Keeping Hens

Things to consider before keeping Hens

Security

I discovered recently, when given a taste of freedom hens can run fast, very fast….you will undoubtedly wear out before they do and indeed I did after 45 minutes of running around after one, who had decided to make a run for it. All ended well and I remain convinced the hen had been playing a practical joke, whilst her friends stood chluckling (sorry, bad pun!) in the background. After I fell to the floor exhausted, the hen simply wandered over and stood next to her run, stopping for a feed on the grass. I wondered whether our feathered friend had seen ‘Chicken Run’?! This made me realise your garden needs to be secure if you’re allowing your hens to roam relatively free. Also, their home needs to be secured from foxes, which have been known to dig under fences. Digging your mesh down about a foot, making the joins overlap and wiring them together should keep your chickens safe and sound from any hungry, cunning, urban prowler.

Conditions

Hens love bright and airy conditions but, you will have to make sure the hen house is sheltered from strong winds, driving rain and provides some shade for hotter summer days. A waterproof roof is an absolute must to provide adequate protection from bad weather.

Equipment needed for keeping hens

The biggest decision will undoubtedly be the style of house you will use.

The latest in design is a plastic hen house, which tends to come with a framed outside run and can easily be moved around your garden. Plastic is extremely hard wearing and there are no nooks where parasites will live.

The fold method is a wooden house with a run built in that can be moved around by two people, this allows the hens to graze on fresh grass.

Rustic style are usually made from wood, They are dry and well ventilated but are more expensive to buy compared to other types of housing and can’t be moved around.

Economy range are generally made from rain proofed chipboard that is easy to clean, on the downside there is not always a lot of room for the hens to move around but, will suffice if planning just to put the hens in at night.

Traditional Ark tend to be a popular choice for hen housing made from ready treated wood, night house, perches, nesting boxes, external run and although heavy can be moved around.

After taking all the options into consideration we decided to make our own with the help of my father in law who is a bit of a genius when it comes to design and build projects. To construct the house, we used bits of material which had been stored in the garage, with even an old piece of laminate kitchen work surface being used as the floor, aiding the easy cleaning of hen poop. The only disadvantage we have found is we cannot move the house around, so we selected a quiet spot at the bottom of the garden. As the hens have picked away the grass, we have put down lawn clippings as fresh grass for the birds. This decision has proven very economical, economically sound as we have recycled otherwise redundant materials and the hens have been very happy indeed!

Finally, in order to feed and water your lucky little hens, there are a number of cleverly designed dispensers available to automate this process – many plastic hen feeders and water dispensers allow you to pre-fill the centre with food/water and as the hens feed/drink, the stocks replenish, ensuring there is plenty available throughout the day whilst you may be out.

I hope you enjoy keeping these fantastic little additions to the family as we have!