Book: Chickens

Chickens

Everything there is to know about keeping chickens Amy Richards

Chickens Everything there is to know about keeping chickens

Amy Richards

I’ve had chickens for as long as I can remember. From a little girl me and my sister had names for them all, often depending on their colouring, nature or even past owners.

I have a real love for chickens, their behaviour fascinates me, I remember too many times my mum used to drag me out the chicken pen to do homework. We owned chickens purely just as pets for us kids, with the added benefit of unlimited gorgeous eggs. I believe you can tell a free range egg from a caged/barn egg from a mile off, even by the colour of its shell. We’ve always keep over 20 at a time, consisting of all different breeds of all different ages, some hatched out by us while others either bought or given to us. Getting a new chicken or rearing some new chicks always got me excited, rushing home from school to check on them was a regular occurrence in our house and even now I am the same. Of course I’ve had my favourites, usually the friendly ones who peck your painted toe nails or sneak in the house when mums not looking. Chickens have such character and personality, they are a pleasure to own and I would recommend anyone with a bit of space and free time to care for some.

Enjoy.

Contents 08 Why Keep Chickens?

39 Choosing your Chickens 66 Maintenance 100 Hatching and Rearing Chicks 110 Eggs 120 Health and Welfare

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Why keep Chickens?

Keeping Chickens Keeping chickens as pets has become increasingly popular over the years among urban and suburban areas. The majority of chickens are kept on farms for agricultural production of meat and eggs, but some lucky chickens are kept as pets, in back gardens or fields for entertainment and enjoyment with the bonus of homegrown eggs and sometimes meat. People of all walks of life, young and old, are realising the rewards of keeping chickens, it becomes a hobby! An addictive hobby. Once you’ve experienced the perks and fun your pet chickens have to give, it is very hard to go back to living without them.

Old age, il ness or the dreaded Mr Fox are usually the three things pet chickens sadly die from. Many people feel a huge hole in their back garden when one of their chickens dies. A friend lost all her girls to Mr Fox, she was heartbroken and said she was too upset to replace them just yet, therefore I was surprised to see her a week later with a new batch. She explained that her garden just wasn’t the same without a group of cheeky hens scratching about, also saying she had no one to share her biscuits in the morning with.

There are a few things to consider before you move your chickens in however.

Are there any local regulations, by-laws or clauses in the deed to your property that restrict you from keeping poultry? Do you have the time and resources?

Chickens are fairly cheap to care for but the cost to set-up a predator free run can be expensive. Time-wise you need to have a little bit of spare time to spend with your chickens, not just to feed and collect eggs, but to get the full benefit of the enchanting characters, this wil also encourage them to become more friendly. You should also think about, if you were to go away on holiday, if there are people you can ask to look after them.

If you grow your own vegetables chickens do a fabulous job of scratching up weeds and keeping insects at bay. They can attract rodents but if you are careful with your feed and keep their run clean you shouldn’t have any problems. If you are a keen gardener and love your flowers, do not let the chickens near them – their idea of a garden is very different to yours.

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BELOW AND RIGHT: A very cheeky hen of mine named Friend .

My aim in this book is to give you a thorough guide to chicken keeping and also encourage beginners confidence to happily look after chickens while avoiding any common problems. As with keeping any animals, there can be difficulties, but the way you set up and treat your chickens determines how successful and enjoyable your experience wil be. Most problems that may occur with chickens can be prevented easily, the more information you have to hand before you start, the less stressful and daunting it wil be – for you and your chickens. With sections on everything from what kind of breed suits you, transporting your chickens home, what treats they prefer, incubating eggs, ensuring your chickens are healthy and spotting signs of il ness this book wil help anyone from the complete beginner to the more experienced chicken keeper to get the most enjoyment from their flock.

In my opinion chickens are just as easy to keep as dogs, probably easier in fact. They fit in well with most lifestyles and do not need taking for walks and are defiantly less expensive. All chickens have different personalities, some are quieter and a lot more shy than others, whereas some are very confident and not scared of people at all. I’ve had all personalities over my years of keeping chickens, endless times i’ve been chased around the field by cockerels protecting their girls, but it only makes me laugh and love their cheeky characters more.

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COURSES ON CHICKEN KEEPING Many chicken suppliers run courses that are hugely popular and which past students have told me very helpful. Classes can be both informative and hands on, which is great if you are lacking in confidence. Also you can get the chance to meet like-minded people, which can lead to friendships. Check the internet to see if there are any courses running near you. Having attended one you wil know if chicken keeping really is for you.

RIGHT: A friends young inquisitive pekin cockerel .

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FIVE REASONS TO KEEP CHICKENS LEFT: Two of my Bantoms making a mess on my doorstep.

1. A supply of fresh, free-range eggs – everyday. Most ‘fresh’ eggs bought from a supermarket are at least three weeks old. Research has also shown that organic, freerange eggs are much lower in cholesterol than eggs that could from intensive farming systems.

2. They are the very best way of instigating a sense of care and responsibility in children.

Children also love to collect eggs and doing so helps to connect them with the reality of how food is produced.

3. They are easy pets to look after and often pay for themselves. There is also a breed out there to suit everyone and almost all gardens.

4. For their entertainment value, chickens can be endlessly fascinating and simply being near them gladdens the heart and lifts the spirits.

5. Chicken droppings are rich in nitrogen, phosphates and potash and are a great fertiliser for the garden. Don’t put them directly on to your flowers though as it wil scorch them. Chickens also love to eat slugs.

F IVE COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. How many chickens do I need? Depending on the breed, a hen wil lay up to 300 eggs a year, so almost one a day. I would recommend no less than 3 birds, for company and to reduce the chance of bickering.

2. Do I need a cockerel? No, chickens like to have a cockerel around but it’s not essential and does not affect how they lay.

3. Where should I buy my chickens from? Always buy from a reputable supplier who is wil ing to give advice freely and offer help.

4. How long do hens live? A happy, free-range hen can live for anything from 5 to 10 years, depending on it’s breed.

5. Do I need permission to keep chickens? If you are keeping chickens just for family use, you are unlikely to encounter any restrictions, but it is always advisable to check local planning regulations.

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Handling Handling chickens is a very important part of poultry keeping and should be done regularly and with confidence. When you purchase your chickens ask the seller to show you how to hold them, watching somebody else do it is probably he easiest way to learn how.

Hopefully this wil make everything clear and you can go away happy and confident with your new knowledge. The key to handling your chickens successfully is to do it slowly and confidential y, while talking to them softly to reassure them. Any lunging, shouting or fast movements wil scare them away. You are aiming to slide your hand under their chest so you end up cradling them. Place your thumb over one wing, and tuck the other into their body. The more practice you have of this, the better you wil become. If it is done calmly your birds wil soon realise you mean no harm and react accordingly.

It does not always go to plan though so do not panic if your bird starts squawking and flapping and gets away, this has happened to me many of times! Some breeds are most docile and don’t mind being handled than others. I have had chickens brought up together from the same age, treated and fed exactly the same but are completely different when it comes to being handled, so make sure you go for the breed most suitable to you when choosing.

Chickens are very sensitive to their immediate surroundings. They can become stressed if kept in a coop and run of inadequate size, if they are handled roughly or if they are living within close proximity of young or unruly dogs. Loud noises can bring on stress as can lack of food and water. Hot weather with no shade or cold weather with no shelter, Is Mr Fox pestering them at night by scratching on the coop door? This wil understandably too, make them anxious.

A friend of mine experienced her hens suffering from stress when she realised her labrador had been chasing them, they had stopped laying as a result of this. Although none were hurt, the stress of the incident would certainly have caused the lack of eggs. They wil remember stressful incidents for a while, but it Is perfectly possible to rekindle the lost trust with time and patience. Chickens can become used to dogs and children playing, even loud cars traveling past, but anything that makes them uneasy can cause them to become stress and stress can affect their health very quickly. In my experience it is quite hard to nurse a stressed upset chicken back to heath, but it is possible if you discover the cause quick enough.

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RIGHT: The correct way to hold a chicken.

CHILDREN AND CHICKENS Children are normally a lot more resilient than we give them credit for and keeping chickens gives them the opportunity to deal with subjects such as death, il ness and reproduction.

There wil obviously be tears but that is part of growing up, they discover a real understanding about life and caring for animals.

When I was young I remember my cousins used to visit us from in town, all they used to want to do is go and see the hens.

They were fascinated by them but really hadn’t a clue how to handle or act around them. But couldn’t seem to grasp the fact they were scaring them away. We have owned all sorts of animals in the past, but I can truly say chickens are my favourite. They can be friendly and follow you around just like a dog, let you pick them up and stroke them, help around the garden and also produce lovely eggs.

I think children benefit hugely from owning and looking after chickens, the fact they have to be responsible for another life gives them great pleasure and teaches them how to be kind and nurturing. It also educates them about routine and chores, when to collect the eggs, when the chickens need to be fe and watered etc. Children are capable of looking after chickens but they do need a responsible adult overseeing them and to be around if there is any emergencies.

OPPOSITE AND ABOVE :

Children love to handle and be responsible for chickens.

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INTRODUCING CHICKENS TO OTHER PETS Throughout my childhood when getting a new dog we always got them as puppies, this way they grew up in the same surroundings as all the other animals, learning as they aged how to act around them, mostly by copying the older dogs. However, this does not mean in any case that dogs have to be young to be introduced to chickens. Best way to introduce your dogs to chickens is to have them on a lead, walk around the enclosure, if it barks and lunges tell it off firmly and walk away from the coop. It can take a while for dogs to settle with something new but normally one peck from a chicken is enough. When growing up we had a feisty little Jack Russell, she wouldn’t bat an eyelid normally in the field strolling past the chickens, but if we ever had any new hens, she would know! She’d sit outside the chicken coop starring at the newcomers, shaking, wanting to get in – typical terrier. She’d always forget about them within a day or two though and be back to normal. Chickens and dogs can live in peaceful harmony once they have got used to each other, chickens wil be scared at first, while dogs wil be more inquisitive. They wil settle in the end though, I have even seen one of my cheeky hens and labrador sunbathe next to each other on the lawn before.

Cats are normally fine with chickens, evidence shows on YouTube that chickens are usually the dominant out of the two which is interesting. There are, however, instances when a local tom might cause problems, it is not a common problem but one to bear in mind.

Small animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits are perfectly fine to keep with chickens. You need to have sufficient space however where the small animals can get away from the chickens if they want to. Chickens can be quite spiteful when they want to be and a nasty peck wil hurt the small animals.

Larger animals are usually less of a worry when it comes to sharing the same surroundings as chickens. Our horses and sheep never really acknowledge them. Occasionally the chickens have had a few near misses when they haven’t moved out the way quick enough, but thankfully never any casualties.

We have always kept our chickens with other poultry; ducks, quails, pheasants, guinea fowls even peacocks. They all get on together fine. I would say that they all keep themselves to themselves – only really associating with the their own kind. However saying that, there was one incident when I was young where one of our ducks hatched out a chicken egg amongst her duck eggs. The chick unfortunately died, from following the its mum and ducklings into the water. By keeping different breeds together there is always a risk of mistakes like this happening, but it is very rare.

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PREVIOUS AND RIGHT: My Labrador being very inquisitive.

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R ou tine LEFT: Cleaning out the coop can be a messy job.

