Hens ?

[louisesgarden]

I would really like some, but one i wouldnt know where to start or what to get ? we have plenty of room to accomdate them, and my garden bit of our land is fenced off ( to keep the cows out ! ) but i have a labrador not vicious, loves everyone and wants to play with everything ! even likes the dustbin men ! but i worry he would pester them, plus im out of the house 11 12 hours a day with my job, i want some, but im not sure ?

[RedThorn]

Sounds like you'll need a fully enclosed coop and run then, they can then free-range under supervision....

[louisesgarden]

Red thorn ive been thinking about that, but what about the hours i work ? my OH works the same hours, but been the boss takes the dog to work !

[RedThorn]

Think of a size of run then double it for the same number of girls if they can-not free range. Personally, I'm the wrong one to talk too as I find they worm into your heart and become part of the family, so I wouldn't think of taking them on if there was nobody around for that amount of time, but I am realistic enough to realise not everyone sees things in the same way. So at least double to triple the amount of run so as to ensure that they are happy. also you will need to make sure that there will always be enough food and water for them plus some breeds take better to being enclosed than others so you'll have to consider the breeds more closely

[TPeers]

Legal min is 1sq mt per bird - mine rarely get to free range as there are just too many foxes that will come into the garden even when we are there so that live in their run most of the time. Give them at least 1 1/2 or 2 sq mt of ground space each and make the run high - at least tall enough to walk in an put several assorted perches (branch wood- 2-3" thick) at various hights. Remember to give a covered area so they can come in out of the rain and some hard standing especially near the door so you don't have to squelch through the mud!

[MaureenHall]

And make the run fox-proof! Even here they're a problem especially in the Spring when there's cubs to feed

[Bramble-Poultry]

legal min tpeers - theres no legal min thats how we get battery hens!!!

However, a sensible minimum is 1sq mtr per bird of outdoor space - obviously indoor space is a lot less, to class as free range you must have a minimum of 2 sq mt of space per bird, no more than 9 birds per sq mt of indoor space, then there other regulations etc etc etc, however this is all nonsense for teh back yard chicken keep who does not have to conform to such regulations.

so use your best judgement on the birds you want to keep and the space allowed, enrich their environment with branches and bales, cds etc.

I would suggest if you work that many hours that you look at investing in automatic feeders and gravity fed valved drinkers or an automatic system, the biggest problem you will encounter is the chickens ability to knock its water over or fill it with mud 3 seconds after you put in in and thus having no water for the rest of the day. Keep them well penned in a fox proof run with a decent roof.

You will be there to open up in the moring to see everyone is ok, check the food and water is functioning properly, you will be there to put them to bed and ensure they are all acounted for, healthy and safe. and then weekends you will not be working so will be able to clean them out, fill up the feeders, clean and sort the watering and therefore they will be fine. I know lots of peopel who run birds on automatic systems and as long as you take 1/2 hour to check themover daily you will be fine.

[TPeers]

Sorry Bramble - I had meant the legal min for free range - which I had wrong anyway!

[louisesgarden]

Thanks for all your replies, i am going to give it some serious consideration now, with all your advice it doesnt seem so daunting ! i work such long days as i cram a fulltime week into 3 1/2 days, but it gives me a long weekend, so it would just be 3 days they would be left for a longtime, but like bramble said i could get automatic feeders. Thanks again everyone

[Hilary B]

Thanks for all your replies, i am going to give it some serious consideration now, with all your advice it doesnt seem so daunting ! i work such long days as i cram a fulltime week into 3 1/2 days, but it gives me a long weekend, so it would just be 3 days they would be left for a longtime, but like bramble said i could get automatic feeders. Thanks again everyone

I would ALWAYS use feeders which don't need filling daily (ad-lib layers' pellets) and drinkers which are resistant to contamination and spillage (nothing is foolproof in that respect, chooks are too good at doing daft things). Given that, and a 3½ day working week, you should be fine!
I would say though that you need to make the run RAT proof as well as FOX proof, because obviously there will be food about when it is dark, and it is only if the rats can't get in at all that the food will be safe from them.