I am looking at putting chickens in our back garden to provide us with fresh eggs every day...it's a reasonably good sized albeit suburban garden. You can get a chicken run for suburban gardens from this place http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_services/products_services.php?view=Chickens but I was just wondering if anyone out there had any experience of doing it, how difficult it is to do, do they attract rats to the garden and are they easy to maintain. tks
Chickens for back garden
- Thread starter portboy
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z105
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Hi Portboy,
Sorry I can't help with your query but just wondering if you know if one needs planning permission to keep chickens ? Ta
Sorry I can't help with your query but just wondering if you know if one needs planning permission to keep chickens ? Ta
Hi, don't know why you would need planning permission...not constructing a hen house or anything like that. The egloo is just like a small childs tent. If you need PP for that then in my eyes it is the equivalent of needing PP for a dog kennell...but there again...
As far as I know you don't need planning permission to keep chickens. With regards to maintenance, I don't believe that they are that difficult to maintain, although I do know that what you feed them very much renders their eggs edible/inedible. I base all of this on information from my dad who kept chickens for years- he's never gotten pp for them but then that might have been an oversight!
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z105
Guest
Had a look at the link you posted alright, looks the biz, I really meant whether one needs planning for keeping farm animals rather than planning for the eglu itself.
For example we recently got planning for a garage and it stated that it cannot be used for housing farm animals, not really the same as above I know but prob worth checking to see if there is a prob with keeping farm animals
Good luck with the project, I'm gonna think about it myself !
i'd say you would want to feed them from a container on the ground, as food scattered on the ground would attract rats and crows. may not fit many in the run either, and would have to keep moving the cage on a regular basis, or the lawn will get damaged from the chickens scratching the ground foraging.....other than that, go for it
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z109
Guest
A neighbour of my aunt&uncle kept chickens in their suburban back garden. The smell was atrocious. Chickens produce a lot of fecal matter. It is very smelly. In a confined space, you will need to have a plan to deal with this and probably a good supply of straw to soak it up with.
It does make excellent garden manure when composted, but you will probably have way more than you need so, as I say, you will have to be able to dispose of it.
Chickens are also quite noisy, especially if you have a rooster (it's generally a good idea to keep the ladies in line).
So noisy, smelly chickens in a suburban garden. Just how much do you hate your neighbours?
It does make excellent garden manure when composted, but you will probably have way more than you need so, as I say, you will have to be able to dispose of it.
Chickens are also quite noisy, especially if you have a rooster (it's generally a good idea to keep the ladies in line).
So noisy, smelly chickens in a suburban garden. Just how much do you hate your neighbours?
If you don't get a rooster then that shouldn't be an issue - says so on that link given above
Wexfordman
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We kept chickens a few years ago, in our garden. They were not your standard red rooster tpye chicken, they were small ones (Silkies, or silky's). An unusual breed apparrantly, they had what looked more like fur than feathers, and are the only chickens with black skin underneath. Lovely birds, and they became real pets, used to come up to the back door and everything. Were a pleasure to look at. We had a big enough garden, and lived rurally, but to be honest, I dont see the problem witih keeping then in a back garden as long as they have enough room, which by the sounds of it they will. THe eggs by the way, were lovely (smaller than usual, but lovely).
We fed them scraps, nothing else was needed, we had six altogether.
Looking after them was very easy, clean out the hutch/pen every day, use the waste for compost. Being small hens, they are not messy. We did get some standard red rooster type birds also, but oh my god what a difference,. They were big messy and noisy.
Considering keeping 50 to 60 racing pigeons in a small back yard, is common place, keeping 6 happy and contented chickens would be no big deal in my opinion. Do look at silkies though if you decide, its nice to have an unusual type hen, and they are very pleasant. I woul dagree, that you might not want a cockeral to keep your neihgours on side, but I actually think many woul dnot object to what is efectively a bird call, you would need to check with them though.
Why did we stop ? Well, the wife go pregnant, and as I was away all day and travelled quite a bit at the time, she was looking after them. Not that it was hard work, but the idea of a pregnant women cleaning out chicken manure did not site well with us, so we gave them away. We still visit them
, they went to a local petting farm...
PS, with regards the chicken run, I would let them run loose around the garden, and just keep a small pen for them at night. A small number of silkies are not messy.
Wexfordman
We fed them scraps, nothing else was needed, we had six altogether.
Looking after them was very easy, clean out the hutch/pen every day, use the waste for compost. Being small hens, they are not messy. We did get some standard red rooster type birds also, but oh my god what a difference,. They were big messy and noisy.
Considering keeping 50 to 60 racing pigeons in a small back yard, is common place, keeping 6 happy and contented chickens would be no big deal in my opinion. Do look at silkies though if you decide, its nice to have an unusual type hen, and they are very pleasant. I woul dagree, that you might not want a cockeral to keep your neihgours on side, but I actually think many woul dnot object to what is efectively a bird call, you would need to check with them though.
Why did we stop ? Well, the wife go pregnant, and as I was away all day and travelled quite a bit at the time, she was looking after them. Not that it was hard work, but the idea of a pregnant women cleaning out chicken manure did not site well with us, so we gave them away. We still visit them
, they went to a local petting farm...PS, with regards the chicken run, I would let them run loose around the garden, and just keep a small pen for them at night. A small number of silkies are not messy.
Wexfordman
My mother-in-law so to speak keeps hens, they really are no bother. As long as you have a secure hen run, a secure house with a roost, they and you will be happy. The sh1t can be a bit stinky if there is a build up but really only in hot weather and yes if you keep the house floor covered with straw it does soak a lot of it up which ends up being great manure!
