Keith Kent wrote:
Any of you keep chickens? I am thinking of getting 2 or 3? I am looking up
info and reading a book.I was thinking of keeping them about 50 ft away from
the house.A friend said he would put them at the very bottom of the garden
due to attracting rats.But my garden is about 225 ft long so they wouldnt be
in view from the house.What do you think?I am also going to build myself a
chicken coup and run so any advise would be much appreciatted.
Thanks Keith

They don't themselves attract rats: it's left-over bits of food that do
that. You can't keep them on the same spot all the time, so a movable
coop is best: I made one of the triangular kind with a a wire run and a
house at one end, and moved it every day or two. (That was after I gave
up on letting them roam freely and just shutting them in at night.) As
long as you've got somebody to keep an eye on them when you go away
they're no trouble, and fresh eggs are a revelation if you've never had
them before. You will have to be prepared to kill them when their
laying days are finally over, though: it's important for the whole
family to understand this.

--
Mike.