fraggle 4 Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 The long haired sargent major (my wife) said i can have some hens. The thing is i am honest in saying i aint got a clue. What would be a good starting hens, all i'm after is for a couple of eggs in the morning. and the odd sunday lunch. Also what size htuch and run would they need. Many thanks all Fraggle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aaronpigeonplucker 32 Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 warrens or magpies (breeds) are good chickens and will produce a good amount of eggs for a long time. feed them on maze, layers pellets and scraps/leftovers from the kitchen. 5-6 chikens is a good place to start and you will need quite a large hutch. give them a dust bath and put some big logs in yopur garden and turn them over every week or so. this will let your chickens have a nice scratch aroung for beatles and worms. fence off any flowerrbeds or veg patchs though! you will need a pen at least 12ftx7ft for 5 chickens Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fraggle 4 Posted February 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 i was thining more on the lines of 2-3 chickens as i would have to pen them in incase the dog gets them. Is 3 ok to have??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
41houndhunter 0 Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 i was thining more on the lines of 2-3 chickens as i would have to pen them in incase the dog gets them. Is 3 ok to have??? Why sure you can,If the missus will allow. 2 or 3 is a fine number,they will get along fine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
deer stalker 2008 3 Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 well if you get 2 or 3 and there no good (laying) least the dogs will have free range chicken for dinner. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aaronpigeonplucker 32 Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 3 will be fine! although i think thats as low as you can go chicken number wise Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aaronpigeonplucker 32 Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 wou will only get about 2 eggs a day with 3 chickens though, normally. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fraggle 4 Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 2 eggs a day is fine as there is only 2 of us. we where thinking of getting 3 and working in a 3 month cycle every three months one gets replaced and one goes into our sunday roast. i know how to clip wings so was thinking of lletting them have free range of the garden we have no plants as its a army garden so its just a matter of filling any hole s in the garden. and training the dog not to eat them. many thanks for all the help just looking for a chicken coop now for them to sleep in. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trapperman 474 Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 2 eggs a day is fine as there is only 2 of us. we where thinking of getting 3 and working in a 3 month cycle every three months one gets replaced and one goes into our sunday roast. i know how to clip wings so was thinking of lletting them have free range of the garden we have no plants as its a army garden so its just a matter of filling any hole s in the garden. and training the dog not to eat them. many thanks for all the help just looking for a chicken coop now for them to sleep in. if you want to eat them dont bother with hybrids as theres more meat on my slippers than one of these birds. i breed light sussex chickens which are duel purpose for eggs and meat, even so to get much meat you still need to seperate them off and fattern them with fatterners ration. i keep my hens for eggs and sell a few off to people to keep, when i want meat birds i buy in some basic cobb type and rear them for 8 weeks on free range they are only 50 pence each and very easy to rear. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aaronpigeonplucker 32 Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 broilers taste al right after youve boiled them for half a day and put them in a curry! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aaronpigeonplucker 32 Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 (edited) i kept my hens for 6 years until they stopped laying, these chickens were only bred for laying and not eating. then i gave a quick twist of the neck to all of them :headshot:: , plucked em gutted em and stuck them in the freezer. if yoyu cooked them like you would a normal chicken you get from a shop then they would be tough and there would only be about 3 ounces of meat on them. you have to do what i said above Edited February 15, 2009 by aaronpigeonplucker Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fishfish 17 Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 light sussex are a good choice. and for meat birds i just buy them from the farms at 3 weeks old so they dnt need brooding. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stubby 175 Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 cant remember where we got ours from, but do a google search on ex battery hens, we got 8 at 50p each, they look oven ready when we picked them up, but soon grew feathers, we now have 6 left, and are averaging between 4-5 eggs per day Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trapperman 474 Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 broilers taste al right after youve boiled them for half a day and put them in a curry! youre right broilers can be a bit bland because they are reared intensivly in a large shed and never see the light of day but if you get the same birds and rear them on free range (they are then free range birds not broilers) from day old they are much better, to me they are as good as any traditional breed that i have breed for the table including dorking (and you get more meat). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doglost Co-Ordinator 4 Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 Have a look on Rescue Helpers Unite- there's about 4000 ex battery hens in process of been taken out & needing homes. Waiting to sort out bit of garden myself to get some myself Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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