So once you’ve set up your coop and your chickens have been happily introduced to their new home. Once settled, you wil find that they wil thrive on routine; it makes them feel safe and confident so start as you mean to go on. Your daily routine wil continue throughout the year. The only change wil be when you alter things depending on the seasons demands.

There is no need to wake up at the crack of dawn, if anything I advise you to wait until the rest of the world is awake in hope that Mr Fox wil have gone to bed, but bear in mind if it is a hot day, they shouldn’t be kept locked up for long. The time they go to bed also changes according to the seasons. We have always gone out to shut the pen up early evening, when it starts to get dusky. Obviously in the summer and winter months the times in which it does begin to get dark alters, and with this does the shutting up time. Chickens wil never stay out in the dark if they can help it, they are very good at putting themselves to bed in my experience.

In the early days of having them, you may find that they are slightly confused and need some persuading. Calmly and slowly ushering them towards the pen door usually works.

It is not always possible to stick rigidly to your routine understandably, the occasional deviation being fine. If you are planning to go out for the evening for example and wish to shut up the pen early, your hens may not be too impressed but better that than them being eaten but Mr Fox. In the mornings, once you have opened up the coop, your chickens wil need fresh food and water. They drink a lot, so in the hot weather make sure their water supply is always plentiful, this may mean refil ing it twice a day. We have always fed our poultry on a regular basis, making sure there is enough food for everybody, as sometimes some weaker members of the flock tend to get pushed out. We top there feeders up every morning so food is available all day, giving them all time to feed when they want to. Most tend to get their fil in the morning and roam the field or garden the rest of the day, but the shyer individuals prefer to wait until most of the flock have gone to enjoy there breakfast. Their food intake varies according to weather conditions, with the requiring more food in the winter to stay warm. Layer’s pellets are what we have always given our birds, accompanied by Mixed corn when they are due a treat.

Layer’s pellets contain protein, which chickens need to be able to produce eggs, grow feathers as well as to grow. Mixed corn is useful as a scratch feed, it keeps hens active, scratching around looking for it however should only be given as a treat, to much corn in their diet wil make them fat and fat hens don’t lay! Food is what most chickens associate humans with, so when they hear you opening up the pen in the morning, you wil no doubt hear a lot of noise and excited clucking coming from inside.

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During your routines be sure to check for an evidence of predators, any holes in the wire or any teeth marks in the wood. Rats tend not to harm chickens but it is not pleasant or nice for them to have to share there hutch with rats so be sure the wire is small enough to keep rats at bay. Once you have put your chickens to bed it is also a good idea to clear away any uneaten scraps and treats to prevent rodents.

Early morning: Unlock your chickens, feed them and give them fresh water.

Collecting of eggs should also be routinely followed, be sure not to let the eggs build up over a few days because if you do they can break and, once broken, the chickens won’t be able to resist not eating them. Once started, this habit can be very difficult to stop.

Mid morning: Collect eggs.

Treat time is usually about mid afternoon for our chickens. They get all green scraps from the kitchen saved from lunch, fruit, rice, pasta and bread of they’re lucky with a handful of mixed corn. This is a great time to tame them.

By shaking the bucket on your way towards the coop wil help them make the association between the noise and the treat and come running up to you. If your chickens ever escape you can also use this method to entice them back in there pen. If possible hang up your treats, so the birds have to reach for them – a bit of a work out. This is a prefect time to watch them and recognise their different characters, also an ideal time to establish who the boss is and just generally check they are all getting on together well.

Dusk: Lock up your chickens, clear away any uneaten scraps and check the coop perimeter.

We have a field that are chickens roam freely in, but are always watched over by the farm’s dogs just in case Mr Fox pays a visit. Secure back gardens are an ideal place to give your hens a little break from there coop. They wil appreciate the small change of scenery and be very excitable. Be wary not to leave them alone for too long however as they wil eat your plants and might take a cheeky trip indoors. I once had a hen so friendly she used to stroll in the back door without any hesitation and sit in the dogs bed by the cooker.

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TIMETABLE

Afternoon/early evening: Offer your chickens a treat.

RIGHT: A naughty hen of mine I raised as a chick.

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GOING ON HOLIDAY CHECKLIST FOR CHICKEN SITTERS It sounds obvious, but remember to leave a contact number in case of emergency.

Also: • Make sure they know where the chickens food is kept.

• Make sure they understand your chickens’ routine – when to lock up and let them out.

• And remind them not to let the chickens out of the run unsupervised.

RIGHT: A friends Bantam Cockerel rounding up his girlfriends.

The first time you leave your chickens to go on holiday is worrying but can stil be simple with the correct planning. If you are going away just for a few days they should be fine alone if left with ample food and water. This is, of course presuming the house and run are fox-proof. It is a good idea to hang some vegetables up in the run to keep them entertained while you’re gone.

If you are planning to leave them for a week or more you wil need to give it slightly more thought. Neighbours are usually wil ing to help out with the birds daily and replenish food and water in return for the delicious eggs. When we used to go away to holiday together we would get a house sitter, usually a friend or relative, to look after all the animals. If all fails however you can always advertise in the local pet shop or post office for someone that wil care for them while you are away. I have even heard of bird kennels, where you take your birds to be looked after for the duration you’re gone.

However I would only recommend that option as a last resort, chickens don’t deal well with stress and moving them around can trigger stress very easily.

The day you leave give the coop a good clean and then you don’t have to worry your carer with it. Check that you have left enough food, grit and treats to last and that you have explained the routine to the person looking after them. The chickens may become bored as they wil not be out roaming or following you in the garden, so hanging treats and toys is a good way to keep them amused. It’s also a good idea to leave a short checklist for the carer if they have not done the job before, do’s and don’t, plus the number of the local vet in case of any problems.

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Chicken behaviour Once you have shared your life with chickens it is vey difficult to see them as anything other than members of your family.

It’s been said that every flock of hens has a top girl who calls all the shots. She wil eat first, assume the right to have any bugs found and have the favoured perch position at night. In my experience of keeping chickens this is not always the case however, we tend to have a few head girls at one given time. They bicker with each other who eats first and who sleeps where, I find it hilarious when they chase each other round the pen trying to get one the others got in her beak. As a flock, when needed, they wil work together. It can be upsetting to watch the bottom girls do everything last and watch on as the others gobble up all the bugs and treats, but once the hens have established their place in the flock they usually settle well and get on with it. This is not always the same case with cockerels however. Having continuously hatching chicks when we were younger lead to one misfortune – we were getting too many cockerels. Cockerels should ideally not be kept together, even brothers can fight. We had severn cockerels together at one point in the past which did not end well. There would be the shy younger males who would keep their heads down and not cause any trouble, then there would be the dominant male – usually fairly large, and then the trouble makers who would try and steal the head spot, usually resulting in a blood bath. Fortunately we never had any serious casualties due to this, separately them for a while used to be our resolution as being kids, we couldn’t possibly get rid of any. But advisably one cockerel is plenty!

Scratching, dustbathing, preening and sunbathing are all normal undertakings for chickens and this is how they like to fil their days.

Bossing each other around and exploring is also a significant part of the day, Some people say that chickens are stupid. They are defiantly not. They wil remember where to escape, the location of the vegetable patch, to look cute and cluck to receive treats and even the neighbours cat food bowl!

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RIGHT: A battery hen I saved getting up to mischief in the garden.

BELOW: An impressive cockerel we hatched out, keeping an eye out for predators.

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CHICKEN SAYINGS Several common sayings we use daily come from our observations of chickens including: • To clip someone’s wing’s • Pecking order • Cockiness • To ruffle someone’s feathers • Nest egg • Beady eyes • To chicken out • To take someone under your wing • To get in a flap

LEFT: A mischievous Black Star of mine strolling in the font door.

A time that did surprise me though, was when a naughty escape artist of mine made her way onto the kitchen window sil , she has done this several times before and has a habit of pecking the glass to be let in. To her annoyance this time we were eating so did not give her any attention, all I can assume is that she must have seen through the window that the front door was open, next thing we know she had made her way all the way round the house and casually strolled in the front door! Chickens are also very good at spotting signs of danger and wil make alarm calls.

Laying eggs is always an exciting part of their day and evokes loud clucks of achievement, which always manages to make me smile. Time flies by when I am out socialising with my chickens, their antics could fascinate me for hours.

Chickens use their eyes independently, and in the daylight have very good eyesight and can see different colours very clearly. It’s almost the opposite at night however, the birds are almost blind.

They have a special ability to feel vibrations from the ground, which helps them when out foraging to sense predators or danger. If you walk up to your chicken house quietly at night you wil immediately hear the warning calls of your birds as they feel you coming.

Chickens have a very good sense of hearing, you wil notice the different calls they make from alarm calls to clucks of pleasure.

Mother hen and her chicks are a joy to watch, she’d ver vocal as she teachers them what to eat and where to scratch. Cockerels also have different calls, from their cock-a-doodle-doo, which is chicken speak for look at me, to a low mumble when they find a tasty treat to eat.

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Chickens develop their own routines, in the mornings when you first see them and feed them they are full of life. They then settle for the day once you leave them, like a time to chil with their friends. The occasional argument might occur if one of the finds a bug and doesn’t eat it quick enough. Napping is common if the girls are comfortable in their group. Activity starts again when you visit them in the afternoon treats in hand. As they fil their crops for the night ahead, you might notice some of the lower-ranking girls goto bed first in a bid to get a good perch, only to lose their place when the higher-ranking chickens come one and make them move. They wil only go to sleep when it is absolutely dark and silent and wil wake up at the slightest noise or vibration.

ABOVE: A shy pekin cockerel eating alone after waiting for everybody to finish.

LEFT: A bossy bantam taking over the food tray.

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Chickens can peck each other for no apparent reason other than to show that it is stronger. Problems can occur when insufficient numbers of chickens are kept together Having more birds causes less problems than only having a few. When only a couple of chickens are kept together it can be bad news as one is going to be bossing the other about and maybe bullying it, three chickens minimum is the recommended amount to keep together, one more bird won’t make much difference to your chores or feed bil , but it does make a difference to their behaviour.

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Choosing your Chickens. . .

Choosing your chickens TOP LEFT: A hybrid Blacktail.

TOP RIGHT: Two hybrid utility Light Sussex pullets.

BOTTOM LEFT: A hybrid Speckled hen.

BOTTOM RIGHT: A Black Star.

I have kept many breeds but the birds I have featured in this book are my favourites. Remember to do your research and speak to other poultry keepers before deciding on what’s best suited to you. We all have different likes and dislikes, so what’s right suits me may not be best for you.

Utility breeds are reared for eggs and, when they become less productive, you can eat them. Orpington, Brahma, Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, Jersey Giant, Indian Game, Faverolles and Houdan are just a few examples of pure breed utilities. I know a few farmers who eat their own birds who believe they gave their chickens a good free range life and when they sit down at the table the satisfaction of a job well done over shadows the not so nice part. I am a Vegetarian however, so none of my birds ever get eaten.

The best age to get your chickens is at point of lay – from 16-21 weeks – especial y if you’re a complete beginner. By this stage you can be certain they are females not males and no special care or diet is needed. They usually start laying, depending on the season, at around 19-21 weeks. They are also stil young enough to tame.

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SEX-LINKED CHICKENS Sex-links are cross-bred chickens whose colour at hatching is differentiated by sex, making chick sexing an easier process.

Sex-links come in many varieties, few of which are a true breed. These chickens are the most popular chickens of all.

They are inter-bred with the most productive breeds to offer the perfect chicken. They come in two colours black and red.

