Page 24 - ALG Issue 2 2015

Feature on... chickens
Chicken Keeping Tips
The essentials for a chicken house are that it has perches for roosting and also nest-boxes for laying. Hen houses should be safe, dry and weatherproof. If all of these things are achieved, your chickens will happily lay eggs. To ensure that the house stays dry, you should buy one that sits above the ground rather than on it; this means that the bottom of the house will not get damp and rot during the rainy months. The general rule of thumb
is to allow at least one square foot of floor space
per chicken in a house, so make sure that your
house is big enough before making a purchase.
You should have a run for the chickens to walk
around without the worry of foxes or other predators
trying to get to them. Make sure that your run has
fencing all around and that it is dug into the ground
so that foxes can’t dig underneath. Planting some
trees in the run could also be beneficial so that the
chickens can have shade in the summer months to
keep cool. Moving the run around your garden/allotment will stop the ground becoming too muddy and disease ridden; it also helps the ground if it can have a little rest from being pecked and trampled on.
Researching the breed of chicken that is best for you is essential before you buy chickens. You can find a lot of advice and articles online about what type of chicken is right for you.
Fresh water is a key factor for healthy chickens; try to change the water as often as you can. Be careful if you are using bowls to put your chickens water in as it can easily be spilt on the floor and get mud in. There are a lot of chicken drinkers that are especially designed to stop this from happening, so it’s worth looking around for the best option.
Beth Cowen
Fresh water is a key factor for healthy chickens
FERTILE EGGS HENS EQUIPMENT HEALTHCARE HOUSING FEED
The Domestic Fowl Trust exists to encourage the keeping of poultry & help new owners discover the joys
of having their own hens.
We sell an extensive range of poultry equipment, poultry houses, health products and hen food (available through www.domesticfowltrust.co.uk) as well as a range of different breeds of chickens especially suited to the back garden poultry keeper.
Call us on 01789 850046 or visit us in Warwickshire or see our web site:
www.domesticfowltrust.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Domestic bliss and all things chicken!
The Domestic Fowl Trust has moved from Honeybourne to its new location at Bell Brook Farm in Warwickshire. The owners of the Domestic Fowl Trust are Alister & Beccy. “Moving the Domestic Fowl Trust to our farm near Stratford Upon Avon was a big step, but it has enabled us to concentrate on what the DFT is best known for...all things chicken!” said Alister. The new owners of the site at Honeybourne will continue to develop the family visitors attraction, but without the poultry added Beccy.
The Domestic Fowl Trust exists to encourage the keeping of poultry & help new owners discover the joys of having their own hens. It sells an extensive range of poultry equipment, poultry houses, health products and hen food (available through www. domesticfowltrust.co.uk) as well as a range of different breeds of chickens especially suited to the back
garden and allotment poultry keeper. The Domestic Fowl Trust also works to support small scale poultry breeders by providing a route to market for their
hens. All breeders who supply the Domestic Fowl Trust must be able to demonstrate a continual commitment to high welfare standards and must maintain stock traceability.
The Domestic Fowl Trust is open to visitors Wednesdays to Fridays 9:30 to
3pm and Saturdays & Sundays 9:30 to 12:30 and can be found on the edge of the village of Snitterfield just off the A46 between Stratford & Warwick.
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