"harry" wrote in message
...
On 17 July, 01:30, Janet Tweedy wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good poultry keeping course (for home not for
commercial ones) ? Preferably in the south east or south midlands


I don't know of any, sorry, but as you already keep dogs you know about
welfare standards.
Chickens are not difficult to keep, a good book from the library will set
you on the right path.
You do need a fox-proof hut and a fox-proof run. You *can* do free range if
you have room for an electric fence.
Were you thinking of keeping just a few hens for your own use, for eggs? I
thought you were.
First up - don't buy an Eglu.

I've kept chickens since the 70's, rare breeds and recently rescued ex-batts
and will always advise on here, if asked.
Tina

"harry" wrote in message Dalmatian
Telegraphhttp://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Your main enemy will be Mr.Fox. One of the problems is that you have
to be there twice a day to fasten them up and release them. Not to
mention feeding and watering them. They will all manner of scraps and
waste food BTW. If you have a pot of ground you can move the run
around, they will lay the area they are penned on waste. Ideal for
diging up afterwards to grow things.
Ever considered pigs? Heh! Heh!
Or seriously ducks. You get a better egg performance out of ducks.

I stopped keeping ducks as I found they drew foxes towards them even more
than chickens do.
Foxes do just so love ducks :-(

Tina

Christina Websell wrote:
"harry" wrote in message Dalmatian
Telegraphhttp://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Your main enemy will be Mr.Fox. One of the problems is that you
have to be there twice a day to fasten them up and release them. Not
to mention feeding and watering them. They will all manner of
scraps and waste food BTW. If you have a pot of ground you can move
the run around, they will lay the area they are penned on waste.
Ideal for diging up afterwards to grow things.
Ever considered pigs? Heh! Heh!
Or seriously ducks. You get a better egg performance out of ducks.

I stopped keeping ducks as I found they drew foxes towards them even
more than chickens do.
Foxes do just so love ducks :-(

My experience with ducks was frustrating: chooks put themselves to bed,
but only one of my three lots of ducks would go into their house
spontaneously. The others not only had to be herded in, but (rather
sensibly from one point of view, but mad-drivingly from my p.o.v.) just
wouldn't go in when it was darker in the house than outside: if I left
it too late, they had to be caught and incarcerated one by one. It was
Charles James who caused me to give up, as well.

--
Mike.

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:
"harry" wrote in message Dalmatian
Telegraphhttp://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Your main enemy will be Mr.Fox. One of the problems is that you
have to be there twice a day to fasten them up and release them. Not
to mention feeding and watering them. They will all manner of
scraps and waste food BTW. If you have a pot of ground you can move
the run around, they will lay the area they are penned on waste. Ideal
for diging up afterwards to grow things.
Ever considered pigs? Heh! Heh!
Or seriously ducks. You get a better egg performance out of ducks.

I stopped keeping ducks as I found they drew foxes towards them even
more than chickens do.
Foxes do just so love ducks :-(

My experience with ducks was frustrating: chooks put themselves to bed,
but only one of my three lots of ducks would go into their house
spontaneously. The others not only had to be herded in, but (rather
sensibly from one point of view, but mad-drivingly from my p.o.v.) just
wouldn't go in when it was darker in the house than outside: if I left it
too late, they had to be caught and incarcerated one by one. It was
Charles James who caused me to give up, as well.

Hurtling back to the house with a duck bleeding copiously from its jugular
vein at 5 pm when I got home from work (a fox had literally just caught it)
stopped me from keeping ducks for ever.
It was unable to be saved.

On 17 July, 20:31, "Mike Lyle"
wrote:
Christina Websell wrote:
"harry" wrote in message Dalmatian
Telegraphhttp://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Your main enemy will be Mr.Fox. * One of the problems is that you
have to be there twice a day to fasten them up and release them. Not
to mention feeding and watering them. *They will all manner of
scraps and waste food BTW. *If you have a pot of ground you can move
the run around, *they will lay the area they are penned on waste.
Ideal for diging up afterwards to grow things.
Ever considered pigs? *Heh! Heh!
Or seriously ducks. *You get a better egg performance out of ducks.