Blacks are a cross between a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster and a Barred Rock hen.

Red sex-links are a cross between a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster and a White Rock, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Rhode Island White or Delaware hen.

LEFT: A flock of Red Sex-links also know as Red Stars.

RIGHT: One of my naughty Black Sex-links, also known as Black Stars. :

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HYBRIDS RIGHT: One of my hybrid Black Rocks hens.

Hybrids are chickens that have been bred mixing different breeds together to produce on the excels at egg laying. They are usually very hardly, healthy birds. All brown egg layers are based on the Rhode Island Red, all white egg layers on the White Leghorn. Available worldwide.

• Black Rock: Stunning birds with a lovely iridescent sheen, these are happy as long as they are well fed.

• Blacktails: These are very friendly and great egg layers. They have a black tip to their tails and light feathers.

• Blue: A plump chicken that walks around with a regal air, and usually a lovely fluffy bottom.

• Goldline: A traditional-looking farmyard chicken, she is cheeky and enjoys human interaction, regularly breaking into trot to catch your attention.

• Light Sussex: Not to be confused with the pure breed Light Sussex. Her neck and tail markings are much bolder, they are lovely girls, no trouble and a fantastic layer.

• Magpie: A truly stunning gothic-looking chicken that is sometimes referred to as a Sussex Reverse.

• Rhode Island hybrids: A popular choice to start with. They are very good layers, expect up to 300 eggs a year given the right food and housing conditions. They come in various colours, from black to ginger, speckled blue and off-white. Hybrids from different suppliers are given different names.

• Silver Link: Cream in colour, sometimes with ginger freckles, very friendly and quite attentionseeking. Certainly not shy.

• Skyline: A busy chicken with desires to be top girl. Not the friendliest or birds but lays stunning blue eggs.

• Speckled: A docile and gentle chicken that looks very similar to pure-breed Marans, and sometimes has a few feathers on her legs.

• White Leghorn: A beautiful pure-white chicken with a larger-than-average comb which flops over to one side. Rather nervous and better in free-range environment. Lay pure white eggs.

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PURE BREEDS Pure breeds come in an abundance of shapes, sizes, colours and personalities.

They are classed as pure breeds because they breed true, meaning their young wil always resemble their parents. All pure breeds have their own standards (what the breed is required to look like, I.e shape, colour, size) which in the UK are set out by the Breed Club, which is affiliated to The Poultry Club of Great Britain, also known as PCGB. Many are available worldwide.

• Appenzeller: The national breed of Switzerland. These chickens are real freerangers, preferring the open land and roosting in the trees rather than the confinement of a coop, so it comes in handy that they are very good fliers. They are rather highly strung, so not always best for the small back garden set up. Not the friendliest of birds and aren’t keen on interaction, they lay a reasonable amount of small white eggs.

• Faverolles: Very distinctive with a lovely little beard and muff and they have five toes. They are fast growing with a friendly, tranquil nature and lay around 115 a year. Because these birds are so friendly and polite it is not unknown for them to be bullied by other stronger breeds.

• Barnevelders: Lay dark lovely eggs and lots of them. They are somewhat lazy so you do need to keep an eye on their diet, making sure they don’t become fat. Being large, they can be kept in enclosures with low fencing but do remember it won’t keep predators out. They are well suited to confinement and are remarkably hardly.

ABOVE: A hybrid Black Rock.

RIGHT: My Maran cockerel called Freddie.

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• Marans: We have always owned Marans, I find they all have different personalities, you tend to get some shyer ones who like to hide behind the others but then you can get very confident individuals, who are the first at your feet They are prolific egg layers and they lay beautiful chocolate-coloured eggs. More flighty most of the other larger breeds mentioned, but easily tamed. They come in a variety of colours including, cuckoo, black and copper/black. They make good mums and are very intelligent and alert.

LEFT: Three gorgeous Buff Orpingtons. enjoying the open space.

• Orpingtons: Stunning big birds often featured in magazines and adverts. They have lovely personalities are are calm and inquisitive. Because of their size they are not flighty nor escape artists, but they do need larger houses with lower perches. They are like the gentle giant of the chicken world. Their feathers are gorgeous and soft, coming in blakk, blue, buff and white. They do go broody and make lovely mums letting you handle their chicks from day one. For a pure breed their eggs are large and they produce around 160 in a season, but because of their placid nature they can often be bullied by other breeds.

• Campines: I have never owned any Campines myself but they are beautiful birds.

Very flighty though, friends I know who own some say that no matter how much they try and be patient and tame them, it’s a loosing battle. They are not a breed to have if you are short of space, a very wild bird at heart who find it very difficult settle in confined areas. They do not make good broody hens but lay a continuous amount of eggs throughout the whole year.

• Cochins: A very large breed with feathery feet and a lovely rear end. These chickens are friendly, content and easy to keep but need to get kept out of the mud due to their feathery feet. They lay about 115 eggs a year which are on the small side considering their size. They make lovely mums and come in black, blue, buff, white, partridge and mottled.

• Arucanas: This breed is renowned for laying blue eggs, but in fact they range in colour from blue to green to pink! They are fun and have an upright gait and funnylooking ear tuffs. They come in lots of colours, lavender being the most popular.

They adapt well to being confined and lay a very good amount of eggs.

• Leghorns: Very energetic breed always on the go, they are very pretty little birds and very agile. They produce lots of large white eggs and come in many colours.

They like to be roaming the grass ideally and perfectly capable of roosting in trees.

There combs and wattles are very large onto of their petite head, and sometimes need protection in the colder weather.

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PURE BREEDS Hard feathered breeds are game birds with tight, short feathers the follow the shape of the body. They include: Old English Game, Malay, Aseel and Modern Game.

Heavy breeds have lovely temperaments. They were developed for both eggs and meat and tend to eat a lot. They include: Orpingtons, Dorking, Cochin and Faverolles.

Light breeds are good egg layers, but not table birds. They can be flighty and nervous. They include: Araucana, Ancona, Leghorn and Appenzeller.

True Bantams are naturally small birds and are usually only kept to show or as pets. They are great if space is an issue. They include: Japanese, Pekin, Sebright and Belgian.

Rare breeds have no clube and are in decline. They include: Andalusian, Norfolk Grey, Houdan, Orloff and Vorwerk.

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• Polands: These birds are very comical to watch, you can spot them a mile away from the huge ball of feathers they have on the top of their heads, these are called crests. Extremely good pets and a resonable egg layer, producing small white eggs. They do need extra care because of their head feathers s they can be prone to eye infections and are best kept with their own kind. Their crest feathers also restricts their eyesight, making them slower to react, so they are best kept in runs away from risk of predators.

• Welsummers: A very traditional farmyard chicken, they lay the most gorgeous dark brown eggs you wil ever see, with the yolk a darker yellow.

They are hardly birds and spend a lot of time scratching and foraging. They are quite quiet birds but easy to tame, they also make fantastic mums.

• Brahams: A heavy breed, they have easily recognised for their feathers feet and amazing bottoms. They are very calm and placid birds and make wonderful pets. Their egg size is rather disappointing taking into account their size but they lay around 140 eggs a year. Brahams make lovely mums, but they do have a tendency to stand on their eggs and break them, and can accidentally do this to their chicks too. Brahmas come in a array of colours, my favourite being pearl grey partridge.

RIGHT: My old Welsummer called poppet.

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TRUE BANTAMS Bantams are the smallest chickens, with no large counterparts, and are vey popular when space is an issue.

• Japanese: These chickens are very elegant with very upright tails and slightly drooping wings. Their legs are very short and can hardly been seen. They don’t like it in the cold or wet weather as their chests can get very wet due to being so close to the ground, so they are better suited to a sheltered area or being indoors. They make great family pets are probably the most suitable for small children. The only down fall to this breed is that they are not good egg layers at all.

• Pekins: These are my favourite type of bantams, the way they waddle across the yard makes me laugh. They also need a sheltered and dry run as their legs are very short with feet covered in feathers, they should also be kept out of the mud. They are hardly and robust and mix well with most breeds if given enough space. They make good mums but can be very protective over their young.

Expect around 120 small-sized eggs a year. Pekins come in a vast array of different colours.

ABOVE: An Japanese bantam.

TOP LEFT: A Frizzle Pekin hen.

TOP RIGHT A speckled Pekin cockerel.

BOTTOM LEFT: A Grey Pekin cockerel.

BOTTOM RIGHT: A Red Milliefleur Pekin hen.

• Sebrights: A very striking-looking bird, amazing markings and colouring. It has one of the prettiest tails in the chicken world, almost looks as though its been painted. Their personalities are very likeable and calm however they do not lay many eggs.

• Serama: This is the smallest breed of poultry in the world! They are adorable but are very vulnerable and need protection from above. It is not unheard of for magpies, crows or hawks to take them. They are very distinctive looking, they have very upright, short backs with proud, puffy chests. They have fantastic personality but again lay very few eggs. Despite their tiny size do not be misled, the cockerels can make a real noise in the mornings.

• Silkies: Very unique looking chickens, they have blue skin and flesh and a fifth toe. Their feathers are extremely fluffy more like fur, and because of this their feathers can get wet easily. They are very hardly birds and are known to be very tame and also easy to keep. Their eggs come in may different colours they do however, spend a great deal of time being broody so eggs can be harder to come by.

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Where to buy your chickens If you are a beginner it is advisable to go to a reputable breeder to buy your chickens. You should look around the establishment and be able to view your chickens and their environment. They should offer you advice and answer any questions freely. In my view they should also question you if they care about their birds.

A lot of breeders once they have made the sale want nothing more to do with you, so be careful who you and dealing with. There are a lot of people nowadays jumping on the chicken-selling bandwagon to make easy money so make sure you stick with established breeders. going by word of mouth usually proves best.

Always check the chickens before you buy them, if you don’t like the look of them or their environment, trust your instinct and walk away. It isn’t easy but you do not want to end up with a flock of il birds, or make your birds at home il by mixing them together.

DOS AND DON’TS Do • Handle and check the birds yourself.

• Ask questions • Look around • Take your time • Keep a minimum of three birds Don’t • Buy a bird you have not seen and checked • Buy one that you feel sorry for • Buy if you are not happy with the way the chicken is being kept.

LEFT: : A friends Brahma cockerel keeping the girls in line.

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WHAT TO LOOK FOR Once you have chosen where you are going to get your chickens, here’s what to look for when you check them over. Don’t feel sil y as a good breeder wil be more than happy for you to do this.

The chicken you choose should be quick and alert. Never pick a hunched-up, sleepy-looking one because you think she is cute and docile! It usually means that she is unwell. It’s very normal for a chicken to run away when you are trying to catch her – this is not a sign of hen being unfriendly.

LEFT: A de-beaked Red Star I rescued.

Once caught, she may make a fuss for a little while but this is perfectly normal. Talk to her and hold her comfortably, if you are not confident ask the breeder to show you how. Then study her eyes - they should be bright and clear, and should never have any discharge. Check her comb - if she is a young pullet (sixteen to eighteen weeks old) it wil be small and pink, if she is slightly older it wil be upright and red. Some breeds, such as Blues, have a bluish tinge to their skin, and this is perfectly normal. Her beak should be a natural shape, if it is de-beaked (where part of the beak is clipped when they are young to stop them from pecking each other) means she has been kept in cramped conditions and usually not allowed to roam. I have taken on de-beaked birds before, they act no different to any other of the hens but think about it, do you really want to encourage this practice? If people did not buy de-beaked birds, the rearers would be forced to think again about the cruel, painful act.

