| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| JB |
Where do we start with chickens?Apart from here. Can anyone give me some pointers to where I should start with chickens. Websites that would give me an idea of feed costs, costs to construct a run / hen house etc. recommended breeds. Books that might do all of the aboveTa. |
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| Jonnyboy |
There are quite a few useful articles in that section. | ||||
| Sarah D |
I'd suggest any books by katie Thear and David Bland - lots of useful info, and you'll use themf or years to come. Also, I find Country SMallholding magazine useful - breeding, breeds, housing, diseases, housing etc articles. Also here:
http://www.poultry.allotment.org.uk/ Hope this helps. |
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| OtleyLad |
Re: Where do we start with chickens?
I've just started writing some articles on starting with chickens, the first one is here and includes a cost of feed calculator. |
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| twoscoops |
My only regret with keeping chickens was straight away going for a wooden house, as we had a severe infestation of red spider mite, which were able to live and breed in the nooks and crannies. While we treated the symptoms we could have got in much earlier with preventative measures. Our hens never fully recovered and thier laying levels dropped considerably. I think we should have gone for a plastic house. | ||||
| dpack |
avoiding starting the eggs comments ,i would suggest a few point of lay girls and good fox /mink/rat etc proofing
learn as you go along |
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| Chez |
Katie Thear's 'Starting with chickens' is a brilliant book to begin with.
Layers pellets are £7 upwards for a 25k bag Corn is £6.50 ditto They eat between 150 - 200g of pellets a day and about 25-50g of corn. You also need to factor in grit, bedding and worming costs. I have a very nerdy 'outgoing costs v egg / meat production' spreadsheet I can email you if you'd like to PM me your email address; and I've got a bit about housing on the website here: http://greenmeadowpoultry.co.uk/housing.html |
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| Treacodactyl |
Once you're sure you want them (remember you need to open them in the morning, shut them at night, find someone to look after them when you go away, keep them safe from foxes etc, etc) then I'd get Katie Thear's starting with chickens, as already mentioned.
I'd also pick up a copy of Country Smallholding to see what sort of housing is being sold, the prices or links to web sites and adverts for feed. The feed prices do vary so I'd decide what you want (pellets, mash; organic or whatever) and call a few local suppliers. If you want to try your hand at making your own hen housing there are a few books that provide plans which might help. |
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| Chez |
Re housing - there is a Katie Thear plan floating round on the interweb for about a fiver - I got mine off ebay and it knocked up in to a very nice little 4 by 3 house. I do think the price of ready-made poultry housing is extortionate - our converted shed also does a very good job. It does depend how much space you've got, though.
Having chicken-sitters lined up is never a bad plan ... 
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| Sarah D |
I have a spare plan for a hen house if you would like it, JB, just PM me. It's the same as the one we've had for about 9 years now, under 100.00 to build from new marine ply, takes up to about 8/9 chickens, includes nest boxes. | ||||
| rhyddid |
Re: Where do we start with chickens?
We've got eight warrens now and I made the hen house with recycled wood and a recycled shed (or part thereof). Cost nothing for that. Most of the metal framework for the attached run came from offerings gathered from a skip-diving expedition (or two) last summer, however, the wire was bought from B+Q (that came to around sixteen quid). The (point of lay) chickens cost seven quid each and a couple of pounds for fuel to fetch them. I bought two sacks of layers pellets the end of May (fourteen pounds for two sacks from Brecon) and we've still got half a sack left now. The chickens daily ration is supplemented with kitchen scraps and whatever I can feed them... spent grains from brewing sessions, green stuff picked. etc I've been collecting four to five eggs per day for the past few weeks. I can't quantify the joy (or entertainment) I get from keeping chickens. 
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| colour it green |
really? marine ply is very 'spensive - not a bad idea though..but for under 100 quid for 8-9 hens? I would have thought the materials would cost more...? but yeh for flat surfaces.. we made hen house of of old shed. but we have a red mite issue now, so we are making hen house mark II - using WBP |
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| JB |
Last time I bought ply it was about £25 for 18mm 8' * 4', so ply over a basic frame is probably the way to go and could be done for £100 how much more does marine ply cost? (PS WBP?) |
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| colour it green |
marine ply is expensive as its made to cope with sea water...
WBP (water boil proof) has waterproof glue, but would still need to be treated to be protected from the elements ordinary ply is cheaper, but not likely to stand up to the weather for long.as the glue is not waterproof. - you could treat it but when water gets in round the edges.. its likely to delaminate |
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| bodger |
I'm with Chez on this one. The thought of reasonably priced well produced eggs is a great one but the thought is somewhat tarnished when you see half a dozen chickens infront of a silly priced chicken shed that someone has paid upto 500 pounds for. Make your own shed or convert an existing building, its all part of the ethos for me. |
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| JB |
I assume that one of the advantages of ply (or any sheet material for that matter) is that it's easier to clean, i.e. planks allow to many nooks and crannies for thinks to catch in and harbour pests etc. | ||||
| colour it green |
thats my thinking. having spent some time lately blow torching the blighters.. a smoother surface appeals. | ||||
| Chez |
I believe that some of Woodsprite's chickens live in a converted wardrobe ...
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| VM |
My partner made a lovely fixed chicken run with hen house inside it from recycled timber including recycled plywood - we're lucky enough to have a recycled timber timberyard in Manchester, which is handy. Plastic coated wire fencing was lying around on someone's plot at the allotment, so the whole thing only cost bit over £100. I think the whole thing measures around 18 ft by 12 ft. Has 5 chickens in at present, but we are planning to get a couple more.
Keeping an eye out for red mite, though don't actually know what I'm looking for. We've only had the chickens for 5 weeks so far though! |
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| Lorrainelovesplants |
Why not go on a course? I dont know what area your in, but I run one day workshops for beginners (intro to poultry keeping), those wishing to breed their own (hatch, match & dispatch) and a handling workshop. 
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| colour it green |
run a bit of white kitchen towel along the understide of the perch. if you get spots of red blood.. then you have red mite. |
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| OtleyLad |
Here's some of the well-fed little b&*%$$£*s on one of my perches (shortly before I zapped them) - they are red cos they are full of blood (YUCK):
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| colour it green |
urgh - feel itchy now...
the juniors or unfed ones are greyish.. until they eat... |
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| Calli |
The dead ones are greyish too 
Chicken swings 
They can organically excercise at the same time as sleep and improve their muscle tone
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| VM |
Thank you for red mite info (and picture, though it's a bit big and horrid!).
I was telling untruths, as it turns out - chicken run and house cost nearer £200 to make than £100 - but it is very fine. |
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| Chez |
Is that not some kind of jazz track? |