I stopped keeping ducks as I found they drew foxes towards them even
more than chickens do.
Foxes do just so love ducks :-(

My experience with ducks was frustrating: chooks put themselves to bed,
but only one of my three lots of ducks would go into their house
spontaneously. The others not only had to be herded in, but (rather
sensibly from one point of view, but mad-drivingly from my p.o.v.) just
wouldn't go in when it was darker in the house than outside: if I left
it too late, they had to be caught and incarcerated one by one. It was
Charles James who caused me to give up, as well.

--
Mike.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

In my youth we used to keep chickens, and our referance was Teach your
self Poultry Keeping.
Doing a quick search on Google I see that there is am up to date
version, Anazon have it starting at £2.00
David

"Sacha" wrote in message As you know, we're about to
embark on chicken keeping for the grand
daughter's sake. We'll have two New Hampshire Reds, two Black Laced
Wyandottes and two Amrocks. Did you floor the chicken runs to stop foxes
borrowing beneath them? If so, could you tell us what you used?


Yes, I floored them completely with 2x3 paving slabs including underneath
the wooden 2x2 frame I made the runs from: with weldmesh not chicken wire.
And roofed the runs too with corrugated plastic sheets.
Get in there now you b******s!

Some of my huts are also lined with sheet steel.

It's impossible to free range now here.
I gave up live trapping and shooting foxes when I got to 39. Just put my
chickens into safe huts & runs.

harry wrote:

On 17 July, 01:30, Janet Tweedy wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good poultry keeping course (for home not for
commercial ones) ? Preferably in the south east or south midlands

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraphhttp://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Hah you will lose lots of money. BTW, are you prepared to kill your
chickens at 18 months old when they become uneconomic (ie lay few
eggs)?

18 months? bollox many breeds carry on laying for several years, of
course if you are talking about battery hens ( which the OP isnt) thats
another story

--
Donnie

Tom wrote:

harry wrote in news:2369f81d-9510-48f0-9d1f-
:

On 17 July, 01:30, Janet Tweedy wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good poultry keeping course (for home not
for commercial ones) ? Preferably in the south east or south
midlands

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraphhttp://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Hah you will lose lots of money. BTW, are you prepared to kill your
chickens at 18 months old when they become uneconomic (ie lay few
eggs)?

There are many good reasons to keep poultry which are nothing
to do with money.

But if someone is looking to save (or make) money keeping a
few chickens at home, they are likely to be disappointed.

Umm we're getting a consistant 15 to 17 eggs every 7 days so Im saving
a minimum of £2.50 to £6 on current free range egg prices depending on
the store. At worst £2.50 x 52 weeks is about what? £130 a year? Pays
for most of my road tax or tv licence etc.

--
Donnie
Lambretta Series 2 186cc "The Shitter"
Lambretta LD 175cc "The Chopper"
Honda CB500R "Look out, Donnie's about!"

On 17 July, 21:13, Sacha wrote:
On 2010-07-17 20:52:47 +0100, "Christina Websell"
said:







"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:
"harry" wrote in message Dalmatian
Telegraphhttp://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Your main enemy will be Mr.Fox. * One of the problems is that you
have to be there twice a day to fasten them up and release them. Not
to mention feeding and watering them. *They will all manner of
scraps and waste food BTW. *If you have a pot of ground you can move
the run around, *they will lay the area they are penned on waste. Ideal
for diging up afterwards to grow things.
Ever considered pigs? *Heh! Heh!
Or seriously ducks. *You get a better egg performance out of ducks..

I stopped keeping ducks as I found they drew foxes towards them even
more than chickens do.
Foxes do just so love ducks :-(

My experience with ducks was frustrating: chooks put themselves to bed,
but only one of my three lots of ducks would go into their house
spontaneously. The others not only had to be herded in, but (rather
sensibly from one point of view, but mad-drivingly from my p.o.v.) just
wouldn't go in when it was darker in the house than outside: if I left it
too late, they had to be caught and incarcerated one by one. It was
Charles James who caused me to give up, as well.

Hurtling back to the house with a duck bleeding copiously from its jugular
vein at 5 pm when I got home from work (a fox had literally just caught it)
stopped me from keeping ducks for ever.
It was unable to be saved.

As you know, we're about to embark on chicken keeping for the grand
daughter's sake. *We'll have two *New Hampshire Reds, two Black Laced
Wyandottes and two Amrocks. *Did you floor the chicken runs to stop
foxes borrowing beneath them? *If so, could you tell us what you used?
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Dig a trench round the perimeter about a foot or 18" deep & put in
wire mesh (ie extended down from the run wire) using the same mesh.
Extend it horizontally outwards along the bottom of the trench to
baffle him even more. Its more than a fox can dig under in a night.

