My wife and I would like to keep chickens but we have not a clue how to begin and don't know anyone who has them.I have about 4 acres which in the main is laid to oranges. But have land around the house and pool where a run of sorts could be made. I would only like about half dozen just enough to supply our eggs and create a kind of hobby. What do I need in the way of housing for them because we do get stray hunters dogs coming onto my land....We have taken in 2 of them. Also how many hens per cockerel. What do they eat in the way of extras or will they find enough pottering around the land.There is also risk of disease and I notice some of the Spanish hens have their beaks clipped I can see why but having only six or so is that necessary. Any way there are a few questions hereon, if you can answer any of them please be kind enough to add your knowledge below. Ohhhh one more thing would I buy them from a big market as I have never seen them for sale in the area I live.

Is this another way of asking.

"What comes first, The chicken or the egg?"

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz nobhead

can I just ask a question?


Why not just add this question to the tail end of my thread asking pretty much the same thing?

I don't know if its an ego thing, and if it is just add mine to this one then it shows up as your thread, but do we honestly need another thread about the same topic that was being discussed only a couple of days ago?


Sorry, not being an arse, just cant get my head around it really.

Thank you.

I don't give a donkeys who's name is on the thread,I was going to ask the same question on that thread you mention however it just went into a rambling list of jokey comments which I love to join in with most of the time however when I ask for genuine information I expect the chance to be allowed to ask a serious question. I thought on the whole that was the idea of the website in the first place.Hence the thread in red at the top of the page. as the cliquey jokes were getting a little repetitive.

don't get me wrong, its something I'm interested in too, but I just question the benefit of opening loads of threads about the same thing.....


Don't take it personally....

Matt I don't ..........I just love ur bird SD but her heart belongs to another...
Ohhhhhhh to be a mossie

Do you know anything about keeping chickens though

She isn't my bird mate, but she is some ones your right......


Now, chickens.....

F. . K the chickens I wont bother now I was just going down the ferretería to get myself the chicken wire etc hoping to find all the advice on my return well they can go to hell The yokes on you lot

you do NOT need a cockerell to get the eggs, they will lay them even if there isn't one, in fact most of the eggs one buys in shops come from farmswhere there are NO male birds. You just need a shed they can get into at night to be shut in to deter predators, a secure run for the same reason, and nest boxes for when they start to lay, the nest boxes are often part of the secure shed, but with access from the outside so you can collect the eggs easily.

Thanks Mike for your input I just had a secret message from a Betty Boo lookalike and she showed me here http://www.poultry.allotment.org.uk/
Which tells you everything about their welfare etc so thank you all

Now if I could just get Mrs. IP to let me import and raise a few Aragon Ternascos.

Say what you will, all the Aus and NZ lamb we get here tastes like crap compared to it.