There shouldn’t be any discharge coming from the nostrils and the legs should be smooth and clean. The feathers need to be clean and glossy, with no bald patches, and the bottom (vent) should also be clean.

You can tell is a chicken is in lay by measuring the width between her pelvic bones. In a mature hen in full lay there should be a gap the width of about three fingers.

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EX-BATTERY AND FREE-RANGE HENS You can now rescue battery hens or spent hens (birds at the end of their commercial life, which is usually one to two year) very cheaply. They won’t be the prettiest of chickens and wil be missing feathers. The poor things don’t know hoe to act like normal free-range hens, they haven’t learnt how to perch and can be very nervous of the great outdoors at the beginning. But within only a short time with plenty of attention, good feed and patience, they wil re-feather and gain confidence. I must say some of my friendliest chickens have been rescued battery hens. It’s very satisfying watching them blossom into the chickens they should be.

You can also rescue hens from free-range farms too. Hens that are at the end of their productive life (two to three years old). They are usually in better condition than battery hens but stil take a little time to get used to the proper freedom life style. s.

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RIGHT: A flock of free range hens.

BELOW: Free-range doesn’t mean the chickens are kept on grass like a lot of people think.

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Getting your chickens home Before you set off to collect your chickens, it is very important you have everything ready for them when you return. Ensure that the run and coop are fully ready and that there is bedding and feed supplied. If you haven’t visited the place you are collecting them from (which I advise you do) phone them beforehand to ask if they could let you have some feed to being home with you. Chickens so not need the stress of moving home and changing food, once they are settled it is perfectly fine to change their feed.

Peel and slightly crush two cloves of garlic and place them in the water - this is great for a chickens immunity, which wil be lowered due to the stress of being moved. Collecting your chickens is very exciting but understand beforehand that you mustn’t be over-excited and noisy on the journey home as this wil stress the birds out tremendously.

TRANSPORTING YOUR CHICKENS Pet carriers are a very good way of transporting your chickens, but if you haven’t got one of those a cardboard box wil be more than suitable.

It needs plenty of air holes cut into it so that the chickens can breathe easily. These can be made by simply pushing the scissors in and turning – before the chickens are inside! Shredded newspaper makes good bedding and can be disposed of easily when you are finished. It is best for your chickens to travel together in one box if possible, as it is less scary for them if they are with their friends. However, depending on the size of the box be sensible, it is not fair to cram too many birds onto one box. It is also not acceptable to tie chicken’s legs together ad put them in the boot of your car, neither is placing them in sacks.

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RIGHT: A pet carrier I carry my birds in. They are very clean and easy to use.

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SETTLING THEM IN Once home with your girls place them into the coop and leave them quietly for about an hour to let them find their bearings. Be careful when opening the box as they may fly out. Keep other pets and children away at this point. They might well be very reluctant at first, but resist the urge to push them. Be patient and hey wil eventually come, especial y for a treat which can be popped in if they are being particularly stubborn.

THE FIRST NIGHT Sometimes chickens can be quite confused about going to bed on the first night. If you place them in their coop and leave them for a while to come out of their own accord, they may remember where to go. Some can be very nervous and have no idea however, the only option is to physically pick them up or heard them in yourself.

You shouldn’t need to do this for long, chickens are quick learners.

INTRODUCING FURTHER CHICKENS TO YOUR FLOCK It is strongly advised that if you are purchasing a group of birds from another place your original flock is from, you should keep them separate for up to a month to observe them and make sure they are disease free. When you are sure they are healthy and are ready to introduce them to your flock I would recommend doing this a night time. Sprinkling red mite powder or garlic on them so they all smell the same wil help. In the morning when you let them out, put extra food and water dishes down temporarily in the run to prevent and territory problems. Make sure you are around for the day, to keep watch and check they are all getting on okay. Distractions and treats help to occupy the girls but wil not eliminate the arguments as they try to establish the new pecking order.

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RIGHT: A newly introduced Red Star looking a little bit lost.

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Main tenance

Housing and Equipment To set up your chickens you wil need a coop, a run, feeders, drinkers, bedding, feed and mixed grit, plus a dustpan and brush, paint scraper, disinfectant and gloves to keep them clean. And some kind of basket to collect your eggs in.

HOUSE CHECKLIST

TYPES OF HOUSING

Timber: Make sure this is properly treated so it will last and withstand the weather.

There is a variety of different styles of hen houses you can get on the market these days. Avoid those with felt roofs as they can harbour red mites and make it almost impossible to shift them, as treatments are unable to penetrate the felt. If a house is very cheap it usually means it isn’t built to last, so it is better to fork out for a decent more expensive model to get your moneys worth. You need to make sue the wood has been treated and is of decent thickness to keep your chickens warm and to keep the predators out. The locks and hinges need to be sturdy and or a good quality, as does the wire for the run. Ideally perches should be removable, this makes it a lot easier to keep clean. Nest boxes should be accessible for you to collect the eggs. A rule of thumb is one nest box to three hens. Decide if you want a fixed coop or a movable one. Moveable coops enable you to rest the ground regularly, although this does leave noticeable worn areas.

You can also buy plastic houses which are well designed and apparently completely fox-proof. These have less chance of getting red mite as they have fewer crevices. If a plastic house did catch red mite though, it is very easy of get rid of them by hosing out the coop. Plastic houses do however, make it hard to interact with your girls, as you have to do everything in your knees.

You can also pick up second-hand coops, as people tend to progress from smaller coops in the beginning of their hen keeping to larger coops when they acquire more hens.

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Roof: Choose wood, not felt with an overhang for shedding water.

You may also be able to find a corrugated roof, which provides better ventilation, made from recycled fibres that have been dipped in bitumen to waterproof it.

Ventilation: Holes covered with mesh will provide fresh air without draughts - the number required will depend on the size of the coop.

Pop holes: The entrance for the chickens is normally 30 cm by 30 cm, usually with a sliding shutter or drop-down ramp with secure fastenings to keep predators out.

RIGHT: A pallet propped up, with slate across the top makes for an excellent sunbed, and also a brilliant shaded area underneath.

LEFT: A Blue Haze hybrid posing for a photograph.

Perches: these should be removable for cleaning, with a width of about 4cm and rounded for comfort. They should be places higher then the nest boxes. If you have more than one perch, they should be arranged so the the birds are not directly below each other, so they can’t peck or defecate on each other.

Next boxes: The rule of thumb is one box to every three hens. Place them low down in the darkest part of the house.

Flooring: There is a choice of removable, fixed, slatted or wired.

I do find fixed less hassle.

Runs: These should be as big as the space allows, made with good quality wire and covered with a wire framed roof.

I am defiantly more a wooden coop fan, I find them easy to maintain and they can look so pretty. The cleanest type of run is probably one with a raised coop. As it’s waist height, it provides a sheltered area underneath the coop to hang treats, feeders and drinkers. It deters rodents as there are no dark areas on the ground they can hide under. The height of the coop makes the run airy and bright, even with shade on the roof and provides the chickens different levels to explore.

These come as both fixed and movable houses.

HOW MUCH SPACE DO YOU NEED? The minimum legal requirement is 0.09 metre square per bird in the coop, and 1 metre square in the run. However, I cannot emphasise enough that the more outdoor space you can give them, the happier they wil be.

Before buying your house or run it is a good ida to think it through thoroughly. Spend time checking out all the different options available, visit places that sell coops and have a look around, it also helps to ask questions.

Most gardens are suitable for chickens as long are you are sensible and don’t take on too many. If you have a lot in a inadequate space, you are asking for trouble. You wil have to be cleaning constantly and more likely to battle with bad behaviour and disease.

If you are on a budget you can often buy second-hand coops but check them over properly before buying. You can also easily convert sheds and wendy houses into suitable chicken houses, provided they have ventilation, perches and nest boxes. Ventilation can be made by dril ing some holes above the door frame and covering with wire to prevent predators getting in. Perches can be installed and nest boxes made very easily.

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PROTECTION FOR WEATHER LEFT: A friends converted barn.

A certain amount of shade is always required in the run, if the chickens are in full sun all day they can suffer from heat stroke. Shade can be easily provided by trees or shrubs, or a cover attached to one end of the run. Even a sun umbrella wil work fine, and it can look really pretty too.

Protection for the wind is also essential, you don’t want it blowing straight into their house via a small hole, or for the chickens un to be blow over. Place the coop near a wall or hedge, this wil give it some protection, or you can use windbreakers which work well and are cheap. It is also very important to choose a well-drained area for your run, as chickens don’t like being covered in mud and puddles, it can encourage disease also.

BUILDING YOUR OWN HEN HOUSE My dad has always made our hen houses from scratch, this way you can design it exactly how you want it in your acquired space and use the materials you want. It can also be a big money saver. The easiest type of house to build is an ark, which has a nesting space at one end and a run at the other. The internet if a great source of ideas and information, but make sure whatever you build is large and comfortable enough for your chickens to rest at night also to extend their wings during the day. Also ensure that you build a private and secure nesting area, your coop has a predator-free run, easy access for cleaning and a way of letting your chickens in and out easily.

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RUNS It is easier and cheaper to buy a run, unless you are very good at DIY. We make ours by laying railway sleepers down into the ground as the perimeter of the run, while having wrapped good-quality wire around them that stretchers all the way to the top of the roof, a have wood frames vertically hammered into the base to keep the structure sturdy and upright. The reason for putting the wire into the ground is to prevent foxes from digging underneath.

Some runs need to be secured with large pegs or concrete slabs. They provide a lovely habitat for frogs and and bugs but just be careful not to attract mice or rats An over hang of wire at the top if your design doesn’t have a secure roof is a good idea, the over hang wil prevent foxes from climbing in as it wil wobble and make them fall off. Plastic corrugated sheets are perfect for roofing, they come pretty cheap but can be an eye sore.

Chickens love to dust bath! It keeps the healthy, cleaning their feathers, removing excess oil and suffocating any mites that might be living on them. If they have a dry, sheltered area in their run with dirt in, they wil make their own.

They wil also find one if they are out in the garden, usually a sheltered dry position under a bush, away from predators, so they can relax.

POP HOLES ABOVE: A White Pekin on her way in to lay an egg.

RIGHT: Pin hole coops look very attractive.

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These type of houses are perfect for people with busy schedules. A pop hole coop is a secure house designed with usually one entrance for the chickens to walk out in single file. It usually has flaps you can get to from the outside to collect the eggs from nest boxes and usually a large side door for cleaning purposes. The roof if more often than not removable too. You can buy some pop hole coops that come equip with a solar system timer. However, this is not always recommended if your chickens don’t go to bed on time, they end up being shut out all night. We entertained this style for a little while but we kept ducks in the same pen; ducks do not go to bed sensibly like chickens, they wil quite happily sleep outside in the dark all night. The solar system was wasted on us as we had to herd them in every night.

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ELECTRIC FENCING LEFT: Once zapped by the fencing your dogs will think twice about getting too close again.

Electric fencing is a very good way of keeping your girls safe if used correctly. It is a flexible option as it is easily moved, allowing you to utilise different ares of your garden. But it does require maintenance, regular cutting of the grass around the fence and checking with a tester daily to ensure it is working. Some units have alarms or lights that flash to let you know their battery is low or empty. I have used electric fencing for many years with great success, despite being caught with a high voltage shock numerous times.

