Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

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sunnyskies
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Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by sunnyskies »

Hi all,

Thank you for a wonderful forum - I'm learning a lot about becoming more self-sufficient!

I have two logistical questions about keeping chickens. I'm a complete newbie so I'm sorry if these sound like very strange/basic questions:

- I can't really tell from what people say when they refer to not leaving chickens 'out' unless you're there to make sure a fox doesn't get them. Does that mean out free roaming, or out in the run? I do have a fox that likes my garden - I was thinking of getting the Ark from Omlet - but I work during the day. Would it be okay to let the chickens go out into the run while I'm not there, and when I come home from work, let them out free roaming while I sit with them?

- Very odd logistical question, but I have a long narrow garden with a strip of lawn, which I was going to use for the chickens. But I hang my washing above the lawn. Can I still do that?? Sorry. That seems odd but I'm just trying to work out the logistics!

Thank you!

sunny x

Totally Scrambled
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by Totally Scrambled »

Morning Sunny,
Greetings and welcome to The Lane )wav(
Free ranging outside a protected run while you are not there is what people mean.
Just for info a lot of coops with runs attached are usually fine for the number of hens they quote as far as the coop is concerned but the runs attached are usually way too small. As a rule of thumb each chook really needs a minimum of 10 square feet of run space.
With your washing as long as it hangs a couple of feet above where the chooks are, they shouldn't bother it but if it is a windy day the flapping washing may spook them. If spooked they lighter breeds can easily clear a 6 foot fence so I would only do wash days when the chooks aren't out and about free ranging.
Hope that's some help.
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by wendy »

Welcome to the wonderful world of chicken keeping. )t'

'Out' in relation to foxes means NOT free roaming. But they can be in a run. If you have a fox come to the garden regularly. Then You would need very good fencing all around, under the ground slightly to stop digging, and on top. Also probably prudent to get electric fencing as well.

You may have a lawn now, but if the chooks are going to be on it, I doubt it will last long. They do wreak havoc on the garden.
My clothes line is over the grass that is alongside the run, if that is what you mean. As for over the actual run, I cannot see how you would hang it out. As your run must have a top on it for the fox protection.
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by mariat »

Hi and welcome :-D

It means that you can let them out into a fox proof run during the day, but only let them free range when you are around to keep an eye on things.
There is a video on you tube of a fox trying to get into an eglu coop/run without success.

Your washing would be OK as long as it's out of the chickens reach, but clothes flapping around over head would probably make them nervous til they got used to it. I've just got some Brahmas from a lady who kept them in a well grown orchard, so not much sky was visible. They get freaked every time a pigeon flies over head at mine.
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kitla
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by kitla »

Hi Sunny, no question is too basic or too odd! so long as your run is fox proof your chooks will be safe in there, a lot of people only allow their chickens to free range
in the garden when they are there to watch out for predators. I think the Omlet runs claim to be fox proof, some of them have a wire "skirt" to stop foxes digging in, but
if you know there's a fox about that might have a go, perhaps it would be wise to check with omlet before you buy it. The general guide for a run is about 10ft sq for each
hen, so that's something else to think about before you get your ark.
I would think your chickens would get used to the washing, they might find long
wavy sheets a bit alarming! perhaps you could keep all the big stuff at one end.
You'll need to be careful not to drop your nice clean clothes in the poop though!
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Hintza
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by Hintza »

We are rural and my hens run free with no run and just come in at night.

My neighbours have their's in a run with chicken wire and no top and they have been fine. The knack with chicken wire is to leave it with some slack so it is much more difficult to climb. But you will also want to either dig the wire into the ground or lay a skirt along the ground to stop them digging in.

I wouldn't worry about the washing too much they will soon get used to it but best watching them the first few times the washing is out.
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by sunnyskies »

Thank you everyone!

Sorry, two more questions ... >coc<

- I understand that it is better to get chickens in spring/summer. Is it still okay to get them in Autumn and what would you say is the cut-off point?

- what are the timings involved - do you get up early in the morning & let them out, feed them etc, and if so, how long? Just trying to work out what the day-to-day is like before I commit :?

Thank you so much!

sunny x
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by Totally Scrambled »

There's no reason you can't get them in the Autumn/Winter. If you start during the grotty weather then Spring/Summer will be a breeze )t'
They won't be up and about until dawn so the time you let them out changes throughout the year although, in Winter, if you open the coop before you go to work and it's still dark they will just come out when they want to. In Summer there is no need to get up to let them out at 5am unless you want to and they are quite happy to stay locked in their coop until a more reasonable hour.
We have big feeders that have a few days worth of food in them so they can help themselves as and when they want. You'll also need to make sure they have a good supply of water especially in the Summer.
You do not have to feed them a set amount at a set time, just make sure they have feed available.
Hope that answers your questions.
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kitla
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by kitla »

I think autumn is a good time to get them, you have time to get your routine
sorted before winter sets in and darker mornings mean you don't need to get up
so early to let them out - eases you into it gently! I suppose getting them in winter
would be more difficult for you as you'll have to cope with frozen water, poop picking
& cleaning in the rain/snow etc. The chickens wont mind so long as they have food,
water a clean home & some shelter (and hopefully a dustbath)
Everyones routine is different, basically I let them out & feed them in the morning,
top up or change their water, clean the poop from their coop & run & add some more bedding if needed, it could take 15/20 mins but I fuss over them & it often takes
an hour! If mornings are a rush you could have the food & water ready the night
before & poop pick later in the day (so long as they have a clean nestbox to lay eggs)
Their pellets can be left in the run overnight but I worry about attracting rats so prefer
to bring it in.
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silverback
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by silverback »

Hi Sunny, as Dom say's, I let my girls out at about 07:00 - 07:30ish during the summer months, no problems )t' . I also have a couple of feeders in the run, with a constant supply of mash in each, so they can eat what and when they want to )t' ..
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sunnyskies
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by sunnyskies »

Hi guys,

thank you so much, it's the day-to-day that I'm really after so this is all incredibly helpful!

It doesn't sound too intrusive - but I just want to be very sure that I'm making the right decision!

Okay ... another question: how do you prevent foxes from burying beneath the coop? I'm now thinking about getting something wooden with a mesh ('fox-proof') wire run, but it looks like foxes could easily dig and get in?

Thank you so much again! {hug}
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by aishakali »

See Hintzas answer above.
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Hintza
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by Hintza »

To clarify either dig the wire in to the ground 10-12" but that is a faff.

Or lay a third to a half a roll on the ground on the outside of the run before nailing to posts. Then add more rolls until you reach the desired height.

If a fox comes digging he will then be attempting to dig through the wire, which he won't be able to do. Make sure overlaps of wire are fairly generous and tie the joins/overlaps with wire. Do not have any joins at ground level and if you do be even more generous with overlaps and any ties.

Do boundary checks daily.

Remember you have to get it right 100% of the time whereas the fox only has to get it right once!
3 Speckeldy, 2 Speckeldy boys, 2 Speckeldy Offspring girls, 6 White Stars, 1 Cream Legbar. 2 Cuckoo Marans, 1 Black Copper Marans (The Delinquent:- BOY!!), 1 Barnevelder, 6 Hyline, 2 Minorca.
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by sunnyskies »

Fab thank you so much! Really appreciated! )t'
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kitla
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Re: Keeping chickens - logistical questions!

Post by kitla »

A bit extravagant maybe but for an easy life & if it suits your plan this place will
cut a weldmesh skirt to size for you, ready to peg down under your turf.
http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenho ... _Runs.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant

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