Keeping chickens is one of the fastest growing hobbies in Ireland today and small wonder. Chickens like children, are bossy, demanding endlessly curious and easily gratified. They are comical to watch, make great pets for children and give fresh eggs almost daily. They are sociable birds and like to huddle up together at night.
The more space the chickens have, the happier they'll be. The term “pecking order" definitely originated with hens. They peck at each other for all sorts of reasons, but mostly to keep the other hens away from their treasures, be it a glistening drop of rain or a juicy insect. Given enough space, these little spats are harmless, but when chickens get crowded they become ruthless and will even peck each other. How much space your hens need depends on their sizes and breeds. If it is snowy or icy, the hens will want to stay indoors and will be more crowded than usual. Keep them busy with cabbages hung on strings.
CHICKEN FEED
Household left overs are ideal (ie: cooked potato skins, mashed up bits of food, left over breakfast cereals etc) In fact stale bread soaked in water also goes down very well. You can also give them layers pellets as regular feed along with the left overs. Layers mash mixed in with crushed corn can be given daily also.
In the Chicken Coop you'll need a water dispenser which is very inexpensive. You'll also need a container for the chicken feed – another inexpensive item. A chicken can eat 150g of feed per day, so decide your feeder size on the number of chickens you are going to keep.
Ventilation in a Chicken Coop is vital to allow fresh air and dispersal of the ammonia vapours from their droppings.
The Chicken Coop ideally should be cleaned out one a week but with our removable canvas on all models it makes the job really easy. Simply remove the roost, take out and clean the canvas, replace the canvas and put back in the roost. What could be simpler? Comfortable bedding (ie sawdust, shredded paper, wood shavings) is essential in keeping the chickens happy and content in the Chicken Coop.
Chicken are resilient birds and are very rarely ill. There are a full range of products available in your local vet shop should you need any such items.
BREEDS OF CHICKENS
The most common birds are crosses. We can supply a cross breed called HYLINES. THEY ARE GREAT LAYERS AND BROWN IN COLOUR. Cross breeds are easier to look after. These are hardy birds, a must for the novice. When I say hardy I mean hardy. Crosses are comfortable with all weather types once well looked after, fed and watered. They can be a lovely looking bird and very confident and can lay up to 300 eggs per year.