[polly tunnel]

I am reading the the various messages and wonder how the poultry rearers manage to look after the flock and do everything else?
I would love to try with poultry but i am scared off when i read all the do's and don'ts and the sickness that one has to look out for, besides the fact that if they need daily attention I will never be able to leave the house again?! I ask again, how do you do it? is it really as scary as it reads?

[Dominic]

I dont have chickens, yet, but everything I've read leads me to believe, apart from power washing the eglu and changing food/water, they look after themselves

[happy chick]

Hi Polly (love your name by the way;that's pure genius!)

I'm sure the more experienced ones'll be on to explain things more for you, but in my very very short time owning hens it really isn't that difficult.  It takes a very short time to get to know the hens and to learn what is normal for them.  having the hens at home is really easy, just pop out in the morning to let them out, feed/water, maybe poo pick (if you're obsessive like me) and joy of joys collect the eggs.  If you can chuck some greens/corn in the afternoon after they've had their all important layers pellets/mash to keep them amused that's good but I don't think necessary as some people can't do this because they work.

Lock them up in house, when it's just gone dark to stop foxy making a night time attack and that't really all there is to it.  If anything is worrying you, you can come on here and ask questions, or read loads.  This place is where i've gleaned the most knowledge and unless a bird is ill, day to day care of chickens is not difficult at all.  With illness no-one knows everything and you try and take each hurdle as they come up.  We're all still learning and this forum is an excellent place to get advice for the more tricky aspects of hen keeping like illnesses.    Hope this helps

Sorry forgot to say it's definitely not scary and to go for it!!  it's soooo much fun  

[Miller]

It's fine as said above - we manage 8 chickens, 2 horses and 2 cats along with full time jobs 1 hr from home and being on call 1 week in 3 - and planning on more horses  :shock:

[polly tunnel]

thanks happy chick, I suspect your name suggests you have inside knowledge!

We are about to move to a more chicken friendly garden, so I will brace myself, and plunge. You can expect a lot of very daft questions in the early days I am sure.
Thanks for the encouragement.

[polly tunnel]

Miller hi,
HOwwwwww????

[GrannieAnnie]

If you've only got half a dozen chooks,  it doesn't take as long to look after them.  When we only had 20 odd, we even managed to stay away overnight when we were taking the Christmas presents around to all the children and grandchildren.

It's only now that we have so many raised from day old that it takes longer.  When my chicks are tiny, I'me out at the brooder shed 7 or 8 times a day between 6am and midnight, but when they are older, just 2 times a day is sufficient, although they do get their little afternoon treats as well at times.  And there is a lot less poo with 6 than there is with say 300 odd!!!!!    

[compostqueen]

they're not difficult to look after but I wouldn't say they looked after themselves (thinking back to the other day when I was applying Vaseline to my girls' wattles and combs)  

[matilda duck]

Hi polly tunnel love your name!!!!   Chickens are great!!!  I work part time ish???  Have two children 3 & 7 a dog but I wouldn't be without my chickens and neither would the family.....  We started with 4 in sept for my birthday and sunday we brought another 2 for my chrissie pressie.  The are so NOT hard to look after. Go out in a mornig feed clean water "morning girls," check for eggs "bye girls see you later"! You can tell instantly if there is anything wrong.  I then tend to pop 2/3 times to check..............OK 8/9/10 I'm addicted!!!!! I tend to stay a while and watch them,  Throw them corn /veg in afternoon........ put them to bed  "Night girls sleep tight" jobs a good un..You can always ask questions on here!!!!  That's what everyone is here for!!!!!!   Good luck

[WhatCameFirst]

Hi Polly,

The best thing I saw on this forum before we got ours was "they're less trouble than a dog".  Indeed they are, you don't have to walk them anywhere and dogs don't give you eggies every day.

It often looks like a lot of trouble because so many posts are about problems, but if you look at the Chicken Chat pages that will cheer you up!

Keeping chooks is very, very rewarding and I, along with everybody else on this forum I am certain, can heartily recommend having them. Hurrah for chickens!

[Bodger]

As they use to say on Crime Watch " don't have nightmares" By this, I mean don't spend all your time worrying about what might happen or you'll never take the plunge and get chickens. Its far better to deal with problems if and when they arise and don't be worried about seeking practical advice if the worst does happen. There's lots of knowledge available to you on this and other forums.
Have fun. :thumright:

[Lardman]

It often looks like a lot of trouble because so many posts are about problems, but if you look at the Chicken Chat pages that will cheer you up!

Well said. Check chicken chat its full of positive posts, and thats only the tip of the iceberg.  For every post there are 100s more moments that don't make it to the forum.

If you wanted to, less than 5 minute a day looking after them would do - but i think you'll find most people will confess to spending hours not so much looking after them but just looking at them  

Collecting fresh warm eggs for breakfast is an experience I think everyone should have.

[karlooben]

hi polly tunnel , { i love your name to } . i  work full time { 7 am tell 2,30 pm } .
i get up at 4.40am  do the 2 dogs then go of and do the 3 horses , then come home at 5.50 to do the 24 girlies . then i am of to work i come home at 2.30 walk the dogs  do the horses an then the girlies again . the only probelm i have is these dark early winter nights an dark early mornings { like msot ppl with animals }but apart from that having the girls is so much fun. dont let anything put u of at all .

i have only had my girls since august bank holiday and i went from 14 to 13 one died then all of a sudden i have 24 and i really am only still learning but thanks to peeps on here i have picked up so much that i never knew .
aslong as you can get a routine you will love keeping birds escpecailly on the warm summer nights when u can sit back an watch them for hours .

[tallulah]

Hi Polly - I found that an automatic pop hole door transformed our lives, and enabled us to have lie-ins and evenings out.  Before that, I couldn't bear to be out near dark as I'd worry about the girls so much.  It never let me down that auto-door!  Cost a bit mind, but well worth it.

[desandchez]

WE HAVE 11 AND THEY ARE ON OUR ALLOTMENT WHICH IS ABOUT A MILE FROM US. I CYCLE UP THERE ON MY WAY TO WORK IN THE MORNING NIP OUT IN MY LUNCH BREAK TO GIVE THEM CORN THE ON MY WAY HOME I POP BY AND PUT THEM TO BED. SO ITS ALL ABOUT BEING ORGANISED