You do need to keep the power on for 24 hours a day, as when it is off it can be chewed through by rodents, rabbits and foxes, which wil cause damage to the circuit and affect the voltage.

The bottom strand of the fence in not electrified but all the above are, so if the grass or foliage are too high and touch the second line it wil ‘ground’ or drain the power, making it less effective. You need to make sure nothing is touching the fencing apart from the bottom line that sits on the floor. Frogs and toads can also get zapped and die on the wire. This wil affect the power, so a regular walk around when you let the chickens out and put them to bed is advisable.

There any many types of units available. Some run on mains power, which I prefer, but this does limit where you can put them. Batteries are cheaper and easily available, and some chargers work off solar panels and can be very effective.

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BEDDING The bedding you choose really depends on the weather. In the warmer months, sawdust is great but it needs to have the dust extracted as chickens are prone to respiratory problems. In the colder months straw is great as it insulates the coop. Avoid using it in the summer months however as it provides a great hiding place or mites and your hens do not need the added warmth. Newspaper can also be used, but beware some chickens use it as a toy or eat it. Never use hay as bedding for chickens as they can also eat it and this can form a tight ball in their crop, causing problems such as crop impaction.

RIGHT: A friends bantam hen laying an egg.

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HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU CLEAN YOUR HEN HOUSE? Cleaning once a week is ample – remember a little bit of dirt is good for their immune system.

In extremely cold weather, you should ‘deep litter’ (place new straw onto of old) as this helps to keep the chickens warm.

ENTERTAINING YOUR CHICKENS During the hot, dry months of summer we tend to be outdoors in the garden more, resulting in sending more time with our chickens, letting them follow us around and have a little rummage for bugs in the vegetable patch. When the nights start to go cold and get darker sooner, we start to hibernate indoors, meaning the chickens are confined to the run. This is when your chickens could do with some entertainment. A perch hung like a swing is a nice idea, and provides our of amusement. Old logs for them to jump on and peck at are good too.

Chickens are very inquisitive creatures and enjoy variety in their surroundings, so try different things and experiment – just make sure whatever you use is safe, no sharp objects or small pieces that a chicken could swallow. Scarecrows are a good way giving the girls entertainment, this is also a good way to keep the fox away.

RIGHT: A lovely Pekin Bantam enjoying a treat.

LEFT: Chickens love fat balls stuffed with seeds.

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Feed TOP LEFT: A handful of Layer’s pellets.

TOP RIGHT: Chickens love dandelions BOTTOM LEFT: My chickens also love cleavers. .

BOTTOM RIGHT: A handfull of mixed corn.

Feeding chickens is a very easy task these days. There is a huge choice between reday made complete food on the market. Which kind you choose is up to you, but do try and buy food that is as natural as possible and GM free.

Some feed has colourants added which make the egg yolks bright yellow.

Chicks from day one to about six to eight weeks should be fed on a feed called chick crumb. Some breeders then transfer them onto rearer’s or grower’s pellets until they are 16 weeks old however, with plenty of experience raising chicks, I don’t deem this as essential. My young chickens have taken to adult food perfectly straight from chick crumb. Layer’s pellets or Layer’s mash are the main types of adult poultry feed sold in shops. The pellets are pressed into small, cylinder-shaped pellets, making it easier for chickens to swallow. Mash has that same ingredients but it is a fine dust, which makes eating more time consuming for the chickens. This is seen as a benefit for some poultry keepers as it can help occupy the chickens, giving them less time to become bored.

However, I always use pellets. I find them cleaner and less wasteful. Chickens wil waste a certain quantity of the mash and I also find that it becomes damp and clogs up feeders as it draws moisture in the air.

Whatever you choose, it is always advisable when changing the feed to do it in gradual steps. Mixing half and half for a week or so until the chickens gradually become used to it. The feed requirement of your chickens wil vary depending on the weather; in colder weather they wil consume more in order to keep warm.

Never mix Mixed corn with pellets, the chickens are guaranteed to favour the corn over the pellets, which contain the most goodness. Corn should be a afternoon treat only.

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WHERE TO STORE YOUR FEED Most chicken feed you buy, Layer’s pellets, mash and mixed corn, come in 20kg bags.

It is the cheapest way to buy your feed but needs to be stored in a cool, dry, ventilated place to prevent it going mouldy. You should store the bags in bins, either metal dustbins or plastic boxes with lids work well. If using plastic bins be carful that vermin don’t chew their way through it, so check everyday and if you see any signs of gnawing on the plastic take appropriate action. We once had a situation where my mum opened the feed bin one morning to find over a dozen young rats that had climbed in and couldn’t get out, needless to say there was a lot of screaming.

Remember that the bags do have a ‘best before’ date. Although the food wil look normal after this date, using it means that the nutrients and vitamins wil be minimal.

CHICKENS FIVE-A-DAY Chickens benefit from having a daily portion of green vegetables and fruits, they contain lots o minerals. This is the equivalent as our five-a-day, and helps their digestive-system to function well. Raw is usually best, and it is advantageous to hang the greens so the girls can peck at them more naturally. But too much cabbage and broccoli can cause diarrhoea, so not too much of this.

Although lettuce has very little nutrition it is a great way to keep a hen’s digestive system clear and working well. It is also easy to grow yourself. Onions also aid the digestive system and can help ward of many il nesses, but too many wil make their eggs taste odd. Potato skins and peelings should be boiled before given to the chickens. Nettles are very good for them and free. Collect them when they are young, cut them up, boil them and add them to their Layers pellets, or alternatively just hang them in bunches but be carful not to sting yourself.

Hedgerow treats are also a chickens favourite, blackberries, dandelions, dock leaves and chickweed are all a popular choice. Always remove any uneaten food and dispose of at the end of every day.

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RIGHT: Chickens love nothing more than a forage in the bushes.

FEEDERS There are many different feeders on the market: • Treadle feeders work by means of a paddle that the chicken steps onto open it. They are very good and prevent rodents being able to eat any food, but you wil need to train your chickens to use them.

• Outdoor galvanised feeders are very robust and look attractive. They really need to be placed on a brick or level log as they are rather low for the girls if you put it on the floor.

• Trough feeders are quite wasteful as the chickens can scratch at them and also contaminate the feed by defecating in them.

• Plastic feeders that can be hung up are by far the best. You can hang them about 15cm off the ground, which prevents the birds from scratching the food out of the feeder and from scratching mud and dirt into it. They also do a great job at keeping rodents at bay having hardly any waste. They are easy to refil and the food never becomes stale as it naturally filtered out. They are also very easy to clean.

DRINKERS Chickens drink a lot and enjoy fresh water. There are a lot of drinkers to choose from – the size you need depends on the size of your flock.

• Bucket drinkers look great and are easy to use. They are galvanised buckets with half a lid. You just fil as normal and lay them on their side.

• Jam jar drinkers are easy to fil and use, and they can be hung up. They are oldfashioned and, being made of glass, look attractive but you need to be aware they wil break if dropped.

• Plastic drinkers aren’t as pretty as glass ones but they are robust and easy to use and clean.

• Nipple drinkers are very hygienic and easy to set up, and have the advantage of keeping the chickens occupied.

Remember to make sure you keep your drinkers in the run rather than the coop, as a damp bed area is not healthy for the chickens.

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MIXED GRIT Mixed grit, which contains flint ad oyster shell, is an essential part of a chicken’s diet. As they have no teeth, the flint os used to help grind the food in the gizzard. The oyster shell is a source of calcium and helps produce strong egg shells.

There are grit stations on the market, they work very well but if you have a small run they can take up previous space.

I find throwing a small handful of grit into the run regularly is fine. It encourages the chickens to forage naturally and doest clutter the run. Grit doesn’t attract pests so there is no need to clean it up if some is wasted.

RIGHT: Keeping drinkers and feeders off the ground will make cleaning out the coop a lot easier.

TREATS LEFT: My tame bantam called Guiness, sharing some of my biscuit.

Everybody deserves a treat occasionally and chickens are no exception. You wil get as much enjoyment out of watching them as they wil eating it. Fallen leaves collected and placed in a big pile wil have them in their element. Cereals threaded on to string and hung in the run provides them with hours of activity.

A smallish football placed in the run wil be investigated for quite a while, and a treat ball that you can get in pet shops, fil ed with mealworms, wil be pushed around for hours. Corn on the cobs hung upside down is also a good way of entertaining your chickens.

Old baby toys, rattles and mirrors hung up wil make the chickens very inquisitive. Making fat balls for them fil ed with mealworms, sunflower seeds, stale breadcrumbs etc wil make them go crazy.

Chil ed watermelons are very refreshing and help keep chickens hydrated in the summer. Grapes are loved if just thrown into the run. This is very entertaining to watch as the girls get very protective over their finds.

Use bird feeders to stuff vegetables or fruit inside to make life a little more interesting. Threading cooked pasta on a string for the hens is something children love to do.

Do not feed treats that are high in sugar or oil, and always cook potato skins.

Raw or undercooked beans and pulses are poisonous, as are avocados and rhubarb leaves, which contain a fungicidal toxin called persin that has been known to cause cardiac distress and heart failure. Chickens love raw eggs also but to prevent them from eating their own eggs, try and discourage this.

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WEEKLY MAINTENANCE Once a week you need to give the coop a good clean out. Every Sunday morning is our routine. Empty out all the bedding and scrape any droppings off the perches. Have a good check for mites and if none are found you just need to sir the coop for an hour or two. Once it has aired out, replace the perches and place fresh bedding inside. In the hot months I also sprinkle mite powder inside just in case. Disinfect your drinkers as they can become slimy and green when not cleaned.

Check your perimeter for any signs of wear and tear or for any predator signs. Top up the feed, and your job is finished. Let the girls back into the clean home and relax with a cup of tea. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to clean your coop out once a week.

MONTHLY MAINTENANCE Once a month you must disinfect your drinkers and feeders, refil them and pop them back into the run. If you use Verm-X wormer, as I do, put the does into the feeder. Once this is done, catch your girls one by one and give them a good checking over. Look for signs of mites and injury, ensure their feathers are in good condition, glossy and not patchy. Their comb should be nice and red and legs smooth. They should also be of adequate weight. Just before you pop them back into their run, dust them lightly with mite powder.

If you have a fixed run you need to rake it over thoroughly, removing any heavily soiled areas, and spray with a disinfectant. If it’s very wet you might need to add wood bark to make the environment nicer for the chickens.

While they can enjoy paddling in the mud, they don’t wipe their feet and wil traipse mud into the coop which wil add to your cleaning tasks.

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REGULAR TASKS Weekly Thorough clean, check for red mites, clean drinkers, check for signs of rodents/predators.

Monthly Weather permitting, clean and disinfect, treat chickens and house for red mite, disinfect drinkers, air house thoroughly, worm girls if necessary using Verm-X. Yearly Treat the house with wood preserver, general maintenance of the run and house to be checked, hinges and locked.

RIGHT: Aways keep up with ware and tare problems.

CAN I BATH MY CHICKENS? RIGHT: A Japanese bantam not enjoying being handled.

Yes, but usually chickens keep themselves clean. Bathing chickens is usually left to people showing their birds. If for a reason you do need to bath your chicken, have a towel and a bowl of warm water ready, place the bird in the water, wet it thoroughly and use a very small amount of shampoo to wash it. You need to do this calmly, talking to it softly as you go. Rinse well and gently towel dry the bird, you can use a hairdryer on a low setting following the direction of the feathers. I’ve only ever once hair-dried one of my birds as she got pushed into the duck pond, but to be honest it’s best not to bath or dry pet chickens as it can cause them unneeded stress.

