# Hens - I want some!



## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Been thinking for a while - obviously some rescued battery jobs will be ace. Met a couple in Tesco's yesterday (man and woman not hens) and they rescued 4 one sadly died on way home but other three have been with them since July.

So anyone own hens? 

Any things I should know about hens apart from obvious - they lay eggs?

Am I being crackers?

And yes hen jokes and puns allowed - go on your know you want to ..

Oooh yes and its not Mohome related but its on mohome forum so ner! You don't have to read it if you don't want to.

Greenie :lol:


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

You better not call one Carol...................................

Why are some eggs white and some brown???
I like poached eggs in my motorhome in the morning, there we go nicely motorhome related now.


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## waspes (Feb 11, 2008)

Hi the hens are no problem its the rats you will have problems with.

Peter.


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## firewood (Mar 17, 2009)

you go for it i had some for a long time but a fox had them in may this year ..but we did like to see them run around the garden .there is no way you can buy a better egg then the one you get from your own hens . if you need any help just ask


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## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

Had one today, rescued from Morrisons... unfortunately it was dead when I got it...



Enough for a curry and spare for frozen for another day


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

[quote="greenasthegrass"So anyone own hens? 
Any things I should know about hens apart from obvious - they lay eggs?
Am I being crackers?Greenie :lol:[/quote]

Hi Greenie.
We succumbed to keeping a couple of chooks earlier this year. Yes the eggs are marvellous. We now have 3½ birds.

But what with having to build a secure coop, buy the feed even though ours are very free range, letting them out at daybreak. Banging em up at dusk and shovelling buckets of poop almost daily. Then one goes broody and won't come out to feed. They always scratch up the parts of your garden you don't want scratched.

If the fox does get ours then I don't think we will keep any more just to save a couple a squid on eggs. Been there and one that.

Ray.


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## aldhp21 (Aug 4, 2008)

greenasthegrass said:


> So anyone own hens?


We rent ours. There's a farm just down road in Stoke Mandeville that rents them out. They house and feed them and your entitled to 6 eggs of each hen. So we rented two. The kids (kids!! 21 and 16) named hens and we have a picture of each of them hung up in the kitchen. We call in once a week to pickup a dozen. The eggs are boxed up waiting so I would think there is a bit of poetic licence in which hens the our eggs come from.

Great arrangement and fantastic eggs.

here's their website

http://www.eggsandhens.com/

Cheers
Alan


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## Westbay (Mar 15, 2008)

Yes, it's great having hens, but . . .

As my daughter has found out, they are a VERY big tie. No more just popping away in the van for a few days - you need to plan everything around who is going to feed / water the chooks. Lots of people get them, think they're great for a few months, then they become a burden, then it's adverts in the free-adds to get someone to take them on.

Think hard before you jump in/


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

greenasthegrass said:


> Any things I should know about hens apart from obvious - they lay eggs?
> 
> Am I being crackers?


A couple of questions, do you have a MH? do you use it? or do you want to stay at home all the time

if the answer is yes, yes, no, then dont get hens, as they tie you down a lot.


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## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

Do they do chicken 'passports'? If they do you could take them abroad with you!


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

They have Chicken cages for taking them camping --you could sell the eggs


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## mikeyv (May 23, 2007)

Personally I think chickens belong in the countryside, not in cities.

The bloke at the back of us keeps chickens and ducks, they are noisy, stink and attract rats - fortunately they also attract foxes, so occasionally the noise stops.

Another bloke further up the road kept chickens and a cockerel, after falling out with his neighbours over the noise, he ended up with an asbo.


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## aldhp21 (Aug 4, 2008)

mikeyv said:


> he ended up with an asbo.


Does it lay eggs?


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Don't think you could take them abroad even with a passport - bird flu'.

Second thoughts - perhaps it would be OK going, but a bit of a problem bringing them back 8O 

Better check with DEVRA/DVLA/WWF/WWT/RSPB or whoever :? 

Sue

P.S. Life is MH related


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## Middlepits (Nov 1, 2009)

*I want hens*

Hi there, we have had hens now for about four years. I think they are great , when we go away we just have to get someone to let them out (they are free range) and shut them in at the end of the day. The eggs are wonderful and on a sunny day i think there is nothing better that watching them scratch and forage about. They can also be quite affectionate ,ours follow you around and if you hold your arm out one of them actually perches on it.


