im looking to buy a chicken coop now or has any one got any ideas on how i can build one
DD
Chickens
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dangerous dave
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 7:50 pm
- Location: north east england
Re: Chickens
DD
AREA 10
People rest safe in their beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence in their name
We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.
Edward R. Murrow
AREA 10
People rest safe in their beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence in their name
We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.
Edward R. Murrow
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DundeePrepper
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 11:42 am
- Location: Dundee Area
Re: Chickens
They are actually quite cheap to buy have a look around online...dangerous dave wrote:im looking to buy a chicken coop now or has any one got any ideas on how i can build one
DD
Other than that, two by two lengths for a long run fenced in wire, couple of raised rabbit type hutches and your set....
I'm over simplifying -
Newbie Prepper
The ability to foresee is not reserved for Psychics and Lunatics. The mind is predisposed to see the future from its own past.
- Unknown Author
The ability to foresee is not reserved for Psychics and Lunatics. The mind is predisposed to see the future from its own past.
- Unknown Author
Re: Chickens
Hi,
We have just over 100 chickens now. Mostly hens for eggs we bought as pullets - but we are also starting to rear chickens we breed here.
At the moment we mostly feed them bought in chicken food (layers pellets). This is quite expensive and means that by the time we sell the eggs there isn't much profit. Also if TSHFT I guess I won't be able to buy more food and they will all starve to death!
Therefore I want to work out how to grow the food they need (we are lucky to have a few acres of land that isn't being very well used at the moment). This should mean we save a lot of money on chicken feed - as-well as making the supply of eggs/meat sustainable in TSHTF scenarios. Obviously I also need to plan to grow human food on the land too - but thats another project - and I'm thinking that growing chicken food might be the easiest place to start - as they are not at all fussy.
However I've no idea what the best things to grow are for chickens to eat! I guess I could plant some corn and grains - they would probably eat those - but who knows what the harvesting/storage issues are there. Another school of thought says you should plant crops that the chickens can graze themselves so you don't have to harvest anything (probably still have to harvest/store for the winter though).
Anyone have any experience of this?
I think chickens make a great 'prep' :
1) They provide a steady stream of fresh eggs and meat for you to eat
2) This food would become very valuable in TEOTWAWKI - an ideal bartering item to get other things we need
3) They are pretty easy and cheap to keep
4) They pay for themselves right now - ie you don't need TEOTWAWKI to happen to justify them - they can make you (small) profits now by selling the eggs. You probably need a lot more than 100 to make a real impact on your income though.
5) They don't just work for the first 3 months, or the first year, or any given time span - in theory they can carry on supplying food and things to sell for many years to come.
But they only work as a prep if I can work out how to keep them alive and laying without any external input.
- delard
We have just over 100 chickens now. Mostly hens for eggs we bought as pullets - but we are also starting to rear chickens we breed here.
At the moment we mostly feed them bought in chicken food (layers pellets). This is quite expensive and means that by the time we sell the eggs there isn't much profit. Also if TSHFT I guess I won't be able to buy more food and they will all starve to death!
Therefore I want to work out how to grow the food they need (we are lucky to have a few acres of land that isn't being very well used at the moment). This should mean we save a lot of money on chicken feed - as-well as making the supply of eggs/meat sustainable in TSHTF scenarios. Obviously I also need to plan to grow human food on the land too - but thats another project - and I'm thinking that growing chicken food might be the easiest place to start - as they are not at all fussy.
However I've no idea what the best things to grow are for chickens to eat! I guess I could plant some corn and grains - they would probably eat those - but who knows what the harvesting/storage issues are there. Another school of thought says you should plant crops that the chickens can graze themselves so you don't have to harvest anything (probably still have to harvest/store for the winter though).
Anyone have any experience of this?
I think chickens make a great 'prep' :
1) They provide a steady stream of fresh eggs and meat for you to eat
2) This food would become very valuable in TEOTWAWKI - an ideal bartering item to get other things we need
3) They are pretty easy and cheap to keep
4) They pay for themselves right now - ie you don't need TEOTWAWKI to happen to justify them - they can make you (small) profits now by selling the eggs. You probably need a lot more than 100 to make a real impact on your income though.
5) They don't just work for the first 3 months, or the first year, or any given time span - in theory they can carry on supplying food and things to sell for many years to come.
But they only work as a prep if I can work out how to keep them alive and laying without any external input.
- delard
Re: Chickens
You can pasture them if youve got the space and supliment their diet with grit, corn, wheat, barley,oats and rye. We used to let them lose on the veg patch for an hour to clear most of the little pests.delard wrote:Hi,
We have just over 100 chickens now. Mostly hens for eggs we bought as pullets - but we are also starting to rear chickens we breed here.
At the moment we mostly feed them bought in chicken food (layers pellets). This is quite expensive and means that by the time we sell the eggs there isn't much profit. Also if TSHFT I guess I won't be able to buy more food and they will all starve to death!
