don't scratch up the garden. Beautiful to watch as they waddle everywhere. Do they go broody all the time and can they fly??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 I'd highly recommend Pekin bantams as pets, very friendly and they only lay small eggs so two equate to 1 normal. They are happy to be picked up and as they have feathered feet they don't scratch up the garden. Beautiful to watch as they waddle everywhere. Sounds like you're describing Orville. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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