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## crimpleken (Jan 13, 2009)

*Hens I want some*

Hi, My daughter has 5 rescue hens. She has just been away for 10 days and I have looked after the hens. Lots of work,let them out in the morning, put them in in the evening,clean out. As for the cost,hen coop, chicken run.feed bedding etc. Then there is the mess they make and keeping rats and foxes at bay . The eggs are the most expensive eggs on the planet. Think long and hard before you commit to getting some hens.
Crimple ken.


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Fear not - the Chicken Lady is here to advise you on all things chook (at least thats what hubby called me when I used to keep hens)  

Hens are great, all got their own wee personality, easy to keep if you plan their living arrangements well, lots of lovely warm eggs just outta the hens bums (they only have one hole ya know) :lol: :lol: 
Either pick a hardy breed that are good layers (Black Rock Hybrids are my favourite), or it would be nice to rescue some battery ones (A mix of both?).

Have their shed and a fox proof run connected so that they can get up in the morning and put thereselves to bed a night without you having to be there. That way, as long as there is lots of fresh water (hens drink a lot of water to make eggs) and plenty layers meal, you can confidently leave them and go off in the van for a few days no problems. Longer than that you would need someone to check up on them - always had plenty volunteers when the deal is they can take the eggs!

Other than that, they just need a few handfuls of corn a day, some grit (oyster shells), and all your kitchen scraps (not potato peelings) and they are very happy.
An abundance of eggs April to October, not so many in the winter unless you keep them awake with artificial light  

You will probably get mice (never had a rat), so either accept it, or use rodent control (be careful, the hens could get poisoned too).
Exercise good hygeine - if cleaned out each week it doesn't take long (30 mins).

Hens can live very happily without a cockerel, so don't consider getting one if you have neighbours or unless you fancy a 4am wake up call!

Any questions, just give me a shout.

Oh, I miss me hens!!!


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I found the hardest part was when it was time to say goodbye


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## LisaB (Apr 24, 2009)

I have had poultry all my life and the list for todays "stock" at: 9 ex-batts, 5 bantam cocks, 8 bantam hens, 12 guinea fowl, 2 geese, 13 ducks, the dog, 2 cats, 3 guinea pigs and the OH! LOL

Yes they are a tie, but neighbours generally oblige for a decent eggs or three. They are also very entertaining to keep.

I also have 3 Malaysian Serama Bantam babies that are three weeks old in my kitchen (much to the cats disgust!) They are the smallest chooks in the world and are the new house pet apparently as they would live in a guinea pig house! 

Also you can buy a photo electric cell door closer, which locks them up for you! 

Think hard, but if you think you can - go for it and any questions please ask away.........................


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

<<< Have their shed and a fox proof run >>>

Hi Hezbez.
Very difficult to keep a fox out of a run. They can burrow or climb any fence. If they are free range it's a risk they have to take. But we made sure they are not disturbed at night by constructing a coop out of pallets, concrete blocks and tiles all leftovers.

Ray.


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Aw thanks chaps and chappettes! Even though I live in Leeds its very rural and I have an outhouse a greenhouse and two huts in the garden. I am taking great deliberations and neighbours already look after my now one guinea pig and have said they would have no problem with ens!

But am unsure due to amount of cleaning up to be done .... will continue thinking ...!

Am thinking Carol good name for an old en what you think?

Greenie :lol:


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## Caggsie (Aug 19, 2008)

I got some for my birthday!!!!!!!!!!! Love em to pieces. It is vary expensive to set up. Mine have a covered run, coop and get let out into the garden at weekends and evenings etc. As someone said they are very expensive eggs!!! I go away for long weekends and they are self sufficient any longer I get someone to keep an eye to fill up feeders and water. They are a tie. We have mesh along the floor overlaid with gravel. this seems to keep the big rodents away but the mice do get through the curvey bit of the plastic corrugated roof.

I poop pick daily in the coop, hose down the run daily and top up with bedding etc when its required. This is an excellent forum www.poultrychat.com

Hope this helps


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