Keeping Chickens Guide

Most of us have thought about becoming a little more self-sufficient – usually when stuck in the queue at the supermarket for the sake of a loaf of bread, a paper and a dozen eggs. Yet, while this is a daydream, it can become a reality if you have the time and patience for it.

While growing a few lettuce and carrots is fine, keeping animals is the first step towards real self sufficiency. The first animal most people think of keeping as viable, considering the size of average garden, is chickens.

Pros and Cons of Keeping Chickens

Chickens can be a big responsibility, and you do need space. Chickens can live for up to ten years and will require as much love and attention as any pet. They all seem to have their own personalities and are, generally (as there are bound to be some bad eggs), friendly and sociable creatures.

Eggs are probably the main reason you’ve considered taking on some chickens – there is little better than a fresh egg with perfectly regimented soldiers. Chickens produce eggs for the first 3 years of their life every 1-2 days. This does decrease with age of course.

The Chicken Coop

You can buy coops in flat-packs but it is entirely possible to make it yourself.

You must use strong materials which are robust enough to keep out even the most chicken-hungry of foxes. The coop needs to be comfortable, and while it needn’t be a palatial manor, it should be good enough for all the chickens to spend the night there in comfort.

It also needs to be accessible for you to clean and retrieve eggs. You will have to clean it at least once a week and wiping down perches and nesting areas is required – making it easier for yourself is a good idea.

When planning the coop you should take in to consideration the need for ventilation – for fresh air. It should also have plenty of places to perch with different levels to make it slightly more interesting – chickens also need somewhere where they can gain shade from the sun or warmth in the cold.

Chicken wire needs to be buried about 20cm or so into the ground – this is to stop rats and mice burrowing under and stealing eggs. As long as your coop is free of hazards (such as nails, staples and leftover pieces of wire) you are good to go.

Free Range or Non-Free Range

Whichever way you decide to let your chickens live outside the coop it is unlikely to amount to battery-farming – there are two main options for giving them scratching room. They need “scratching room” to decide on a pecking order of the group. If you value your lawn a great deal then free chickens in the garden may not be the best idea, if it’s not the end of the world allow them to explore. Chickens tend to eat many garden pests and can be a great help in the war against slugs.

Chicken feed

Feeding chickens do best with pelleted poultry feed or “crumble” – you may also feed them with organic feed. If you are allowing your chickens roam freely in the garden make sure you do not leave any slug pellets down – it doesn’t make for happy chickens.

Keep their feed fresh and make sure water is always available and you should have a superb supply of eggs just outside the door and a few new feathery friends.