Tomk282 Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Anyone here got chickens/poultry of any type? New batch of bantams are due out of the incubator today Ill get some pics up when they start hatching Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 4 chickens, 2 call ducks and one duckling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Anyone here got chickens/poultry of any type? New batch of bantams are due out of the incubator today Ill get some pics up when they start hatching just raised 10 of our own ducks in an incubator, also had a complete fail of the 40 eggs I bought but thats another story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 3 chooks here which each lay standard brown eggs,white & green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Got about 12, just got 8 ex battery hens. Poor things in a real bad state, they were even completely scared of the grass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pothunter Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Haven't got any yet, but plan to get a few this summer, just for eggs for the family and to amuse the wife. Any starter tips be most welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Haven't got any yet, but plan to get a few this summer, just for eggs for the family and to amuse the wife. Any starter tips be most welcome. good fence if in your garden, better still a moveable enclosed coop with run to let them keep down weeds and pests, you wont want to eat another shop bought egg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 We have 5 and they will sit on your knee and eat out of your hand. Warrens are nice friendly hens and lay well. TIP: Don't let hens run loose in your garden if you are keen on gardening, they will scratch up the soil and eat any plant vagley edible. They will eat fruit and veg peelings and go mad for over ripe bananas. Don't feed onion, leeks etc as it taints the eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Got about 12, just got 8 ex battery hens. Poor things in a real bad state, they were even completely scared of the grass. The wife had sone ex battery hens some years ago for 50p each . I made a pen and a run and they would not come out in to the sun. No feathers, debeaked they looked a motley crew . Six months on strutting round the garden fully feathered and no slugs etc in the garden. The local kids would come round and ask if they really lay eggs?? Urban fox had the lot one night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat_jay Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Got 6 ex layers on order for the new house. First time chicken keeper, very much looking forward to the results! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Can't beat your own eggs, well maybe your own beef, pork and lamb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Keeping hens is great but can get a tad expensive if your wife gets into fancy breeds some of which are £20 a pop and can get ill and die very easily. Some basic animal husbandry is essentisal though, be sure to shut the hens away at night after they put themselves away, that will prevent Mr Fox helping himself. Don't leave excess food around in the evening, especially late summer onwards, rats will soon become a problem otherwise. Be aware of Carrions and Magpies they can take chicks in the blink of an eye even in an urban environment. Other than that they are great and very easy to keep, they will make good use of kitchen leftovers and any of the neighbours grass cuttings. As said the eggs are in a different league taste wise to those bought from the supermarket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Keeping hens is great but can get a tad expensive if your wife gets into fancy breeds some of which are £20 a pop and can get ill and die very easily. Some basic animal husbandry is essentisal though, be sure to shut the hens away at night after they put themselves away, that will prevent Mr Fox helping himself. Don't leave excess food around in the evening, especially late summer onwards, rats will soon become a problem otherwise. Be aware of Carrions and Magpies they can take chicks in the blink of an eye even in an urban environment. Other than that they are great and very easy to keep, they will make good use of kitchen leftovers and any of the neighbours grass cuttings. As said the eggs are in a different league taste wise to those bought from the supermarket. I was warned against letting mine have grass cuttings due to them choking if they eat too much, so I never did. Has anyone else heard this? or is it rubbish? Saying that the fox had mine anyway. Regards H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 (edited) I was warned against letting mine have grass cuttings due to them choking if they eat too much, so I never did. Has anyone else heard this? or is it rubbish? Saying that the fox had mine anyway. Regards H Mine have had grass cuttings for the last ten years with no deaths! To be fair they enjoy scratting amongst them as much as eating them. Edited June 14, 2015 by aga man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bb Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Can't beat your own eggs. I most certainly think you can! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 I was warned against letting mine have grass cuttings due to them choking if they eat too much, so I never did. Has anyone else heard this? or is it rubbish? Saying that the fox had mine anyway. Regards H What can happen when eating grass-they get sour crop. Their crop sometimes cannot breakdown long grass and it ferments and eventually poisons them. Two ways of helping a hen which has it is massage the crop and the contents inside or make a small incission and pull the stuff out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomk282 Posted June 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Update on the chicks - Have 6 Buff Peking 6 millefleur pekin 6 Aylesbury ducks in the incubator Buff are due today and the millefleur tomorrow, only had one buff so far and rest looking abit quiet! Haven't candle them since 10days and some are looking like they stopped developing half way! 1 so far and hopefully a few more to come over next 24 hours! It's been a long 21 days wait! Already have 4 aylesburys and 4 hybrid layers btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 What can happen when eating grass-they get sour crop. Their crop sometimes cannot breakdown long grass and it ferments and eventually poisons them. Two ways of helping a hen which has it is massage the crop and the contents inside or make a small incission and pull the stuff out. It might have been that and I got it twisted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outlander Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 I have 5 hens, 3 appenzellas, 1 cream legbar and an 8 year old lavender aracana that still gives me the odd egg, so easy to keep altough I feed a complete food with a few greens now and then. great fun to watch when they are strutting around the garden. Outlander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 5 ginger nut hens get between 3/5 eggs a day,2 karky Campbell ducks Get 2 eggs a day ( but currently both sitting on clutches of six) 2 drake Indian runner ducks & a Swedish cock ( who I can't stand & he don't like me) So if anyone in Durham wants the little spotty **** you can come and take him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootthepigeon Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 just got 5 buff orpingtons, only had them a week so any tips/advice appreciated, probably starting with how to stop my thick weimeraner holding point next to the coop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted June 15, 2015 Report Share Posted June 15, 2015 just got 5 buff orpingtons, only had them a week so any tips/advice appreciated, probably starting with how to stop my thick weimeraner holding point next to the coop. Hopefully he will get bored with it soon. Our Setter can't get to the garden area where the chickens are, but he used to drool and point at the ferrets aviary. The novelty wore off eventually and he ignores them now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norfolk dumpling Posted June 15, 2015 Report Share Posted June 15, 2015 We've 5 hens but as 4 went broody so got a dozen fertile eggs and we are expectant parents now - should hatch 28/6. Bets on how many cocks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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