Having a few hens in your back yard is becoming increasingly popular for good reason. Chickens make wonderful family pets.
Two years ago we decided that we’d expand our little back garden vegetable patch and get some chickens.
It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.
We now have six hens, and they all have very quickly become part of our family. The kids absolutely adore them, and so do we. Not only are they friendly, curious and delightfully funny birds, but they give us eggs every morning too.
Keeping chickens is a great way to help our children forge a connection with where their food comes from, as well as teach them about the responsibility of caring for animals.
So if you too fancy a little flock in your back garden here are a few pointers.
Where to get your chickens
You can buy hens through a breeder or at a livestock auction. Alternatively you could rescue some ex-battery hens through organisations such as the British Hen Welfare Trust.
Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you could even do what we did and buy fertile eggs on ebay and hatch them out yourself. Obviously this takes more work and research, but it was an incredible learning experience for the kids and one I’d recommend to anyone.
Proper housing
A chicken coop should be warm, dry, and fox proof, and have somewhere to both roost and to lay eggs. Other than that its design is really up to you
Whether you choose a modern and trendy eglu or a traditional wooden coop, there are options to suit all tastes and budgets. Even an old converted shed or wendy house can make an excellent coop.
Adequate space
Chickens love to wander around and scratch for food, and the more space you can give them the happier they will be.
We leave our chickens to free range all day, only locking them up at night. However the downside is that they’ve wrecked any hopes we had of a lovingly manicured garden. Where I see a beautiful flowerbed, all my chickens see is prime worm hunting ground.
A good compromise is to build them a sizable run. A minimum of one meter square per chicken is advised, but the bigger the better.
Where to learn more
There’s a wealth of information and support out there for chicken keepers. Here’s some links that we’ve found useful:
Photo - Dan Hughes Dan's son Evan pulling his usual photo pose alongside Beryl, Natalie, Betty, and Ginger the chickens.
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mum
14 March, 2011
Lovely post Dan. I live on a farm and we've always had hens in the back garden. My sister keeps hers in her garden in Sheffield. I use mine as a 'chicken tractor' to dig my veggie beds and their waste is perfect to add to the compost heap too. Sadly we can't keep ours free range as our local foxes regard our garden as the poultry section of their supermarket. I wouldn't be without my 'delightfully funny birds'.
editor
14 March, 2011
Thanks for this post Dan, I really enjoyed it and I must say I could look at this picture all day. I hope that's not too alarming a thought.
14 March, 2011
One of the ladies I used to work with has hens and she used to bring us some eggs in occasionally. They tasted completely different to the eggs you buy in the supermarket - so much nicer. Also thought the photo was hilarious. Might look at it again if I'm ever having a bad day to cheer me up and show me the face I'd like to pull but can't really when you're 42!
dad
15 March, 2011
I still need to take the plunge on chickens. Just slightly concerned about the amount of time we spend away from home, and thus, any pets.