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Talkback: Free range chickens
Gardeners' World Web User
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11 chickens is the problem! I keep just 3, in a large walled garden. That way I get enough eggs to keep me away from those dreadful pale supermarket offerings, but the impact on mt garden is truly minimal. oK I admit all my sunflower seedlings got eaten last year - but I shall just sow in pots and plant out later!! The joy of happy active hens (and the eggs) is worth it.
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We have had one visit from Mr Fox in all this time; I think having a dog helps, as they bark when the fox is about; it is important to have the chicken wire high, and loose and floppy at top 12", apparently, foxes don't like the wire moving around. It is also important to bury the wire at least 12" under the ground.
You don't get eggs all year round though, unless you introduce some false lighting, ours are just starting to lay again now.
As you say the yolks are lovely and yellow. I have people beating a path to my door for my eggs. And I can make a small profit so I can buy grain.
And BOY! do they love lettuce and tomotoes.
I have 3 hens which I adopted from the local battery farm. This is where I get all my hens. The last 2 I got were literally less than 1 hour from slaughter. One had no feathers at all but she has feathered up nicely. I only take hens from battery when the weather is warm enough because otherwise it is too much of a shock to their system.
The other thing I would mention is that I cannot leave my back door open when the hens are about otherwise I have been known to find them in the living room. One was particularly fond of a brown carpet which I had. They are difficult to house-train!
They do have the whole of the garden during late Autumn and Winter though and we have a fantastic gamekeeper around here so no, as yet, foxes. I too think it also helps having the dogs. I also take my male dog around the boundary, including the front where he doesn't normally have access, letting him do his thing so the foxes know he is about.
Downside, no one has mentioned that they can attract rats. So hen compound not too near the house is good!!!