PEST CONTROL There is an old saying that we are never far from a rat. Rats and nice can be a problem when keeping chickens, but only if you are messy with their food and don’t clean away uneaten treats. Legally it is a requirement to do your best to keep rodents under control, as they breed so rapidly this can be a constant battle. Methods of control are usually either traps, live or death, or poison.

Due to the unpleasantness of the traps nature, we always opt for using poison as a control method. It is very important that you read the instructions however, poison works very quickly but it does pose a threat to other creatures such as dogs and your chickens.

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PREDATORS Depending on where you live usually depends on how much of a problem predators are to you and your chickens. Living in the country next to a huge wood, we encounter a lot of problems with predators.

Electric fencing is used by many chicken keepers, including myself, it works bril iantly but you need to make sure you understand that maintenance needs to be kept up to date with the sort of fencing. It is easy for a fox to get in if the power is down.

Most faults are easy to fix but when there is a problem your chickens are vulnerable. I have kept chickens for many years and have had my fair share of disasters, mainly due to foxes and hawks.

RIGHT: Always make sure you secure your pen properly.

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On one occasion I remember being in the orchard with my sister, the chickens were roaming as it was a lovely sunny day. We suddenly heard a loud scream from a hen down in the valley, we ran to look over the edge and a fox had one of my hens by its tail. The hen was rather big for the young fox so was putting up a good fight. We started shouting and screaming at this fox which thankfully made it drop the chicken unharmed. To my amazement the fox then, rather than running away back to the woods, darted across the field, shooting under my horses legs towards me and a group of chickens before me. I am petrified of foxes but in a moment of madness started running at the fox, it did not stop which makes me think it must have been extremely desperate for a meal. The group of chickens ran as quick as they could to get behind me, it was a very very close encounter, I became so close to the fox I could have easily touched its head. Thankfully just before I got any closer it turned and scarpered, stopping to look back at me and my hens before sloping off into the dark woods. It is an event that stil makes me shiver to this day, the fox did make another appearance so had to be shot. The fact this fox came so close to me was worrying, it didn’t seem to be driven away easily and kept returning every day it was unfortunate but had to be done.

Whatever your view on foxes, it is your responsibility to protect your chickens. It is not a good idea to feed badgers and foxes in your garden if you keep chickens. It is really just asking for trouble.

Unfortunately accidents can happen a lot, not locking the coop door properly, forgetting to turn the electric fencing back on, not repairing the tiny hole in the run etc it’s easily done, and heartbreaking when you know it could have been easily prevented. Just be sure to take care when entering and exiting your chickens coop and run.

Hawks have been a problem in the past when the chickens are in the field, or in a run of electric fencing without a roof.

Smaller breeds are normally targeted, to prevent this ensure there are quite a few small hiding places for the chickens to run under if they are under attack.

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SEASONAL CARE SEASONAL TASKS Spring • Do any necessary maintenance to runs and coops.

• Re-seed runs if needed • Check for signs of rodents Summer • Check for mite • Provide shade for chickens • Spray citronella oil • Collect and freeze berries for use in the colder months.

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Spring In the spring the weather is mild and the garden is coming to life. The winter has just passed, so it is prime time to do any maintenance jobs. The ground has thawed, allowing you to do any re-seeding, as long as the frost appeared to have finished. Check the coop for any mites or damage and treat appropriately. Be very aware that fox cubs are being born and soon they wil be out hunting. I find foxes are at their most desperate at this time of year, when the cubs are weaned from their mother, but not quite old enough to go out and hunt for themselves.

Summer In the lovely long, hot days it is easy to loose the motivation to be checking for maintenance problems, however it is a must! This is the time of year mites thrive, summer showers can cause warm, damp, humid conditions that in turn make a perfect breeding ground for disease. Be sure to provide shade when needed, chickens are known to get heat stroke if left out in the hot sun. Also ensure water is always fresh and topped up. My mum swears by citronella oil as a deterrent for flies and insects. We make it into a spray for the horses so give the chickens run a few sprays too in the hot months. Towards the end of the summer going into early autumn is when chickens can go through their annual moult. This is an alarming stage for a new chicken keeper but it is perfectly normal. Some birds tend to slow down their egg production through this period too. If you collect berries from the hedgerows the chickens wil love a few of these. For a cooling summer treat, freeze them into individual ice cubes and pop a couple into the run on a hot, sunny day, the chickens wil love this!

Autumn Some chickens may just be starting their annual moult while some birds wil be coming to the end. It is this time of year to get all the maintenance up together, mending and signs of wear and tear and checking all fencing for the long dark winter ahead. Giving your run a new lick of wood preserver before the winter is also recommended. It is not uncommon for chickens to stop laying at this point, or lay irregularly. It is perfectly normal for older girls and pure-breeds, spring-hybrids however should continue to lay.

Winter During the winter it is important you continue to make regular checks of your perimeter. As the days become colder, predators wil become more determined and wil not miss an opportunity to get in. You need to also be on the look out for evidence indicating rodents, this time of year they wil be looking for a warm bed for the winter and to scavenge off dropped feed. If you put up shelter over the run, try to make it so you can roll it back or remove it on nice days. If there is any snow it is good to put tarpaulins over the runs. This enables you to get the snow off in the morning, and leaves you with a snow-free run and roof. We experienced so much snow one year the one of our runs roof collapsed due to the weight of the snow no chickens were harmed however. In extreme weather conditions when the temperature plummets, coat the chickens’ wattles and combs with petroleum jel y to prevent frost bite. Water wil need to be monitored regularly with the risk of freezing. If it gets really cold it can be a good idea to deep litter the chickens’ run. Instead of cleaning out the old bedding, put a fresh layer on top and continue to do this until the weather breaks.

Leaving the dirty bedding underneath wil produce heat, which wil rise and keep the chickens warm.

Autumn • Check for mites • Give a maintenance check to runs and coops • Collect fallen leaves for runs.

• Give a last big clean of the house and treat with wood preserver Winter • If weather is extreme, cover runs with tarpaulin and remove snow daily • In freezing conditions replenish water frequently • Make constant checks for predators

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Hatching and Rearing Chicks

BROODY HENS

Chicks

A broody hen is a chicken that wants to be a mum.Certain breeds are more likely to go broody than others, for example Pekins and Silkies. Hybrids are less likely to become broody as their main aim is to lay lots of eggs, but it is not unheard of. Some hens can get a bit aggressive when protecting their eggs, they are moody and determined but this behaviour is to be admired not feared, sometimes I just pop on a pair of gloves if I need to handle the hen.

A broody hen wil sit in her nesting box and not move, her breast wil be hot and she may have plucked out some feathers to make her nest. If you approach she wil fluff up all her feathers in a bid to make her look bigger, she wil almost growl at you as a warning sign and might peck you. Just remember a peck is nothing more than a pinch really.

If the eggs are fertile let her remain on the nest and hatch her eggs. Eggs take 21 days to hatch. But if you haven’t got a cockerel with your girls, your eggs wil not be fertile and wil never hatch.

You can buy fertile eggs from all over these days even on ebay! Best place to buy them is probably from a breeder, then you know the chickens wil be of good quality. If you do use the internet however, just remember an egg that gets less fertile every day it’s not under heat.

When hatching chickens out yourself just keep in mind half are usually cockerels if not more.

If your broody hen is sitting on infertile eggs you need to remove them and try and break the habit. Broody hens wil need removing from the nest twice daily. Just pick her up and pop her by the food and water. She wil usually defecate and trot back into her nest.

If you want to stop then hen from being broody, you need to cool her down. This can be done by placing her in a broody box for a while – this has a wire floor so the air can circulate and make her cool. Another method on a dry, warm day is to place is to place her bottom in a bowl of cold water and leave her in the run, blocking off the nesting box. Placing small, frozen water bottles in the nest box sometimes works. If a chicken is very determined it can take a while for her to stop, so be patient. A broody hen that is left to hatch her eggs wil be a sitting target for mites so wil need de-miting with powder regularly.

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RIGHT: A gorgeous broody hen not impressed by being disturbed.

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RAISING YOUR OWN CHICKS By far the best way to hatch and raise your chicks is the natural way with a broody hen. Silkies, Pekins, Sussex and certain cross-breeds are fantastic mothers and are a joy to watch. The other option is to use an incubator. There are some very good one on the market, so do your research and buy the best one you can afford. Bear in mind that eggs need turning at least three times a day at regular intervals. An automatic incubator wil turn the eggs for you. You wil need to place it in a room where the temperature is constant, away for direct sunlight which wil cause the temperature to rise. Disinfect your incubator before you use it and run for at least 24 hours, checking the temperate and humidity levels before you use it. The humidity level needs to be around 53 percent. Once the correct levels have been reached, you can place your eggs inside. Eggs should be as fresh as possible and disinfected with a product that is suitable for both eggs and incubator.

CANDLING The temperature should be 37.5˚C for the first 17 days. The humidity needs to be around 53˚C up until day 17. Those levels are from my own experience using my incubators. Always read your manufacturer’s guidelines and follow these, as the levels wil vary according to the type of incubator.

When the eggs have been in the incubator for about six bays you need to ‘candle’ them. This involves holding the egg against a bright light so you can view its contents.

It is important to check the eggs’ fertility at this stage, as infertile eggs wil just go rotten and explode and contaminate the incubator and other eggs.

Candling also allows you to monitor the humidity levels by checking the air cell of the egg. If the air cell is to small it means that the humidity is too high but if it is too large the humidity is too low, if either of these occur you just need to adjust the level accordingly by adding or taking away water. Eggs that are not fertile wil be clear, those that are fertile wil have a small, dark blob with veins coming out. Eggs that have a dark circle inside can also be discarded. Candle again at 14 days to check that everything is alright, and then leave the eggs alone.

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RIGHT: A friend’s chick keeping very close to it’s mum.

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HATCHING At 18 days, stop turning the eggs to the chicks can get into the correct position to hatch. The first sign of hatching is called ‘pipping’ – this is where the chick breaks through the membrane and makes a small hole in the shell. You wil be able to hear the chicks chirping away to each other. Its a lovely experience.

It can take a chick about 24 hours to hatch from it first pipping to coming completely out of its shell, though some seem to do it in a matter of hours.

It is not advisable to help the chicks out, there is usually a reason for them having difficulty. It could be that there are problems with the temperature or humidity levels or simply that it was not meant to be.

If there is a power cut, eggs can withstand drops in temperature better than increases, so don’t panic. If the power is going to be off doe a short while, cover the incubator with a towel or an blanket/sleeping bag to prevent heat loss. If it is going to off for a longer period, place the eggs in a box, wrap it on a towel and put it in any airing cupboard, by the fire, or near the aga if you have one. Your hatch rate might not be very good but it’s worth a go, especial y if the eggs are ready to hatch. It is truly amazing to watch chicks hatch out right in front of you. Children especial y love to watch.

LEFT: One of my hybrid chicks frolicking in the fresh spring grass.

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REARING

BELOW: A chick enjoying his chick crumb with mum.

Once your chicks have hatched out and dried up in the incubator, they should be moved into their new home. We have a separate hen house dedicated to chick rearing, equip with a heat lamp. It is very important to keep the chicks warm at this stage as they would usually be keeping warm snuggled underneath there mum. You wil no when your chicks are at the right temperature by their behaviour, if they are all huddled up together in the middle it means they are too cold; if they are all round the edge of the run/box, trying to get away from the heat indicated the lamp is hanging too low. Both scenarios need to be avoided.

