hen advice

[gardengeordie]

Hi All,

I have been offered a plot pn an allotment thats about 12 m2

You are allowed to keep 6 hens on it,

Ideally i want them free range with somewhere to go when they feel like it, does anyone have any tips/advice on whats needed

I was thinking of bulding a closed enclosure with maybe a coop inside, would this suffice?

thanks very much

[Scarlet]

Check this out for coop and run ideas.
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tos_62713.html
How big an area are you going to sacrifice for the chickens? The coop itself doesn't need to be very big but the outdoor space needs to be a good size for 6. They will need a covered area for when it rains, they won't use the coop in wet weather so it's handy to have a dry area that won't get super muddy. The feed needs tobe kept dry - look at treadle feeders to stop rats. Are you going to go to the plot morning and night to open up? They wsnt to be out very early in the summer. If not you also need to look at pop hole openers.
If use a wooden coop you need to creosote inside and out before you get any chickens in.
Remember the run needs to be fox proof.
Others will be around with more info, that's just to get you started

[Lisasbolt]

Think if you really need 6 chickens, years ago when i got our first, i was in chicken land and wanted 6, now what do you do with 5 eggs a day or 35 a week!!!lets say i lived with a lot of smelly doggy pumps
Might be worth getting 3 or 4 now and then in 3 years when your laying has dropped off but still producing adding a couple more.
Good luck with what you decide they are wonderful pets to have around with such amazing personalities

[muddled]

I'm a bit confused (not an uncommon occurance to be fair )

'Free range' means the chickens are not enclosed. They are allowed to forage where they like and return to their coop at sundown.
Not a good idea on an allotment.

I think what you mean is a coop with run, so the chickens are contained within the run during the day.

I agree that six chickens is too many to begin with.
If you were to buy 6 hybrid birds at point of lay this spring you would have LOTS of eggs this year and next.
Production would then decrease, quite drasticly, over the third year.
By year four you'd have almost no eggs and six geriatric birds eating you out of house and home! You'd have to wait for them to 'shuffle off their perch' before getting anymore.

Three is the perfect number of hens.
And in three years you can buy three more giving you six good years production.


You need a good coop, roofed run with 'skirt' to confuse foxes. Feeders, waterers, metal lidded bins for the food. That's about it.
Good luck!

[Scarlet]

...and a good wormer!

[gardengeordie]

thank you all very much

i would like to give them as much freedom as possible and liking the idea of 3 to start with to keep up with egg numbers

what i was planning and dont know if its ideal is to create a fence of area with somewhere for them to go during the night, but would like peoples opinions on this

Thank you all again appreciate it!

[Scarlet]

You need them locked up tight at night. Come dark they like to go to bed and will all snuggle up together in a coop. They dont walk around in the dark

[gardengeordie]

thank you so maybe an automatic door opener to let them out first thing on a morning then keep them cosy at night

[veggiechicken]

You need to go there each night at dusk to shut them in their coop - just as you need to be able to let them out again early morning. Its a big commitment and unless you can visit twice daily you should forget the idea.
Do you live far from the plot?

[gardengeordie]

no its actually about a mile a way from where i work so i'd definitely be able to get there at least twice a day, the last thing I want is for them to be technically neglected

[Scarlet]

You also need to collect the eggs every day,.If they aren't picked up they can be stepped on /broken etc and this leads to egg eating. The food also needs tobe picked up every night unless you get a treacle feeder. Their water should be changed daily. In the very cold weather their water freezes and they will need a fresh bucket. In the summer they drink copious amounts of water so you need to plan for that.

[Scarlet]

Snadger keeps chickens on his plot. Fingers crossed he may pop in soon and give some more advice. I'm sure he made a feeder, not sure on how he locks up at night.

[gardengeordie]

thank you very much i really appreciate all the help and support :-)

[veggiechicken]

The food also needs to be picked up every night unless you get a treacle feeder.

Oooh Sticky stuff

GG, it may sound like we're trying to put you off but its as well to be aware of what you'd be letting yourself in for before you go to the expense of buying the hens and equipment..
I love having my chooks in the garden,

[gardengeordie]

no i really appreciate it, i really am looking forward to it, and it will be great for the children to help out to :-)