On 17 July, 21:35, Dave Hill wrote:
On 17 July, 20:31, "Mike Lyle"
wrote:





Christina Websell wrote:
"harry" wrote in message Dalmatian
Telegraphhttp://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Your main enemy will be Mr.Fox. * One of the problems is that you
have to be there twice a day to fasten them up and release them. Not
to mention feeding and watering them. *They will all manner of
scraps and waste food BTW. *If you have a pot of ground you can move
the run around, *they will lay the area they are penned on waste.
Ideal for diging up afterwards to grow things.
Ever considered pigs? *Heh! Heh!
Or seriously ducks. *You get a better egg performance out of ducks..

I stopped keeping ducks as I found they drew foxes towards them even
more than chickens do.
Foxes do just so love ducks :-(

My experience with ducks was frustrating: chooks put themselves to bed,
but only one of my three lots of ducks would go into their house
spontaneously. The others not only had to be herded in, but (rather
sensibly from one point of view, but mad-drivingly from my p.o.v.) just
wouldn't go in when it was darker in the house than outside: if I left
it too late, they had to be caught and incarcerated one by one. It was
Charles James who caused me to give up, as well.

--
Mike.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

In my youth we used to keep chickens, and our referance was Teach your
self Poultry Keeping.
Doing a quick search on Google I see that there is am up to date
version, Anazon have it starting at £2.00
David- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Good book.

On 17 July, 23:39, Sacha wrote:
On 2010-07-17 21:42:17 +0100, "Christina Websell"
said:







"Sacha" wrote in message As you know, we're about to
embark on chicken keeping for the grand
daughter's sake. *We'll have two *New Hampshire Reds, two Black Laced
Wyandottes and two Amrocks. *Did you floor the chicken runs to stop foxes
borrowing beneath them? *If so, could you tell us what you used?

Yes, I floored them completely with 2x3 paving slabs including underneath
the wooden 2x2 frame I made the runs from: with weldmesh not chicken wire.
And roofed the runs too with corrugated plastic sheets.
Get in there now you b******s!

Some of my huts are also lined with sheet steel.

It's impossible to free range now here.
I gave up live trapping and shooting foxes when I got to 39. *Just put my
chickens into safe huts & runs.

So you move the slabs every time you move the run? * *Grand daughter
wants free range and we have told her it's just not possible here. *
They'll be gone in 5 minutes, frankly, daylight or night time. * So now
she wants to extend their run to something much larger and surround it
with an electric fence. *We might have time to build a larger run in
the winter but as the whole place is open to the public, electric
fencing is unlikely.
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Fox can jump 5' to my knowledge.

Derek Turner wrote:

On Sat, 17 Jul 2010 01:30:11 +0100, Janet Tweedy wrote:

Can anyone recommend a good poultry keeping course (for home not for
commercial ones) ? Preferably in the south east or south midlands

Janet

You really don't need a course: just buy Katie Thear's book. It's really
not rocket-science.

You could also buy "Hen and the art of chicken maintenance" by Martin
Gurdon, available from Amazon for £3.66. A lot of information and a
very funny book.

Peter
--
He spoke with a certain what-is-it in his voice, and I
could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was far
from being gruntled.
P.G. Wodehouse 1881 -1975

Serena Blanchflower wrote in
:
When I kept chickens, some years ago, and sold most of the eggs at
work, I reckoned they earn enough to cover their food bills but
without anything left over to contribute to the capital costs.

Making money out of them hadn't been part off the reason for wanting
to keep chickens though, so that was fine.

Both points sound about right to me.

Janet Tweedy wrote in
:

In article 3, Tom
writes
Suitable starting points are
http://www.allaboutchickens.tk
and the "backyoard chickens" forum (see the links section)


OK thanks Tom. Isn't the forum American orientated? Would that matter?

Of course you have to be aware of the bias, but my
daughter spent many happy hours/days/months on it.
(BTW, she also created the website I referred to).

This forum has, necessarily, a more regional bias
than backyard chickens.

harry wrote in news:7e9d6c1a-9a77-4cb5-81ae-
:

Fox can jump 5' to my knowledge.


Very gracefully, just like a cat