Two things to think about, firstly make sure you clip their wings some hens are brilliant escape artists, You can do this yourself without any pain to the bird and secondly since the outbreak of bird flu I belileve that you have to let the dept. of Agriculture know that you are keeping hens(I think it depends on the numbers though), but again I stand open to correction on this.
Get them, they are a great way to involve kids and instill responsibility of looking after an animal and with the added advantage of having fresh eggs most days when they are laying!!!!
Two things to think about, firstly make sure you clip their wings some hens are brilliant escape artists, You can do this yourself without any pain to the bird and secondly since the outbreak of bird flu I belileve that you have to let the dept. of Agriculture know that you are keeping hens(I think it depends on the numbers though), but again I stand open to correction on this.
Get them, they are a great way to involve kids and instill responsibility of looking after an animal and with the added advantage of having fresh eggs most days when they are laying!!!!
Here is my experience
No noise if no cock
No smell if composting every week during summer
They prefer a high roost
They have strong homing instinct
No damage to lawn
Severe damage to flowers and veg patch
Need at least 2 sq metres per hen imho
I bought a 5 'x 3' garden shed and fenced off 20'x10' as a chicken coup.
Allow access to the lawn whenever possible
If dogs/urban foxes get into your yard-must remain in the coup/igloo
Cats generally not a problem.
Some types of hens can fly over 8 foot walls, some no more than 4 foot.
Register with Dept Agr&Food. Little other implications.
Get Them. Get them now. A great addition to any garden and an egg per hen per day. 3 might be enough. They form a strict "pecking order" amoung themselves. I have nine and defo need the space I currently give them.
No noise if no cock
No smell if composting every week during summer
They prefer a high roost
They have strong homing instinct
No damage to lawn
Severe damage to flowers and veg patch
Need at least 2 sq metres per hen imho
I bought a 5 'x 3' garden shed and fenced off 20'x10' as a chicken coup.
Allow access to the lawn whenever possible
If dogs/urban foxes get into your yard-must remain in the coup/igloo
Cats generally not a problem.
Some types of hens can fly over 8 foot walls, some no more than 4 foot.
Register with Dept Agr&Food. Little other implications.
Get Them. Get them now. A great addition to any garden and an egg per hen per day. 3 might be enough. They form a strict "pecking order" amoung themselves. I have nine and defo need the space I currently give them.
Z
z104
Guest
I think it may be cheaper to buy eggs than to keep chickens yourselves.
You'll get if lucky one egg per day per bird.
battery egg costs 15 cent each, Free range costs about 45 cent each.
You'll get if lucky one egg per day per bird.
battery egg costs 15 cent each, Free range costs about 45 cent each.
Might get less than one per day alright but it is not a money saving exercise I am looking at
I'm see-sawing wildly here when I see the different comments. Overall seems positive though and the Egloo providing company seem to know what they are doing and can provide you with the hens wings already clipped.
Wexfordman
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Portboy,
If you do it (and I would recommend it), get small hens (The silkies are great, google them). Its cheap enough to get into, costs nothing to keep them going, and if you do have a change of heart, there are always places that will take them off your hands (particularly with something like a silky).
Wexfordman
If you do it (and I would recommend it), get small hens (The silkies are great, google them). Its cheap enough to get into, costs nothing to keep them going, and if you do have a change of heart, there are always places that will take them off your hands (particularly with something like a silky).
Wexfordman
They are mad looking chickens!!
Wexfordman did you get much eggs out of them as this page says that "Their broodiness makes them a poor breed for egg production"
Wexfordman did you get much eggs out of them as this page says that "Their broodiness makes them a poor breed for egg production"
Wexfordman
Registered User
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We got about 2 eggs a day from 6 of them. Thats taking into consideration that you would have on average 1 broody hen at a time. They go broody for I f I remember correctly about 1 week in 5. 2 eggs a day is grand for a normal family, I dont think the OP is going into it for production. We used to be able to give away a few every week also. They are known for being broody, and are often used for hatching eggs of other birds (pheasant eggs for example).
As I said, the great things about the silky, is its unusual, small, clean, and as much a pet as anything else. Kids love them, people who see them are often surprised by them as its not quite what they expect when they think your keeping chickens.
Chickens can actually have a personality of their own, and can be quite funny. If I was to do it again (which I may do now that its been raised again), I would go for silkies.
Wexfordman
As we are googling, and on the subject , google "Mike the headless chicken"
[broken link removed]
As I said, the great things about the silky, is its unusual, small, clean, and as much a pet as anything else. Kids love them, people who see them are often surprised by them as its not quite what they expect when they think your keeping chickens.
Chickens can actually have a personality of their own, and can be quite funny. If I was to do it again (which I may do now that its been raised again), I would go for silkies.
Wexfordman
As we are googling, and on the subject , google "Mike the headless chicken"
[broken link removed]
I'm not sure what breed my father had, but he had a few hens who each produced an egg a day nine days out of ten (and more). Unfortunately, one died after being attacked by a rat (in the country) and the other two succumbed to illness after about a year. The eggs were delicious and the hens themselves were a joy to mind. They definitely had their own characters.
The only downside is that, as with most animals, you've to make arrangements for someone else to feed them if you are going away for more than a night.
The only downside is that, as with most animals, you've to make arrangements for someone else to feed them if you are going away for more than a night.