"David (in Normandy)" wrote in
message ...

"La Puce" wrote in message
Well done. Do you have any chickens? Perhaps moving them about on say
200m2 next spring would help you considerably with weeds and bugs. I'm
jealous.


The plan is to get 4 chickens next year. Apparently, from what I've read 4



David are you aware of the criteria which makes a chicken lay an egg? Food.
Water. Light. A contented bird. I had a small chicken farm in the 60's and a
bird which had been very badly 'hen pecked' was put into a 'sick bay
isolation box' at home. Whilst it was recovering, it layed eggs :-))

Food? No problem either inside or outside, .......... except rats :-((

Water? They MUST have water on demand. No 'iffs' no 'buts'.

Light? The egg laying 'mechanism' of a chicken relies on the light hitting
the back of their eyes. If you are running Free Range, then they will 'go
indoors' to roost when it starts to get dark. Their 'in doors' house will
need artificial light to sustain their egg laying pattern and they then will
require a 'dimming process' to make them go to roost. My main house was lit
by ample lighting, then when the 'roosting period' came, timed down to dim
lighting :-)) ie, 100 watt lamps down to 40 watt lamps for 20 - 25 minutes.

If adding feed, think the diference between pellets and loose grain feed.
The latter 'keeps them occupied' longer and will help to prevent bullying
:-))

I give this advice as you are wishing to produce for the family, but I feel
that 4 will NOT feed your family round the year.

Mike


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