Chicks kept at the right temperature wil be happy walking around and sleeping where they drop. Most heat lamps come with a chain to hang the lamp from, which makes it adjusting the lamp very easy.You are aiming to harden your chicks by about four to five weeks, You harden them by gradually reducing the heat, so by slowly heightening the lamp as they age.

On the fourth or fifth week, turn off the lamp during the day, but pop it back on at night for a week. Then stop the eat lamp altogether. If you are rearing chicks in the colder months, you wil have to use your own judgement on lengths of time, but remember the tougher they are from an early age, the hardier their adult life wil be.

Chicks need to need to be fed on chick crumb, as this is very small and contains all the nutrients they need. Check the label and make sure it contains anti-coccidiosis.

Coccidiosis is a disease that can be fatal in chicks. I place the crumbs on shallow plates so they don’t have to climb or reach for it, as they grow however, putting the feed into chicken feeders teaches them for the near future.

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When they are about six days old, bed them down with sawdust instead of newspaper. Clean them out regularly, as dirty, damp litter can cause multiple problems.

You need to make sure that the water is available all times. Special chick drinkers are available that work very well. Otherwise you can use small plant saucers, but make sure you add clean pebbles to prevent the chicks from drowning. Something we leant the hard way. Drinkers should be placed on raised wire, this can be easily done - screw four pieces of batten together to form a mall square and tack wire tightly over the top. This stops the sawdust clogging them up as the chicks scratch.

Change the water regularly, about three times a day, as it becomes warm under the heat lamp. Add very small amounts of greens, grass and lettuce cut into small pieces and sprinkled on the floor of the run is good. This helps to avoid pasting (when droppings stick to the chick’s bottom). After about a week, start adding very small amounts of flint grit to their food to help digestion process, Don’t add oyster shell as the extra calcium in the diet at this age wil cause bone development problems, and can also damage the kidneys.

PROS AND CONS OF REARING CHICKS Pros • Great fun and rewarding • Educational for children • Produces great chickens Cons • You can get cockerels • Time consuming • Requires additional housing • Deaths due to disease and/or power cuts

Worming is a must when you put your chicks into their outside coop at 16 weeks. Verm-X is my preferred wormer, and for chicks I use the liquid form, which can be added to the drinking water or soaked into bread. Make sure the chicks are in a covered run as they can easily be taken by aerial predators such as sparrow hawks, crows and magpies.

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Eggs

Eggs Once your chicks have hatched out and dried up in the incubator, they should be moved into their new home. We have a separate hen house dedicated to chick rearing, equip with a heat lamp. It is very important to keep the chicks warm at this stage as they would usually be keeping warm snuggled underneath there mum. You wil no when your chicks are at the right temperature by their behaviour, if they are all huddled up together in the middle it means they are too cold; if they are all round the edge of the run/box, trying to get away from the heat indicated the lamp is hanging too low. Both scenarios need to be avoided.

Chicks kept at the right temperature wil be happy walking around and sleeping where they drop. Most heat lamps come with a chain to hang the lamp from, which makes it adjusting the lamp very easy.You are aiming to harden your chicks by about four to five weeks, You harden them by gradually reducing the heat, so by slowly heightening the lamp as they age.

On the fourth or fifth week, turn off the lamp during the day, but pop it back on at night for a week. Then stop the eat lamp altogether. If you are rearing chicks in the colder months, you wil have to use your own judgement on lengths of time, but remember the tougher they are from an early age, the hardier their adult life wil be.

Chicks need to need to be fed on chick crumb, as this is very small and contains all the nutrients they need. Check the label and make sure it contains anti-coccidiosis.

Coccidiosis is a disease that can be fatal in chicks. I place the crumbs on shallow plates so they don’t have to climb or reach for it, as they grow however, putting the feed into chicken feeders teaches them for the near future.

LEFT: There are lots of simple meals you can make using eggs.

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WHAT’S IN AN EGG? When you chickens start laying their eggs wil be quite small. They can also be empty, with no contents in the shell. Don’t worry as this wil settle down and the eggs wil get bigger as they mature. You need to remember that even if you buy a chicken that is already laying, sometimes the journey home and stress of living in a new coop may put her of laying for a short while. Just be patient and it wil happen again shortly.

Eggs are mostly water – around 75 percent – and are composed of three main parts: • Shell • Egg white • Egg yolk The shell accounts for 11 percent of the total weight ans has tiny pores that not only allow the developing chick to remain oxygen but also allow water and carbon dioxide to escape.

The shell is generally strong, but older hens tend to produce waker shells. The colour varies according to the breed of hen.

ABOVE: Shells are easy to crack if you’re not carful.

The colour of the egg yolk is determined by the diet of the hen and is due to the presence of carotenes and any colourings added to its feed. The nutritional value of an egg is not affected by the colour of the yolk.

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HOW LONG DO CHICKENS LAY FOR? How long a chicken lays for depends on the breed. Pure breeds tend to lay seasonly, meaning that most hens come into lay in the spring, when the weather begins to get better and the days are slightly longer. They continue to lay until the end of autumn, when they moult, and usually have a rest throughout the winter months. As pure breeds have natural breaks in laying, they can lay for years quite happily.

Hybrids wil lay consistently for the first 12 months. Commercial y they are called ‘spent’ hens by the age of 18 months old when they are usually despatched or re-homed.

HOW FRESH ARE YOUR EGGS? Most ‘fresh’ eggs brought in supermarkets are three weeks old at the very least. To check how fresh an egg is, place it in a bowl of cold water. If it lays almost flat on the bottom, it is very fresh. If it tilts slightly fat-end up, it is older. The higher it tilts, the older the egg. If it floats on top of the water it is very old and shouldn’t be used. Be carful not to break it, if you do it is guaranteed to smell awful.

THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF AN EGG YOLK • 16.5 percent protein • 33 percent fat • 50 percent water • Vitamins A, D, E and K • Mineral elements, including iron • Lecithin (an emulsifier)

LEFT: A tray filled of mixed coloured eggs from my hens.

STORING YOUR EGGS Eggs ideally are meant to be kept in the fridge however, ours are kept in pretty egg trays in the kitchen window with all the various colours on display.

They are too beautiful to be kept in the fridge.

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Health and Welfare

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Anatomy It is not necessary to know everything about the anatomy of a chicken in order to keep them, but it can be useful to have a small understanding of how things work so you can recognise early on if there is a problem. For instance, when an egg is laid without a shell.

It’s also useful to know where their ears are – most people do not realise they have them.

Knowing how chickens eat wil enable you to keep an eye on their diet, and realising what a cecal dropping is can stop you panicking for no reason. All of which wil hopefully help you relax and enjoy your girls without worrying.

COMBS, BEAKS, EYES, WATTLES AND EARS Combs: There are many types of combs – they come in all shapes and sizes. They are not all red, some are purple. What shape and size they are depend on their breed, sex and age. Cockerels tend to have larger combs which are used to attract females. Their main purpose is to help cool birds down in hot weather. Chickens do not sweat, instead they circulate blood to their combs and wattles, where the body heat radiates and cools the chicken. The seven common comb types are; butter cup, cushion, peg, rose, single, strawberry and V-shaped. In very cold weather the chickens can suffer from frost bite. This can be prevented by applying petroleum jel y.

ABOVE: My Red Star making no attempt to hide she’s been in the vegetable patch.

RIGHT: Various combs, eyes, beaks, wattles and ears.

Beaks: These are used for picking up food, and should be a natural shape. De-beaking birds is a common practice in commercial y kept birds. It stops them being able o feather peck each other. It also stops them from foraging naturally as they can’t peck the tips of the grass. It must be very difficult for them to pick up any small object, it is not a practice I agree with at all.

Eyes: Chickens have very good eye sight and see in colour. Their eyes work independently.

Wattles: These are the flappy bits that hang down below the peak and are usually bigger on the male chickens. They are used to help cool the chickens in hot weather like the comb.

Ears: Chickens ears are small holes covered up by feathers. There is a link between the colour of the earlobe and the colour of the egg laid. Chickens with white earlobes always lay white eggs. Those with red ones usually lay brown eggs.

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FEATHERS LEFT: Various feather types.

Feathers repel rain a little, keep chickens warm and protect their skin from the sun.

They act as a cushion to help protect the body from injuries. The different patterns include: barring - a striped pattern of light and dark alternating horizontally, lacing – where the edge of the feather is a different colour to the middle, spangling - where there is a splodge of colour on the tip of each feather, double lacing – which is very pretty and and has two areas of dark colour, cuckoo – where stripes are not as regular and may blend into each other and penciling – very fine stripes which follow the shape of the feather.

Chickens either have hard or soft feathers, depending on their breed. Hard feathers grow very close together and cover the body tightly. More fluffy, softer feathers attract many unwanted visitors. Cockerels have different feathers to then hens – they are longer, more pointed and shinier. Some breeds of chickens even have feathers on their legs. Birds naturally maintain their own feathers very well and spend a great deal of time preening. They have a gland at the base of their tail which produces oil, which they transfer to the feathers by their beak.

Feathers are moulted and replaced annually, usually after the breeding season. It may happen over the entire body all at once, or in a specific pattern; starting at the head and neck, followed by the breast and body, and then the wings and tail. It’s a stressful time and your hens can become lethargic. The process takes between three and four weeks, but can last up to two months. During this time egg laying can cease, though this occurs less frequently with hybrids. All chickens benefit from poultry tonic to help them re-grow their feathers and lay eggs.

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WING CLIPPING DO ALL CHICKENS NEED WING CLIPPING? I would recommend that all point of lay hybrids are clipped initial y, unless kept in a fully enclosed run, and certainly all White Leghorns and Skylines.

Some breeds of chicken are rather good flyers, and are capable of flying onto a shed or roof. Others are great escape artists. I advise clipping your chickens’ wings when you first get them, as they can be stressed and nervous when introduced to their new home. You only clip the left wing, as the active ovary makes the bird slightly heavier on this side. This unbalances them, making them less agile and able to fly. If done correctly it is neither painful nor cruel, it’s rather like cutting your nails.

You need to cut the ten flight feathers. Make sure you don’t cut any lower than the tip of the other feathers, and never cut the secondary feathers, as the chickens use these to keep themselves warm. Wing clipping is a temporary measure as the feathers wil re-grow. The downside of wing clipping is that it does affect the chickens ability to get away from predators, so only do it if you really have to.

LEFT AND RIGHT: Be carful to only cut the flight feathers.

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LEGS, SPURS AND TOES Chickens legs are covered in scales, which can be troubled by mites. Their thighs are covered in feathers. Spurs grow only on cockerels and they use them to protect themselves and their girls. A cockerels spurs can become very big, even if he is friendly towards you, it is best to keep them trimmed as they can inflict some awful injuries on the hens when he is mating them. This needs to be done with a good pair or clippers, as the spurs are extremely strong. You just need to take off the sharp tip, not the whole thing as it wil bless profusely.

Chickens normally have four toes, but some breeds have five such as silkies. Most chickens don’t have to have their nails clipped because they are constantly scratching and foraging which keeps them neat and short. But there are exceptions, some light, small breeds need attention.

HOW CHICKENS BREATHE

ABOVE: Be carful when clipping nails only to cut off the tips.

