Why Keep Chickens?

It is well known that keeping a small flock of chickens in your backyard has many benefits, from supplying you with fresh and healthy eggs from well-cared-for animals, to giving you great fertilizer for gardening, to providing lively pets—as well as being part of the drive to local, sustainable food systems. Not everyone has the opportunity to own a farm to have animals and a large vegetable patch to have fresh eggs daily and abundant vegetables at hand. Luckily most local councils allow up to 6 laying hens in a residential area and chickens don’t need acres of land to be happy. So having your own vegetable patch and a flock of chickens is achievable and the excess vegetable scraps (and some garden pests) will be quickly disposed of by your feathered friends.

FAQ: Before you Buy

• How many eggs a week should I expect?

  As it takes approximately 26 hours to lay an egg, a hen may lay approximately 6 eggs in a week – but this will depend on the time of the year, her age, her breed, her nutritional intake and how healthy she is.

• Are they Noisy or Smelly? The Girls we carry are considered a Docile breed, although there are some outliers. Their song is generally quieter than a dogs’s bark, and it takes 10 to produce the same amount of Poo as one Border Collie ! Make an effort to clean the hen house out at least twice a year, which is a great time to also disinfect and spray for mites in their housing if needed.

• What do they Eat? A balanced diet including some kitchen scraps, grain, and shell grit will help ensure a good egg production. Eggs are 80% Water so access to clean water inside and outside the coop is very important for Egg production. Make sure to change the Water everyday, and never feed chickens Avocado, Green-Potatoes or Rhubarb. Pungent foods like Garlic or Onions may also have an effect on the next Egg’s flavour. 

Caring for Hens

• New Hens on the Block!  It’s best to keep new birds inside for a few days before opening the door and letting them out. Making sure that if you already have hens that they won’t pick on the new girls. Encourage your birds to perch by placing them on the perch at dusk for several nights if you find that they are sitting on the ground constantly at bedtime.

• The Best Nest? Untreated wood shavings or straw is great for the nest boxes and the floor. The whole chicken coop and run needs to be cleaned regularly in order to keep your flock healthy and to prevent diseases.
• Location Location. An aspect that you need to consider when starting your own flock is where you are going to keep your chickens. Also the location for the chicken run should be in a sheltered spot where they can spend time outside while still having access to shade from the sun and shelter from the wind and rain. The size of the chicken run depends on the breed and number of chickens that you will be keeping.   You will need to create a comfortable coop for the birds to seek shelter and perch in at night. The coop must be predator and weatherproof. To improve egg production make sure that nesting boxes are a secure, private, and a reasonably dark place for hens to lay eggs. If nesting boxes are overcrowded hens will often find alternative nests when free ranging to lay their eggs.