An Introduction to Keeping Chickens www Food 4

An Introduction to Keeping Chickens www. Food 4 Macc. org

Food 4 Macc Choice of Birds Rhode Island Red Light Sussex Hybrids Rhodie-Sussex Thornber 404 Warrens, Shavers, Novo Brown

Food 4 Macc Choice of Birds You Don’t Need a Cockerel (and don’t be palmed off with one!)

Food 4 Macc Price of Novo Brown Point of Lay Pullets Age (Weeks) Qty 16 17 18 19 0 -4 21 22+ £ 7. 40 5 - 11 20 £ 6. 40 12 - 19 £ 5. 95 £ 6. 05 £ 6. 15 £ 6. 25 £ 6. 35 20 - 39 £ 5. 65 £ 5. 75 £ 5. 85 £ 5. 95 £ 6. 05 £ 5. 45 £ 5. 55 £ 5. 65 £ 5. 75 £ 5. 30 £ 5. 40 £ 5. 50 £ 5. 60 40 - 99 £ 5. 25 100+ £ 4. 80 £ 5. 35 £ 4. 90 Vaccinated/ medicated against: Marrecks Salmonella EDS (Egg Drop Syndrome) IB (Infectious Bronchitis) Newcastles disease TRT/SHS (Turkey Rhino Tracheitis/Swollen Head Syndrome) ILT (Infectious Laryngotracheitis) IBD (Infectious Bursal Disease)/Gumboro Coccidioses

Food 4 Macc Other Breeds available from £ 10 - £ 30 each

Food 4 Macc Leek Market – Poultry Sale days Poultry Sales at 9. 30 Saturday 12 th October Store Cattle & Poultry. Saturday 26 th October Store Cattle & Poultry. Saturday 9 th November Store Cattle & Poultry. Saturday 23 rd November Poultry & Caged Birds. Saturday 7 th December Store Cattle & Poultry. Saturday 21 st December Poultry & Caged Birds.

Food 4 Macc Local Suppliers

Food 4 Macc Commercially available houses : Omlet Egloo from £ 450 Note mesh over ground to keep out predators

Food 4 Macc Commercially available houses :

Food 4 Macc Commercially available houses

Food 4 Macc Commercially available houses : £ 85 on line

Food 4 Macc

Food 4 Macc

Food 4 Macc A Place to Live This 2 nd hand 7’x 5’ garden shed sleeps 22 birds

Food 4 Macc A Place to Live This 2 nd hand 7’x 5’ garden shed sleeps 22 birds 20 cm of perching per bird Feeder & Drinker suspended off the floor Wood shavings from local Joiner Nest Boxes

Food 4 Macc A Place to Live This 2 nd hand 7’x 5’ garden shed sleeps 22 birds

Food 4 Macc The Run At least 1 square metre per bird Hens love to eat your Swiss Chard / Spinach Provide some shelter from sun, wind and rain Scratching in flower and veg beds can be a problem

Food 4 Macc The Run

Food 4 Macc The Run Rabbit / Chicken Netting BS 443 1050 x 31 x 19 g 50 m £ 41. 75 1050 x 31 x 18 g 50 m £ 70. 14 1200 x 31 x 19 g 50 m £ 55. 11 1200 x 31 x 18 g 50 m £ 81. 83 1800 x 50 x 19 g 50 m £ 80. 00 Posts 1. 5 x 75 mm (5’ x 3”) £ 3. 53 1. 8 x 75 mm (6’ x 3”) £ 4. 23 2. 1 x 75 mm (7’ x 3”) £ 4. 93 2. 4 x 75 mm (8’ x 3”) £ 5. 48 3. 0 x 75 mm (10’ x 3”) £ 7. 05 Prices Plus VAT, but less Retail Discount: £ 100 - 10% £ 200 - 20% £ 300 - 30% £ 400 - 40%

Food 4 Macc The Weather • Hens don’t like to be too hot, so provide them with some shade from the sun and keep their house well ventilated. • They are quite tolerant of cold, but watch out for water drinkers freezing up. • An outdoor sun shade will also protect them from rain. • A wind break can be useful if you are in an exposed area

Food 4 Macc What if you are not there? If you go out in the evening, before your hens have gone to roost, they need to be shut up. Or If your hen run is fox proof, you can leave them to their own devices What if you go away for a few days? You could stock them up with food and water for a couple of days, but really you need someone to call and check them every day (in exchange for the eggs? )

Food 4 Macc Food and Drink £ 6. 50 £ 5 Health Care £ 10 Regularly turn your birds up side down and dust their bottoms and arm pits with mite powder. Worming powder can be added to their feed.

Food 4 Macc Feeding Kitchen Scraps? £ 8 per 20 kg bag “Layers Pellets” contain a fully balanced diet that should need no supplementation with calcium sources such as shell grit. We scatter some loose grain on the ground to encourage scratching, but this should be given after they have stoked up on layers feed. There is blanket ban on feeding kitchen waste to chickens. This is to avoid the risk of their food coming into content with “animal proteins” which may be contaminated with for example Salmonella. This is true for vegetarian households too, but vegan’s are exempted. http: //www. defra. gov. uk/ahvla-en/disease-control/abp/collect-feed/bankitchen-scraps-pet/

Food 4 Macc Cleaning Most of the droppings are produced when roosting, so they fall in a neat line. We collect the droppings each day, and replace the whole bedding every few weeks

Food 4 Macc Wing Clipping If the birds fly out of your run, you can clip their wings. Some people clip only one wing, Some clip out alternate flight feathers, And some clip both wings.

Food 4 Macc Economics Cost of the bird £ 7 Food for a year £ 28 Total Costs £ 35 Egg Sales 300 eggs = 25 dozen @ £ 3 per doz £ 75 Profit in the first year £ 40 Less expenses: Equipment, Bedding, Louse Powder, ? ? ? - and your time? 2 hrs a week? ? ? ?

Food 4 Macc Daylight: 15 -16 hours a day for maximum production

Food 4 Macc Selling Eggs You can avoid registering with the Defra’s Egg Marketing Inspectorate (EMI). • If you have less than 50 hens and, • You sell only direct to customers, and not via an intermediary. https: //www. gov. uk/eggs-trade-regulations Price You can see free range eggs advertised at between £ 2 - £ 3 per dozen.

Food 4 Macc Cleaning Eggs Egg shells are porous. Wetting outside can allow any bacteria present on the surface to move through the shell. So try to remove dirt with a dry green pan scrubber first. If you have to wet them, use warm water so that the egg contents expand pushing outwards. Dry them off quickly

Food 4 Macc Storing Eggs Egg shells are porous. Moisture forming on the outside can allow any bacteria present on the surface to move through the shell. Eggs are not refrigerated by producers or retailers, to avoid the possibility of condensation forming on the shells when they are carried home after purchase. Eggs will keep for about 28 days at room temperature, but because home kitchens are often humid, and heat up & cool down, we are commonly told to keep them in a fridge after purchase. https: //www. statpub. com/index. php/gab/article/94948

Food 4 Macc Bed Time This Photo-electric winch pulls the door open in the morning and lowers it at night

Food 4 Macc Things you didn’t know you needed

Food 4 Macc More Information (click pictures for websites) Keeping Chickens a Beginners Guide website

Food 4 Macc www. food 4 macc. org Tel: - 07824 860 566 Leave your e-mail address if you would like to keep up to date with developments.