Frugal Girl72

Hi, are there any members here who keep chickens in Spain and if so are there issues to watch for? - for example in the UK we have the dreaded Red mite- in hotter countries maybe something different?

Also, if you kept chickens in the UK then moved to Spain and kept them did you design the coop differently? I saw coops in Africa where the floor was just mesh so the droppings feel through and also made the coop cooler.

It's one of the first things I would acquire as I'm chicken mad

snikpoh

We keep chickens here and have had no problems. On the positive side, whereas in UK they would stop laying in the winter, here they just keep on going.

We build our own coop using bricks and render - Spanish style. We gave it a higher roof and lots of ventilation. We then cover the roof with lots of palm 'leaves' to try and keep it cool.

Best of luck.

Frugal Girl72

That sounds great! Love the palm leaves idea.
One of my hens just turned 9- I've known her since she was an egg
[IMG][/IMG]

Porth

What a lovely posting. Being truly amateurs when we moved to Normandie we purchased chickens from both the market and equally some rare breeds.

I did not realise that chickens take themselves to bed! So many funny stories in that regard! Including a visit to the vets!

BEVS

I love our hens.

We get mites here in New Zealand also.

I have to go to bed now but I shall subscribe and try to remember for tomorrow.

Frugal Girl72

I started with chickens about 10 years ago- you very quickly become a bit of an expert because in keeping them you become interested and the more interested you are the more you learn. I joined the practical Poultry forum back then and it was and still is a complete gem! I can't be without chickens now!
There is nothing more miserable than a wet hen- they HATE the rain. My dream is to have a few orange trees on my plot and keep the chickens within the grove. They will fertilize the ground, turn it over and keep weeds down- plus give amazing eggs!
There's nothing cuter than a chick Unfortunately this one ended up being a male...
[IMG][/IMG]

MrsMac59

Hi All

My husband is determined to keep hens when we move out in September so I have no doubt I shall be back to this thread with many questions. The down side (for him) is that we shall only be in Spain for six months at a time initially. The upside for me is my freezer will never be without free range and organic chickens. Should I apologise now .........

Horlics

I have a friend in the UK who keeps chickens on his allotment. I noticed that allotments are fairly common in Spain. But, of all the names allocated allotments near where i'll be living, not one was a Brit.

What a shame, it would be a good way to integrate. I suppose the fact that most people spend a few weeks or months away prevents getting involved in such things.

Rosemary

What does this red mite do?

Also Frugal girl I remember you saying that you are hoping to buy a finca so what other animals are you planning to keep there and also have you decided on where you want to live.

Rosemary

flotsum

I have been keeping chickens for the last 2 years. I built a high coop with lots of ventilation and left the bottom to bare earth which I scrape out once a week. I also have a 2 meter fence around their outside area with a ceiling of wire after I saw a couple of eagle hovering in anticipation! I give them plenty of shade when outside. I buy in boys every three months, feed them up then dispatch leaving the ground and the ladies that lay in peace for at least a month before buying in the next batch and I plan this so that I do not have young chicks in the really hot weather or the really cold weather. I have a question as well. I keep thinking that to breed my own would be more cost effective but I am worried about Mareks disease as to immunize privately I have heard is very expensive and too be honest I think round here I would be laughed out of the vets. Does anyone breed their own and should I be worried.

Frugal Girl72

I plan to breed Pygmy goats and keep chickens but that's al,l apart from our dog (possible rescue dog plus) and rescue cats-
It's likely we will be Andalucia or Valencia? Our kids are still at high school so nothing can happen until they are settled at uni or work. It may be that we're able to buy somewhere before then and rent it out as a holiday home and use it ourselves off season but it's all down to money. My husband is a butterfly geek and wants a wildflower meadow for butterflies and bees- I would LOVE some orange trees. The size of the plot is really important to us.
I am planning years ahead!

Frugal Girl72

Thanks for replying- I too would like to raise meat birds from time to time but I know some breeds are better than others- the older duel purpose breeds are good but they can go broody-




Rosemary- sorry, forgot to say Red Mite live in the housing in cracks and under felt- they come out at night and if you have enough they can kill a hen- it's happened to mine- she went very pale, there was a whole colony living under a paper sack on the floor and by the time I discovered them she had died from anemia- they are nasty

They normally die off or go dormant in the colder weather- one way to stop them is never use felt and fill up any gaps-

I use http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth as a residual substance- it is the best thing since sliced bread- been mite free for several months now.

Frugal Girl72

Fantastic- home grown meat is the best- you know they've had the best life.

Dick Dasterdly

Don't forget crafty old Zorro the fox.
Dig any perimeter penwire well into the ground or lay flat beyond the perimeter and cover with heavy stones and turf.
I lost one of mine to a stray old dog which I had kindly taken in off the streets and didn't even seem capable of hurting a fly, until a hen strayed outside one day and the old dog suddenly came to life, shot across the garden like a rocket and snapped it up in the wink of an eye before I had time to react..

me me

9 years old for a hen, is that old?

How long is the lifespan of a hen, that is if it doesn´t send up as sopa de gallina, and nature runs it course