Keeping Chickens

[Sammc]

Hi all my dad is thinking of getting a couple of chickens to produce eggs for the family. He has a big garden and will build an appropriate area for them.
Just wondered if anyone on here keeps chickens and has any general advice. Also how is his dog likely to react to the chickens and vice versa?

[Postdog]

I can't personally help but this site might do http://www.poultry.allotment.org.uk/

[coco pops]

I've kept chickens but had to get rid of them because they attracted rats. Depends on the type of dog whether it will bother the hens

[Clanad]

Firstly, he'll require a lockable roost. A chicken shed for their protection is a must. We have about 25 hens and two roosters, but we live on a ranch in western U.S., so space is no problem. We raise them for frying and stewing chicken as well as the eggs.Our family dogs keep the occasional predator away as do the geese, but you'll have to realize that the chickens will attract foxes, stray cats, the occasional chicken hawk and out here, coyotes and other predators with KFC on their mind.

They really are easy to maintain, but require a good pen and shed as already mentioned...

[terambulan]

In UK keep chickens in a shed with netted area outside (free range). The inclement weather at present will deter free-range chucks from laying. If the shed is warm and lit (lengthen daylight) then chucks will lay throughout winter.

Feed is dear......best to do a 'cost' before investment.

1 hen = 1 egg per day.....how many eggs is the family need?

Dog must not disturb chucks, or no eggs! Train dog!

[JonnyBoy12]

I did not know that dogs were interested in the business end of a drill, or did you mean chicks? I have to differ on the 1 egg per day per hen thing, as used to work with hens, and no hen in the world lays one egg every single day. Can't remember but think the most is about 280 eggs per year tops, but can't remember what breed that was. Rhode Island Reds or Calder Rangers are very popular kinds of hens.

[oxford1]

Hi, I have three hens, I got them at 13 weeks and they started to lay at 18 weeks. As long as you keep them happy and feed them well they will lay most days. The farmer suggested to keep them on layers pellets and not to many treats and he was right. They have become very friendly and great fun, however if you have a nice garden you can say goodbye to it because they will scatch and peck most of your green stuff especially your lawn. They also poo no stop!!

[Kleiber]

I have about 20 laying hens & 5 cockerels. If you want to know which breeds are good layers, I'd suggest Light Sussex or one of the hybrids. Sussex also go broody quite well and make excellent mothers and they are pretty hardy, too. Mine are still laying, despite the awful weather. They aren't exactly free range, as we have a fox problem and a pair of resident goshawks, but they are in huge runs, so are outside (if they want to be) all day. My dogs don't really bother the chickens, neither do the cats - the birds have got used to them all now, but if a strange cat or dog comes into their field, they kick up a h*ll of a racket!

[Sammc]

thanks alot everyone ill pass on the advice to my dad. Good point about the cost of feed. It wont be much of an economy if this costs more then the aggs would! although as Oxford says im sure they are great fun just to watch!