A Homemade Life
Welcome to Homemade Life.

To take full advantage of everything offered by our forum, please log in if you are already a member or join our community if not ....

Chilli-head
A Homemade Life
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Who is online?
In total there are 5 users online :: 0 Registered, 0 Hidden and 5 Guests

None

Most users ever online was 112 on 8th October 2020, 7:09 am
Latest topics
» Hungry Birds
by Dirick55 7th December 2023, 6:04 am

» PRESENTATION
by Chilli-head 23rd November 2023, 2:55 pm

» New Kiva loan
by Chilli-head 21st July 2023, 12:35 pm

» A peat-free compost is top in UK Which? magazine trial
by Dandelion 25th April 2023, 9:42 pm

» New gardening year 2023
by Chilli-head 5th March 2023, 10:15 pm

» What have I done in the workshop today?
by Dandelion 2nd December 2022, 1:12 pm

» What are you harvesting today?
by Dandelion 2nd December 2022, 1:12 pm

» Wartime marrow casserole
by Dandelion 18th October 2022, 4:42 pm

» Late sowings in August ... beans ?
by Ploshkin 11th August 2022, 9:29 am

» Come August, come night in the garden
by Chilli-head 4th August 2022, 3:29 pm

» Welcome guest
by Ploshkin 31st July 2022, 9:16 am

» The Jolly July Garden
by Ploshkin 19th July 2022, 11:38 am

» More mead ...
by Chilli-head 13th July 2022, 12:52 pm

» The June garden thread
by Dandelion 25th June 2022, 9:55 pm

» Plastic bags
by Dandelion 5th June 2022, 7:28 pm

» The merry May garden
by Dandelion 31st May 2022, 10:04 pm

» Fooling around in the April garden
by freebird 1st May 2022, 8:33 am

» March into the garden
by Dandelion 1st April 2022, 7:26 pm

» Mow Suggestions
by freebird 29th March 2022, 5:48 pm

» Some thoughts on resilience
by Ploshkin 12th March 2022, 2:23 pm

Statistics
We have 270 registered users
The newest registered user is Lloyd

Our users have posted a total of 48045 messages in 2416 subjects
Pages we like:

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Hca_button


Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

+5
Dandelion
Wilhelm Von Rhomboid
Leanne
Compostwoman
Sparhawk
9 posters

Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Sparhawk 23rd May 2011, 7:08 pm

As you all may have seen, Lady S, in a moment of light headedness in our local one night recently, announced that she had never said we couldn't have chickens. Which was something that I'd not really looked into as I thought she had.

Any way I thought I would start this thread as we are complete novices at this & there aren't that many opportunities to follow something like this, so it may prove useful for somebody else. I also know that there are some great people out there who burst at the chance to share their experiences & offer wonderful advice...

I will take a couple of days to put some posts on to tell you where we are up to at the moment, & then update as we go along the way, hopefully ending up somewhere around the last week in August with 3 or 4 ex battery hens becoming resident in the parish of "Sparhawk Towers"...

Who knows I may even be able to pursuade YSS to take some photes along the way...
Sparhawk
Sparhawk

Posts : 1787
Join date : 2009-11-15
Age : 56
Location : Isle of Wight

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Compostwoman 23rd May 2011, 7:23 pm

Photos would be very good.

Also, I, Badger, Billy, Dandelion and Jelly keep chickens and I know a few other members do as well so between us we can probably come up with answers to any questions you might have (or more questions!)

I know a few of us have kept ex batts as well. Very Happy
avatar
Compostwoman

Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Sparhawk 24th May 2011, 12:16 am

Once "we" had decided, the first thing I did was tell as many people as possible, the main reason being the more people that know the more difficult it is to about turn...

After we had announced that we were going to go for it, we looked for an area where we would be able to put them & talked about just why we wanted them.

We then decided that we needed information, lots of information, & visited the internet, ebay & the local charity shops to buy books to read up on things & work out just what would be possible to fit around our lives...
Sparhawk
Sparhawk

Posts : 1787
Join date : 2009-11-15
Age : 56
Location : Isle of Wight

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Leanne 24th May 2011, 8:07 am

exciting! I keep hens too, and have had ex-batts in my time, although none of my current girls are , they are all home hatched birds (by my sister) Looking forwrd to following your journey to hens! Smile
Leanne
Leanne

Posts : 39
Join date : 2009-11-22
Location : Dorset

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Compostwoman 24th May 2011, 2:51 pm

Leanne wrote:exciting! I keep hens too, and have had ex-batts in my time, although none of my current girls are , they are all home hatched birds (by my sister) Looking forwrd to following your journey to hens! Smile

Sorry Leanne, I missed you off my list Embarassed and Nick B, and GB and probably a few others as well Embarassed comes with posting when tired.
avatar
Compostwoman

Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Wilhelm Von Rhomboid 24th May 2011, 3:27 pm

I have geese in my back garden today. They were in my kitchen earlier. Bad planning of animal movements this week. Pesky things.

