KEEPING CHICKENS

Photo: Shane from Chic-hens makes keeping chickens easy with his purpose built houses

LAY A LITTLE EGG FOR ME….
Noeline, our friend who runs Mayo Animal Welfare is up visiting and we’re wandering around the garden looking for a suitable place to keep some chickens. “The time has come when we need to be harvesting more than just vegetables” I tell her.

Noeline has some fabulous free rangers herself and our lads thought they were being given chedder cheese in a bowl when we handed them some scrambled eggs made from one of the eggs. The colour was so rich and golden. If you have ever had a wholesome egg from a free range chicken, you will know that the extra work needed to produce them is well worth the effort.

Noeline is a dab hand at looking after birds as she has been rescuing all types of flying animals for years. “There are certain key things to take care of first.” She begins. “Keeping chickens is one of the fastest growing hobbies in Ireland and it’s not surprising. Get yourself some good ones and they are productive, friendly pets which give you a regular supply of fresh eggs and liven up your garden with their antics.”

Are they expensive to keep? I ask Noeline as she looks at the possibility of converting the shed into a chicken house. “They are relatively inexpensive to keep but they need a little attention to keep them in good condition.” Noeline continues, “you do need to look at how many birds you can keep though.”

COMPANY
“A solitary hen won't be a happy bird, so you should have at least two. Four to six will supply the average family with an ample supply of fresh eggs and you could keep this many in a house approximately 1.2 by 1.8m (6 by 4ft)”

SPACE
“Chickens’ housing requirements are quite simple as they will spend most of their time outside, unless they’re laying eggs, sleeping or sheltering from bad weather. You can either build your own house from wood or buy a readymade one. I tell Noeline about a local supplier called Shane Houston from Chic-hens in Carndonagh, his designs have the shed raised up off of the ground so the chickens can run about underneath, which will be ideal for people with limited space. “That sounds ideal.” She agrees.

INSIDE THE HOUSE
“So what about inside the house?” I ask. “The basic requirements inside a chicken house are a perch to sleep on and sufficient nesting boxes - at least one per four chickens, as they will take it in turns to lay. You should also consider how easy it will be to clean and how easy it will be to move, if you make your own give yourself space to get in and out to clean.” She advises.

OUTSIDE
“For safety and security when you are not around you may need a run for the birds. I have a netted area that also has a secure cover of netting too.” Noeline and I are walking towards the lawn to see if there would be more suitable. “The run will need to be large enough for the hens to rummage about and flap their wings, so the larger the area the better if it going to be permanent and unable to move. Make sure the netting is dug into the ground though as foxes can tunnel under it.

Clean ground is also very important – any area that the birds are running on can soon become spoiled. Ideally you could make a run and house that you can move around, a bit like a rabbit run.” Noeline suggests. “Moving them around will provide the chickens with a different outside space and keep them occupied.” Noeline projects and looks at me winking, “they like to be kept busy.” Then adds as a caution “Whatever you do, the run and the house should both be secure against vermin and predators including foxes, badgers and rats.

FEEDING
I would be a bit reluctant to put the run on the lawn as it would deprive the lads of football so we head off into the undergrowth to look at more areas. “Do you feed the chickens your leftovers?” I ask. “I do, within reason, I give them a balanced chicken feed, either in pellet or mash form, this contains all the minerals, calcium and protein they need but I do give them treats too.”

TREATS
“If you want to give your birds an occasional treat, avoid any salty, sugary or fatty foods which can play havoc with their stomach and their health overall. Stick to wheat and fresh vegetables.
This also provides you with the chance to add a little cod liver oil to their diet, just mix in a very small amount with the wheat to help the birds to feather and keep them in general good health. A supply of grit is also essential as it helps hens break down and digest their food and make those lovely shells.”

Noleline has found just the right spot for the birds next to the outside tap. “You should provide chickens with a constant supply of clean water, so use a poultry font drinker. Water should be changed on a daily basis and kept outside the poultry shed but under cover to avoid wild bird droppings. Drinkers which are used inside can cause damp which is a health hazard for yourself and the birds.” She advises. “By having the run near the water supply, it will never be an inconvinence to refresh the water.”

GENERAL CARE
“Look after them like you would any other pet.” Noeline advises. Leaving them in damp and drafty accommodation will only end with a variety of poultry-related problems. Clean the house on a regular basis and use dry, dust-free wood shavings for the bedding; try not to use straw or hay as it can quickly become damp underneath and go mouldy. And concludes “They are not water birds like ducks so need a nice dry environment.”

We head back into the house. We now know where to put the run and house, all we need now are the chickens….

CHIC-HENS

The number of types of chicken can be a little mind-boggling for beginner poultry keepers like myself. Contact Shane at Chic-hens http://www.chic-hens.ie/ or tel: 086 0616324 to get advice and see what he has hatching and check out his fabulous houses. Ideally buy the chickens when they are between 16 and 20 weeks old – at this age they can still be tamed and will either have just started laying or be about to.