Therefore I want to work out how to grow the food they need (we are lucky to have a few acres of land that isn't being very well used at the moment). This should mean we save a lot of money on chicken feed - as-well as making the supply of eggs/meat sustainable in TSHTF scenarios. Obviously I also need to plan to grow human food on the land too - but thats another project - and I'm thinking that growing chicken food might be the easiest place to start - as they are not at all fussy.
However I've no idea what the best things to grow are for chickens to eat! I guess I could plant some corn and grains - they would probably eat those - but who knows what the harvesting/storage issues are there. Another school of thought says you should plant crops that the chickens can graze themselves so you don't have to harvest anything (probably still have to harvest/store for the winter though).
Anyone have any experience of this?
I think chickens make a great 'prep' :
1) They provide a steady stream of fresh eggs and meat for you to eat
2) This food would become very valuable in TEOTWAWKI - an ideal bartering item to get other things we need
3) They are pretty easy and cheap to keep
4) They pay for themselves right now - ie you don't need TEOTWAWKI to happen to justify them - they can make you (small) profits now by selling the eggs. You probably need a lot more than 100 to make a real impact on your income though.
5) They don't just work for the first 3 months, or the first year, or any given time span - in theory they can carry on supplying food and things to sell for many years to come.
But they only work as a prep if I can work out how to keep them alive and laying without any external input.
- delard
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moocher
Re: Chickens
Don't forget chicken manure is good for the garden,it's too strong fresh,but let it rot down for 6/12month with bit of straw.
Re: Chickens
Have had hens on and off, have none at he moment and miss them, planning some again soon dispite swearing I wouldn't bother again. Had about 20 ducks and 15 hens and between the fox (who came during the day when we wern't about) and the pine martin at night ,I lost the lot, I was very careful about shutting them in too, but a martin can get in a tiny space and I swear he knows he's protected so we can't touch him.
Re: Chickens
As we like to keep things legal and many or most on here prefer to keep our activities " under the radar" check that you are allowed to keep them. Some rental properties don't allow them and other places may have covenants preventing you keeping them. A large flock will need to be registered with Defra and selling the eggs to someone who sells them on rather than consuming them will also result in you needing to be registered as a food business . Here's a quick google search - http://www.charnwood.gov.uk/files/docum ... 0Sheet.pdf
It mentions keeping 50 chickens although I seem to recall on another page the figure was 21 before needing to be registered .
On a related note a friend of mine was warned about buzzards recently by a pest control officer who was dealing with moles on her small holding . Apparently buzzards are now changing their feeding patterns and are now taking chickens, cats and small dogs.
It mentions keeping 50 chickens although I seem to recall on another page the figure was 21 before needing to be registered .
On a related note a friend of mine was warned about buzzards recently by a pest control officer who was dealing with moles on her small holding . Apparently buzzards are now changing their feeding patterns and are now taking chickens, cats and small dogs.
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Mad Scientist
- Posts: 502
- Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 12:45 pm
Re: Chickens
My chickens eat some regular layer's food, but mostly have boiled vegetable peelings mashed up. Another favourite is a mashed mix of brown bread, porridge oats and stewed fruit or meat. The protein is great for eggs. My girls have started laying again even in winter.mealworms or mince meat is great as well.
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Cromicon
Re: Chickens
We used to keep two chickens. We just fed them layers pellets and choice leftovers from the kitchen as well as meal worms and letting them run free on occasion to destroy the garden. Although to be fair they picked up a lot of little critters too. The eggs were very nice. As for legality, there were no deed covenants or local bye-laws preventing us from keeping them however neighbour complaints are investigated.
To keep them we had an Eglu and although that comes with a run (sort of) we constructed one quite cheaply that we placed the Eglu in, remember it must be mouse and fox proof. If you are keeping chickens you need to also bear in mind the cost ratios. I'm also talking about factoring in the labour you spend cleaning the run out every week. In a standard as it is now situation they are a treat to have but unless you are doing something that offers you a significant saving, breeding for meat for example or selling surplus eggs, you may well be better off stockpiling powdered egg...
When SHTF then a lovely protein source comes into it's own. Good luck keeping them quiet and secret.
To keep them we had an Eglu and although that comes with a run (sort of) we constructed one quite cheaply that we placed the Eglu in, remember it must be mouse and fox proof. If you are keeping chickens you need to also bear in mind the cost ratios. I'm also talking about factoring in the labour you spend cleaning the run out every week. In a standard as it is now situation they are a treat to have but unless you are doing something that offers you a significant saving, breeding for meat for example or selling surplus eggs, you may well be better off stockpiling powdered egg...
When SHTF then a lovely protein source comes into it's own. Good luck keeping them quiet and secret.
Re: Chickens
See I've seen plenty of people talk about the annoyance of all that poo which chickens provide. The time cleaning up and the money on the bedding materials. I really don't see it like that. I provide a house, food, and water to my chickens. They provide entertainment, eggs and compost. The house was an investment (and will be again as I am going to be building a new chicken coop soon) as is the food and the bedding but the food and bedding turns into eggs and compost. Eggs is food and compost grows food. My garden would be much the poorer without chickens.