My advice would be: don't go OTT with the 'need lots of information' bit initially. it is easy to make oneself unduly nervous about acquiring livestock by reading too much (often conflicting) information. As long as you have covered secure shelter, food and water, you are not going to go far wrong. Anything else you will pick up along the way. Let them out and feed them in the morning, feed them and put them away at night.
Wilhelm Von Rhomboid
Wilhelm Von Rhomboid

Posts : 2942
Join date : 2009-11-08
Location : Schloss Rhomboid, Carpathia.

http://www.killandcure.net/blog/

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Sparhawk 24th May 2011, 5:33 pm

Likes the sounds of that!!!
Sparhawk
Sparhawk

Posts : 1787
Join date : 2009-11-15
Age : 56
Location : Isle of Wight

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Compostwoman 24th May 2011, 5:38 pm

It really isn't difficult, Spar. As long as they stay healthy, that is - which is why watching them to get used to what a healthy hen looks like , also picking them up so you know what they feel like etc is such a good idea so if they do go off colour, when youwatch them for a bit in the morning you can spot it.

A drop of prevention and all that Smile
avatar
Compostwoman

Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Dandelion 24th May 2011, 8:21 pm

Wilhelm Von Rhomboid wrote:
My advice would be: don't go OTT with the 'need lots of information' bit initially. it is easy to make oneself unduly nervous about acquiring livestock by reading too much (often conflicting) information. As long as you have covered secure shelter, food and water, you are not going to go far wrong. Anything else you will pick up along the way. Let them out and feed them in the morning, feed them and put them away at night.

Completely agree - I read a couple of books and could tell you about all kinds of chicken diseases. So far mine haven't had any!!
Dandelion
Dandelion
Admin

Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Compostwoman 24th May 2011, 8:49 pm

Dandelion wrote:
Wilhelm Von Rhomboid wrote:
My advice would be: don't go OTT with the 'need lots of information' bit initially. it is easy to make oneself unduly nervous about acquiring livestock by reading too much (often conflicting) information. As long as you have covered secure shelter, food and water, you are not going to go far wrong. Anything else you will pick up along the way. Let them out and feed them in the morning, feed them and put them away at night.

Completely agree - I read a couple of books and could tell you about all kinds of chicken diseases. So far mine haven't had any!!

AFAIR, you also went on a very good chicken keeping course where you got to handle birds and look at all sorts of stuff to do with them ( and eat cake!) Wink
avatar
Compostwoman

Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Dandelion 24th May 2011, 8:52 pm

Very Happy
Dandelion
Dandelion
Admin

Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by mr_sfstk8d 24th May 2011, 9:34 pm

Now, just a moment. Where do I sign up for this poultry rearing course, and CAKE?!

Sounds fab...
mr_sfstk8d
mr_sfstk8d

Posts : 584
Join date : 2010-12-01
Age : 46
Location : Peoria, IL, US

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Compostwoman 24th May 2011, 11:01 pm

mr_sfstk8d wrote:Now, just a moment. Where do I sign up for this poultry rearing course, and CAKE?!

Sounds fab...

Sorry Mr S, unless you want to pay for my air fare over the Pond..... Shocked Laughing
avatar
Compostwoman

Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by AngelinaJellyBeana 25th May 2011, 7:54 am

As Billy said, it's not too difficult. I started with an Eglu and 2 hens, have progressed since then to Cluckingham Palace and at one point had 7 hens (just got 3 at the moment)
They can be noisy sometimes, not as bad as a cockeral but 3 or 4 chickens deciding to have a squawk at 4am coz they've been spooked is LOUD! Get onside with the neighbours, a few eggs and letting kids in to have a look has worked wonders with mine. I've even had teenage lads asking shyley if they could come in and see Smile *

Make sure you keep them away from any precious plants as they will eat them.

Oh and even after almost 5 years of having my chooks I still get excited when I go to see how many eggs there are and if you're feeling down, the sight of 3 or 4 chooks running towards you when they think you've got food puts a huge grin on your face.












*cue comment from Billy Laughing
AngelinaJellyBeana
AngelinaJellyBeana
Homemade Moderator

Posts : 1328
Join date : 2009-11-10
Location : Oop North

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Dandelion 25th May 2011, 10:30 pm

Oh and even after almost 5 years of having my chooks I still get excited when I go to see how many eggs there are and if you're feeling down, the sight of 3 or 4 chooks running towards you when they think you've got food puts a huge grin on your face.

A neighbour recently told me that scientists recken that there is a link between chickens and dinosaurs, in the structure of their legs and the way they run/ran. So every time now that ours come rushing over to frisk us for food I imagine what it would have been like to have a giant raptor rushing out of the bushes towards me looking for food.

(I don't get out much....)











Dandelion
Dandelion
Admin

Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by GB 13th June 2011, 2:21 am

I call my chickens lizards with feathers Laughing

Chickens are MUCH easier than books and the like make out, just secure shelter, water and food are what you need to start with.

And no mater what you start with, by week 8 you will have another entire plan for all of the above for the future Wink
GB
GB
Homemade Moderator

Posts : 3256
Join date : 2009-11-14
Location : Cumbria

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by bronze 13th June 2011, 9:14 am

If I can absorb enough information to care for them then anyone can.
I started with 3 in an eglu ago four years and now have 31 (I think)
bronze
bronze

Posts : 90
Join date : 2010-11-26
Location : Norfolk

Back to top Go down

Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..." Empty Re: Sparhawks "We've decided to have chickens in the back yard thread..."

Post by Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum