| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Dave P
Guest
|
 Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 2:04 am Post subject: Some advice |
 |
|
I have not long lurked and have certainly spent my time cruising Google for
a few answers but I still have some questions!
I don>t have a lot of space but am fortunate to live next door to Forestry
Commission who have given me permission to let my hens wander in the forest.
I plan to buy a coop for 6-8 hens, attach a smallish run, 5m x 1.5m, with a
gate to the forest.
I am unsure whether the hens will disappear in the forest or whether they
will come back for food! I>d hate to lose them! I>d plan to keep them in the
coop for a day or so, then a week or so in the run, before allowing them
out. As its open forest would foxes be a problem? I>d hope to have all the
birds in every night.
I am sure most of you have forgotten more than I know on this subject so a
few links to fill in my gaps would be appreciated!
Cheers,
Dave |
|
| |
|
 Back to top |
nuele
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 2:39 am Post subject: Re: Some advice |
|
|
Dave P <davepnojunk@hotmail.com> wrote:
[quote]I have not long lurked and have certainly spent my time cruising Google
for a few answers but I still have some questions!
I don>t have a lot of space but am fortunate to live next door to Forestry
Commission who have given me permission to let my hens wander in the
forest. I plan to buy a coop for 6-8 hens, attach a smallish run, 5m x
1.5m, with a gate to the forest.
I am unsure whether the hens will disappear in the forest or whether they
will come back for food! I>d hate to lose them! I>d plan to keep them in
the coop for a day or so, then a week or so in the run, before allowing
them out. As its open forest would foxes be a problem? I>d hope to have
all the birds in every night.
I am sure most of you have forgotten more than I know on this subject so a
few links to fill in my gaps would be appreciated!
Cheers,
Dave
[/quote]
Hello Dave,
foxes can be a big problem even in the daytime, depending on the season.
They get very determined when they have to feed cubs. We>ve also had
foxes here in broad daylight in the middle of the village in winter,
coming for chickens in enclosed runs.
Friends of mine living close to a forest have lost nearly all their
chickens in one fox attack this spring. Their hens were not roaming
freely, but inside a fenced run. Maybe a very light and flighty breed
would have a bit of a chance to escape in the wild, but I would only
risk it very reluctantly...
There may be more predators than only foxes, depending on where you
live.
Chickens do usually return to their coop as long as they are alive and
healthy ;-) It>s a good idea to keep them inside the coop at first, and
whenever I get new birds, the first time I let them out in the evening
when it>s almost "bedtime" for them, so they won>t go so far away and
will find their way back inside more easily (sometimes a little help is
needed nevertheless)
Concerning Google: did you know this link already? It>s the archive for
this group.
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=sci.agriculture.
poultry
Nuele
--
for mailing me, replace the fowls in my address by sap to avoid the spam
trap |
|
| |
|
| Back to top |
Jay
Guest
|
| Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:38 pm Post subject: Re: Some advice |
|
|
"nuele" <fowls@nuele-online.de> wrote in message
news:1fymjhf.bccp0jb0cukgN%fowls@nuele-online.de...
[quote]Dave P <davepnojunk@hotmail.com> wrote:
I have not long lurked and have certainly spent my time cruising Google
for a few answers but I still have some questions!
I don>t have a lot of space but am fortunate to live next door to
Forestry
Commission who have given me permission to let my hens wander in the
forest. I plan to buy a coop for 6-8 hens, attach a smallish run, 5m x
1.5m, with a gate to the forest.
I am unsure whether the hens will disappear in the forest or whether
they
will come back for food! I>d hate to lose them! I>d plan to keep them in
the coop for a day or so, then a week or so in the run, before allowing
them out. As its open forest would foxes be a problem? I>d hope to have
all the birds in every night.
I am sure most of you have forgotten more than I know on this subject so
a
few links to fill in my gaps would be appreciated!
Cheers,
Dave
Hello Dave,
foxes can be a big problem even in the daytime, depending on the season.
They get very determined when they have to feed cubs. We>ve also had
foxes here in broad daylight in the middle of the village in winter,
coming for chickens in enclosed runs.
Friends of mine living close to a forest have lost nearly all their
chickens in one fox attack this spring. Their hens were not roaming
freely, but inside a fenced run. Maybe a very light and flighty breed
would have a bit of a chance to escape in the wild, but I would only
risk it very reluctantly...
There may be more predators than only foxes, depending on where you
live.
Chickens do usually return to their coop as long as they are alive and
healthy ;-) It>s a good idea to keep them inside the coop at first, and
whenever I get new birds, the first time I let them out in the evening
when it>s almost "bedtime" for them, so they won>t go so far away and
will find their way back inside more easily (sometimes a little help is
needed nevertheless)
Concerning Google: did you know this link already? It>s the archive for
this group.
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=sci.agriculture.
poultry
Nuele
--
for mailing me, replace the fowls in my address by sap to avoid the spam
trap
[/quote]
Welcome Dave,
I would add a suggestion that you get them used to the sound of your voice
calling and a noise that they would associate with treats before you let
them out beyond any enclosed space. I have an old metal saucepan and they
readily associate the sound of wheat being rattled in it. I use this
whenever I need them to get back into the enclosed run. After six months of
having my hens they do also associate the sound of footsteps on the gravel
path with food and whenever I call they come running - treats or not.
Only thing that occurs to me is that light breeds (without clipped wings)
may be able to escape into the trees to avoid a fox. But I think foxes may
be able to climb.
Foxes are a real pain in this area. They kill hens just for fun as they
don>t always eat them.
Jay |
|
| |
|
| Back to top |
nuele
Guest
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2003 3:11 pm Post subject: Re: Some advice |
|
|
Jay <j_green156@hotmail.com> wrote:
[quote]Foxes are a real pain in this area. They kill hens just for fun as they
don>t always eat them.
[/quote]
yes, they do kill more than they need if they have the opportunity, but
if they aren>t disturbed they carry the bodies away and bury them for
later.
good idea to tame the chickens with treats, I do it with mine but
wouldn>t have thought of mentioning it, seems so natural that I don>t
always realise it ;-)
Nuele (D) |
|
| |
|
| Back to top |
John Hines
Guest
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2003 8:09 pm Post subject: Re: Some advice |
|
|
"Dave P" <davepnojunk@hotmail.com> wrote:
[quote]I have not long lurked and have certainly spent my time cruising Google for
a few answers but I still have some questions!
I don>t have a lot of space but am fortunate to live next door to Forestry
Commission who have given me permission to let my hens wander in the forest.
I plan to buy a coop for 6-8 hens, attach a smallish run, 5m x 1.5m, with a
gate to the forest.
I am unsure whether the hens will disappear in the forest or whether they
will come back for food! I>d hate to lose them! I>d plan to keep them in the
coop for a day or so, then a week or so in the run, before allowing them
out. As its open forest would foxes be a problem? I>d hope to have all the
birds in every night.
[/quote]
You>ll want to release the chickens into the coop, and keep them there
until they get used to it being "home". Once that happens, they should
return at night. |
|
| |
|
| Back to top |
Christina Websell
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 1:45 am Post subject: Re: Some advice |
|
|
Dave P <davepnojunk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:bfphki$hqh9j$1@ID-119613.news.uni-berlin.de...
[quote]I have not long lurked and have certainly spent my time cruising Google
for
a few answers but I still have some questions!
I don>t have a lot of space but am fortunate to live next door to Forestry
Commission who have given me permission to let my hens wander in the
forest.
I plan to buy a coop for 6-8 hens, attach a smallish run, 5m x 1.5m, with
a
gate to the forest.
I am unsure whether the hens will disappear in the forest or whether they
will come back for food! I>d hate to lose them! I>d plan to keep them in
the
coop for a day or so, then a week or so in the run, before allowing them
out. As its open forest would foxes be a problem? I>d hope to have all the
birds in every night.
I am sure most of you have forgotten more than I know on this subject so a
few links to fill in my gaps would be appreciated!
Cheers,
Dave
Hello Dave[/quote]
I presume you are in the UK as you have mentioned the Forestry Commission.
I think foxes will be a problem, even in the daytime and I would advise you
to be very careful. Foxes are a problem here, at night and occasionally
daytime and I>m not even near any Forestry Commission land. That sort of
place is great for foxes.
Tina |
|
| |
|
| Back to top |
Jill
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 2:40 am Post subject: Re: Some advice |
|
|
"Dave P" <davepnojunk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:bfphki$hqh9j$1@ID-119613.news.uni-berlin.de...
[quote]I have not long lurked and have certainly spent my time cruising Google
for
a few answers but I still have some questions!
I don>t have a lot of space but am fortunate to live next door to Forestry
Commission who have given me permission to let my hens wander in the
forest.
I plan to buy a coop for 6-8 hens, attach a smallish run, 5m x 1.5m, with
a
gate to the forest.
I am unsure whether the hens will disappear in the forest or whether they
will come back for food!
[/quote]
no problem they go out but as long as you keep themin the run for a day or
two
after that home is where the heart is once duck comes
I>d hate to lose them! I>d plan to keep them in the
[quote]coop for a day or so, then a week or so in the run, before allowing them
out. As its open forest would foxes be a problem? I>d hope to have all the
birds in every night.
ask around[/quote]
only folks in the nearbourhood will be able to tell you if htey are day time
or only night time foxes
ask also about badgers; pinemarten and mink
can make a rael difference to how you set up the house and what sort of
house to get
[quote]
I am sure most of you have forgotten more than I know on this subject so a
few links to fill in my gaps would be appreciated!
keep them coming[/quote]
none of us are experts
we can all learn
--
Jill Bowis
http://www.poultryscotland.co.uk http://www.henhouses.co.uk
http://www.domesticducks.co.uk http://www.poultry-books.co.uk
http://www.kintaline.co.uk/cottage
[quote]
Cheers,
Dave
[/quote] |
|
| |
|
| Back to top |
|
