Archived Topic
Topic ID 3918
05/11/2008 by Matt
Keeping chickens in the garden
Hi all, I appreciate some people may have strong views about this but wanted to ask if anyone had any experience of keeping chickens in their garden. We have a semi decent size garden and would only have a couple of hens. We've researched huts and size of run needed etc but its always worth getting some inside info from people who've actually done it!
Do you know, a healthy chicken lays an average of 250 eggs a year! I've told the kids they can sell the surplus to the neighbours and keep the profits!
0 replies
Archived Replies
Reply ID 56847
05/11/2008 by Mr P
Don't get a cockrell - the hens won't lay.
Reply ID 56867
06/11/2008 by codek2
we've done it. I'd strongly reccomend visiting thornes poultry centre / garden centre up in letchworth - they are really good and very helpful!
The cockerel isnt needed to make them lay, if thats what Mr P means. It doesnt stop them laying either. but you dont want one if you have any neighbours at all as you'll soon become most hated!
You need to keep at least 3. Make sure you handle them when you first get them and they soon get really tame. ours always run out to see us when we come out the back door, probably thinking they'll get fed :)
Reply ID 56874
06/11/2008 by carlos fandango
Make sure you are allowed to also. The Deeds to our house say no poultry allowed.
Reply ID 56875
06/11/2008 by exiled_in_Reading
quote:
Originally posted by carlos fandango
Make sure you are allowed to also. The Deeds to our house say no poultry allowed.
I wouldn't worry about that.
If it really concerned, you could check on the companies house website to see if the beneficiary of the restrictive covenant is still in business, chances are if the house was built sometime ago, they wont be, so there will be noone to enforce the restrictive covenant.
Even if they are in business, the chances of a builder who say built the house 50-100 years ago snooping around to see if you've got a few chickens in the garden are next to Nil. It's possible that an angry neighbour could check your title at the land reg and inform the beneficiary I guess...
Finally, even in the event that they did, to do anything about it they would have to issue proceedings against you, which they wont.
So in short, it matters very little....
Reply ID 56877
06/11/2008 by frazer
Have you looked into the 'eglu' chicken coops and runs. They have a good website with lots of info on keeping chickens. I have just looked and there are a couple of second hand 'eglu's' on ebay right now, if you like them [:)]
Reply ID 56879
06/11/2008 by codek2
i'd ignore the deeds issue too. There's no way I can see it can ever be enforced. Just make sure you keep your hens in a clean and safe environment, then no one has any right to complain.
The eglu's are good for starters, but overpriced new, and more of a fashion statement than anything else.
Reply ID 56884
06/11/2008 by Loving Whale
Whatever you do make sure your run and coop are secure, otherwise you will very likely have a very brief and terminal visit from Mr Foxy Loxy!!! That's not so fun to explain to the kids[:(]
Reply ID 57013
11/11/2008 by Rabbit Rabbit
In our Title Deeds we are forbidden to keep chickens (Ware Road area) so maybe you should check. If someone objects the legal costs won't be poultry.
Reply ID 57015
11/11/2008 by Moulder
quote:
Originally posted by Rabbit Rabbit
In our Title Deeds we are forbidden to keep chickens (Ware Road area) so maybe you should check. If someone objects the legal costs won't be poultry.
..... and you don't want to end up with egg on your face. [:D]
Make sure you regularly trim their flight feathers otherwise they'll be over the fence in no time.
Reply ID 57023
11/11/2008 by Matt
Thanks for all the tips and advice everyone. In particular to codek2 who said about Thornes garden centre in Letchworth. We went up their last weekend and the old guy who does the chickens is very good. We quizzed him for a good 10 minutes on everything from bedding material to size of coop and how to keep them happy. If we get them we'll definately buy them from him.
I saw an internet video recently about battery hens (the kind Jamie Oliver showed on TV) and its hardened my resolve to know more about where my food comes from. I'm happy to put up with the minor hassle of keeping 3 chickens clean and fed in order to know where my eggs have come from. Besides, its good for community spirit, my neighbours have already expressed and interest in buying eggs off us and getting their children to help look after the chickens too.
Reply ID 57024
11/11/2008 by codek2
That'll have been Frank then :) Happy to help!
11 replies