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Chickens have two lungs that are connected to the trachea (windpipe) like us but that I where the similarities end. Their lungs are fixed to their ribs, so they so not expand.

Birds pass air through their lungs using air sacs that only birds have. Air sacs are small balloon-like structures that store air inside and act like bellows; this means that the lunges can constantly have air flowing through them. Since chickens depend on the movement of their chest and rib cage to breathe, holding a chicken to tightly can suffocate it.

Chickens have nine air sacs altogether; two surrounding the intestines, two at the neck, one at the shoulder, two beneath the lungs and two being the lungs. Chickens lungs get fresh air during exhalation and inhalation because is is the air sacs that swell and shrink, and not the lungs. Air flows in through the beak, and half goes to the lungs and anterior air sacs. The air from the lungs and anterior air sacs then goes out of the mouth, but the air from the posterior air sacs goes back through the lungs. At any time, air can be flowing in and out of the lungs and stored in the air sacs. Chickens also have some hollow bones called pneumatic bones which aid the respiratory system.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM When a chicken eats its food it goes down the oesophagus. It stops at the crop, where it gets softened. The food then goes through the proventriculus, where the digestive acids are added, and passes down into the gizzard, which has two sets of strong muscles to grind and mash – this is where grit helps. Then it goes through the intestines, where the nutrients and water are absorbed. Food waste exits through the vent. When a chicken lays an egg, the vagina folds over to let the egg out through the vent, so that it doesn’t come into contact with any faeces.

The crop is an internal pouch at the base of the chickens neck by the breast and is used to store food and water. You wil notice it towards the end of the day when it fil s with food. A chickens uses its tongue to push food to the back of this throat, but this doesn’t work very well with water, so when it drinks, it tilts its head upwards and opens and closes its mouth quickly, which allows the liquid to run into its crop.

Chickens have two blind pouches where the small and large intestines join. These empty a few times a day and produce horrid-smelling faeces called cecal droppings. They are usually a mustard colour.

These let you know that your chickens digestive system is working correctly. Normal chicken droppings should be firm and brown with a white cap, which is the urine. Yellow and foamy droppings, or those with blood in, can be a sign of coccidiosis. White runny droppings can be an indication of worms and green of severe infestation.

ABOVE: My young bantam eyeing up the competition

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General Health Knowing what is normal for your birds is an important part of chicken keeping, as spotting signs of il ness easily can be crucial. In the wild they are prey, and being healthy is necessary for survival. Chickens are very good at appearing well when you’re around; if you girls is exhibiting signs of il ness you can be sure she’s been il for a while. A typical stance of a poorly chicken is with its head down, hunched and looking depressed. If you spot these signs, separating your chicken is imperative otherwise she wil be pecked and bullied. This wil also protect the others from whatever is wrong. inquisitive

If symptoms persist and so not respond to treatment, I suggest yo contact a vet – but bear in mind that not all vets deal with chickens regularly enough the warrant a visit. If you obtained your chicken from a good supplier they wil have their own poultry vet and wil be happy to give you then phone number. This is another reason why buying from a good supplier is advantageous.

The mention of bird flu makes every chicken keeper shiver with fear. Remember, we hear a lot about it, bit it is really only the poorer parts of Asia where people live in the same room as their chickens, and you are very unlikely to encounter it.

However, the signs to look for are: their combs and wattles may become blue, the hens wil look il and stand around hunched – and death comes very quickly.

It is a notifiable disease. If you have large numbers of birds dying, contact the vet immediately. Some medication prescribed by vets can affect the eggs, so during treatment they should bot be eaten.

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RIGHT: A friend’s Red Star and Blue Ranger being inquisitive.

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Health Problems Chickens can get up to mischief and the odd scratch is unavoidable. Any wounds need to be cleaned thoroughly with diluted iodine, then dried and covered with antiseptic spray. You’ll need to keep the chicken separate while it heals, as the other wil almost certainly peck at it. In the summer, watch out for flies, as you don’t want them bothering the wound. If you notice pus as it heals, draw this out by applying petroleum jel y mixed with garlic. If you are in doubt, seek help from a vet.

BUMBLEFOOT This is caused when a cut heals but pus builds up underneath, so check any bird that is limping. Causes can be unsuitable perches, as well as scratching or standing on something sharp. Treat by cleaning the foot with warm water and applying iodine, which is available from most pet shops.

COCCIDIOSIS ABOVE: Having tamed chickens makes it a lot easier to check for problems.

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This is one of the most common protozoal diseases found in poultry and can occur even in healthy flocks. Gradual exposure usually allows chickens to become resistant to it, so by maturity most are immune. Poor sanitation, overcrowding or stress can all lead to an outbreak.

CROP IMPACTION This happens if the birds are fed cut grass, have access to hay or eat something that can cause an obstruction and results in a very swollen, hard crop. When birds eat grass or greens naturally they peck off small bits, but when you feed them it and do not hang the food up or anchor it the birds wil eat the whole thing. This can form a ball. Your chicken wil become miserable and stop eating as there is no more room in her crop, and, if left untreated, the bird wil dehydrate and starve to death. To try and move the blockage, place some olive oil into the birds mouth and gently massage the crop to loosen and move the impactation. Hang the girl upside down and, with gentle downward movements from the crop to the beak, help her regurgitate the blockage. Only do this for very short periods of time, as she wil find it difficult to breathe.

DEHYDRATION If a hen goes without water for a couple of days, she may go into a moult and then lay badly for the rest of her life. Signs to watch out for are combs and wattles shrivelled and bluish and legs that look bony. Rehydration salts can help if added to the water and available from chemists.

EAR MITES Chickens’ ears are commonly affected by mites that go into the ear cavities and start infections – the symptoms wil be yellow pus and a horrid smell. The problem is easily dealt with, but advise from the vet is advisable.

EGG BOUND A rare condition caused by an egg that is too big to pass. Symptoms include frequent visits to the nesting box with no eggs being laid, the bird wil also seem irritated, and can quickly become il looking and go off her food. If the egg is visible, smear petroleum jel y over the vent to help lubricate it and hold over a bowl of boiling water so the steam relaxes her muscles, though not too close as you could scold her. If this fails and you can see the egg, very carefully make a hole in it and remove all of it with your finger. Any that is left can cause a infection and kil the chicken.

EYE INFECTIONS These are often symptom of an underlying problem, so seek advise of a vet. If an eye infection is evident over-the-counter eye drops such as Broline can work very well. In any event clean the eye of pus using cotton wool soaked in cooled boiled salt water at least three times a day, until the infection has cleared for a few days after.

FROST BITE Chickens are very tolerant of cold weather, provided their house is dry and draight free. Cocks are more likely to suffer than hens as they do not tuck their head in under their wings at night and their combs and wattles are larger. Smearing petroleum jel y on these wil help prevent this.

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HEAT STROKE This can put chickens off their feed and result in them stopping laying, laying less or laying smaller eggs. Chickens cannot sweat, but instead pant to cool themselves.

Heavy breeds suffer from heat stroke more than lighter breeds. White birds are less susceptible as they reflect heat better than dark birds. Shade is essential in hot weather.

INTERNAL LAYING This is due to the wave-like motion that moves the egg down the oviduct working in reverse and is very rare. Eggs are laid internally into the abdomen. As this fil s with eggs, the chicken’s rear end wil lower because of the weight and she wil begin to walk like a penguin. No one knows why this happens and there is no cue, so humane despatch wil be required.

LOST NAILS Chickens occasionally lose their nails. If they do, a good clean, followed by an antiseptic spray, is all that is necessary..

MAREK’S DISEASE A highly contagious viral disease that affects mainly young birds, for which there in no cure. Infected birds wil look extremely il and have paralysis of the legs and wings.

Silkies and Sebrights are the two most susceptible pure breeds, however most hybrids are vaccinated as day-old chicks.

PASTING Occurs when loose droppings stick to the vent area of chicks. It is thought to be caused by inadequate diet and /or the chick becoming too cold. It does not spread from chick to chick. Unless you pick the droppings away, the vent may get sealed shut and the chick wil die. Adding small quantities of grass or finely cut up lettuce to their feed can help.

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SOUR CROP The first sign of this is an enlarged crop that feels like a balloon part-fil ed with water. The usual cause in an unbalanced diet and/or mouldy layers pellets. To clear the crop, hand the bird by her legs and gently massage the liquid out. You wil need to do this a couple of times but not for too long as it wil be uncomfortable for her. Once the crop is cleared, add probiotic yoghurt to her layer’s pellets for a few days, this helps balance the micro-flora in her digestive system.

SPLAYED LEGS This happens when chicks are raised on a slippery surface of if the incubator temperature is too high. If a chick does hatch with sprayed legs, it is possible to ‘hobble’ them using a small strip of plaster to tape their legs into the correct position, though only for a few days. If caught early this can be curable but if it does’t work the chick wil have to humanely kil ed.

SPRAINS AND BROKEN LEGS A chicken’s legs can often suffer from sprains and require rest. Causes include perches that are too high and over-amorous cockerels. Heavy, overweight birds are also prone to this problem.

Broken legs are very rare and humane despatch is the best solution.

TUMOURS Tumours are most likely to form internally on the reproductive organs. They are a common cause for poor egg laying. Some tumours are an indication of other problems such as Marek’s Disease, but other are not. Slow-growing tumours in older hens are common but little is known about them.

RIGHT: A moulting Ameraucana hen.

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Interesting Facts • Rats dislike the smell of mint, of if you have any problems with them try growing some near your run to deter them.

• In the past, farmers fed chickens swedes because they believed it increased the size of their eggs.

• Chickens are omnivores; they eat both vegetables and meat.

• The tyrannosaurus-rex is a very distant relative of the chicken.

You can call a chicken and chicken regardless of its sex or age.

• There on more chickens on earth than there are people.

• Badgers will kill chickens. They are much more powerful than foxes and can cause terrible damage.

• Some breeds of chickens can fly much better than others, but when we say fly it is more of a glided jump. The longest recorded slight of a chicken lasted 13 seconds. They are not capable of sustained flight.

• Before a female chicken lays her first egg, she is called a pullet, after that she is a hen.

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• Egg colour is often related to the colour of the chickens ears. Red ears generally produce brown eggs and white ears white eggs.

• It tales about 24 to 26 hours for a chicken to lay an egg, so expect one egg a day, although apparently the record if for a chicken who laid severn eggs in one day.

• A young male chicken is called a cockerel; when he is fully grown (about a year) he is called a cock.

• Despite the name, chickens aren’t affected chickenpox, it is solely a human disease.

• Farming law suggests the best time to treat worms is during a full moon, when they are supposed to be at their most active.

• Normally chickens live for between six and eight years. The oldest chicken according to the Guinness Book of Records lived until the age of 16.

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Photography and Design by Amy Richards

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My aim in this book is to give you a thorough guide to chicken keeping and also encourage beginners confidence to happily look after chickens while avoiding any common problems. As with keeping any animals, there can be difficulties, but the way you set up and treat your chickens determines how successful and enjoyable your experience will be. Most problems that may occur with chickens can be prevented easily, the more information you have to hand before you start, the less stressful and daunting it will be – for you and your chickens. With sections on everything from what kind of breed suits you, transporting your chickens home, what treats they prefer, incubating eggs, ensuring your chickens are healthy and spotting signs of illness; this book will help anyone from the complete beginner to the more experienced chicken keeper to get the most enjoyment from their flock.