Chicken Life - The Ups, Downs & experiences

As for the food they get, well they have a jug full of Growers pellets every evening before bed. In the morning they get a jug full of mixed corn. These both come from the local Farmers Co-Operative, and they are about £5 for a bag of each. On top of this they sometimes get bread, which they go nuts for. As well as the run of the orchard from time to time. As for water it is normal water in a clean plastic plant tub.

Foxes, rabbits, rats and birds are the usual pests.

Foxes: The worst pest of all, they are very determined, cunning and persistent. They can climb over fences and houses, under fences and if you have any small holes, the fox will find them for you. A fox will try to kill every chicken possible, some people put high roosts in their houses, with ladders up to them. But most importantly keep your hen house locked and sealed at night. Fox attacks usually occur from early evening to early morning. Get a man to urinate at certain places around the outside of the run, this is supposed to deter foxes as they can smell a superior male animal. Or put bundles of your hair around the run, this is supposed to do the same thing.

Rabbits: Their main problem is causing holes around the bottom of fences. They need detering.

Rats: Chickens attract rats because of their food, bedding and smell. Any rat is a bad rat, put poison down when the chickens go to bed. Always keep poison well away from areas your chicken can use.

Birds: In our case, its magpis and crows, trying to pinch the food and eggs. Its just a case of trying to catch them in the act, although having a broody hen helps as she will sit on the eggs and guard them.

The run is on the front of the chicken house and is made from chicken wire and 5ft wooden posts. The run is about 20ft x 12ft, which is plenty of room for 7 chickens. Choose your run site well, as the chickens will soon have it stripped bare in a few months. Our is situated amongst some fruit trees, this gives the chickens some shade in the summer time. The post were easy enough to get in and if you have planned it right the wire should go up well too. Be careful though, wire fencing is very expensive from the stores, its about £90 for 50 metres, you can get it a lot cheaper on ebay. I have one layer of fencing going around the bottom half and then a second layer going around the top half, creating a fence about 5.5ft tall. I have a layer of green plastic pea netting going around the bottom half of the run, this is loose on the ground. It stops rabbits and foxes and trying to tunnel under the fence, this is because they will get their paws caught and tangled if they try. Don't worry about coming around one morning finding an animal trapped in the netting, animals are intelligent enough not to even bother trying.

Enjoy your chickens, they love people, they like you talking to them and they will happily follow you all over the garden. They are easy to look after and as long as they have enough food and plenty of clean water. You will have very happy chickens and plenty of fresh eggs.

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