Urban farming/chickens

[spartan00117]

Decided to build my own chicken coop in the back garden to raise about 4 hens.  Anyone else do this and any top tips for me.

[LandyLiam]

my wife has been threatening to get an eglu (http://www.omlet.co.uk) for some time now, however i've managed to stall her so far 

[spartan00117]

I will hopefully have my coop finished in a couple of days so will put some pictures up when done.  Going to get 4 ex battery hens which are only a couple of quid each, and supposed to be easy to keep.  I have been wanting to do this for ages and couldn't believe my luck when the wife went along with it.

[RedLeader]

I'm interested in how this works out. I'd never be allowed one though

[LennyJ1]

I'm interested in how this works out. I'd never be allowed one though

Same here 

[basloan82]

We took the plunge and got a couple of chickens last year - never looked back since. We use a converted dog kennel as a nesting box and it works out well. We have 2 wee ladies (had 3 although fantastic mr fox took a shine to one of them  )
each of them lays an egg everyday, usually taking 1 day off a fortnight. nothing like using your own eggs - and we havent bought them in ages!

would thoroughly recommend it....

[LandyLiam]

and i just gave away my old doghouse  would have been very suitable

[basloan82]

we have ours just pottering around in the back garden. Bella and Nugget. they are great - take themselves to bed and everything. will also eat almost anything - kitchen scraps, worms slugs, pellets and unfortunately mine are partial to the seedlings in my veg patch!!!
The eggs are something else.......

might go for a couple of ducks....although the wife is concerned im going down the good life road.....

[spartan00117]

Nothing wrong with a bit of the good life

[Matthew]

I have four chickens in the back garden, well they are in a hen house now after they ate every living thing in the garden. Only issue we have had so far is what to do with them when they stop laying as it is not really cost effective to feed something which is there to provide a food stuff, sorry if that sounds harsh. Keep them clean as the bird muck and wet weather can really cause a smell at times but regular rinsing of the paved bit we have them on sorts that out.

We use photocopy paper boxes with sawdust as individual bedding, this is very easy to clean out.


Matthew

[spartan00117]

I like the photocopy boxes idea very clever

[basloan82]

Yeah the poo can be trying to say the least! but with any animal, just have to clean it up

ours went off laying for a bit over the winter - something to do with daylight hours. a farmer once told me that they will lay all year round if you install heat lamps into the coop although my neighbours would have thought i was up to something more sinister if they had seen me doing that 

[LennyJ1]

I was thinking about getting some chickens but was wondering do they make much noise? Dont want to anoy my nebiours after moving in.

[basloan82]

nah they are fine..... our 2 ladies are as quiet as a mouse.
now throw a rooster inrto the mix and then we will see what happens......

[LandyLiam]

my neighbour is away for the weekend so i'm feeding his dog and he said to work away at the chicken eggs, i didn't even know he had chickens! so just had some eggs on toast for breakfast, lovely 

he didn't make his own coup but here's a piccie, it has wheels on one end making it easy to move around