"Mike Lyle" wrote in message

You can't keep them on the same spot all the time, so a movable
coop is best:

I don't agree. They can be kept in a run that is permanently in the
one spot but they do need to be managed. They need to be given
scratch material and what better things than garden detritus - weeds,
mown grass, deadheads etc. They are the ideal compost bin turner and
thier run can effectively be used as an added compost bin. I even
sometimes give my hens straw to turn before I use it as mulch. A few
dasy in the run, rake it up and then spread it on beds.

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.

I keep my hens till they die a natural death. I'd keep hens even if
they didn't ever lay eggs. As I'm a keen gardener, I find they are
ideal for doing work for me on garden material that I drop into their
runs. They either start the compost process or if I'm lazy I just
leave it there till they do all the work of turning, manuring and
rotting it back down to earth.