[FCG]

I have a question about animals. I would would to have some chooks in my back garden ruinning wild as i have a large snail contingent they may be interested in and very large fences all round (6-7ft). However on either side we have two very 'barky' dogs. Plus the fact that i know for sure that if a chook ever got into one side it would be either severly traumatised (the dog -literally- tries to hump anyone/anything it isn't used to) or eaten as it's a staff.

So would it work with chooks in the garden? Or would the barking dogs just put them off laying? I would only have room for 3-4 and i wouldn't be breeding them for food but i may borrow a cockerel for one or two chicks (i wouldn't be able to resist)

Plus the fact i literally have what where used to be called 'the fox fields' at my back gate... so if they get out they would be doomed. Still, i wonder if you could take chickens walking.

The garden is large enough to support them as long as the dears stay off my raised beds! Hopefully i'll be able to get some large ones to tell next doors cat to go away and stop scratching up my beds.

Just to make clear, they would have a free run of the garden from morning to night and then popped into a henhouse (which i have lot of wood to build from)
So, would it be a go?

[babe]

hello, if you have a word with one of the moderators, they'll move this to the henhouse.

lots of nutty chicken people in there to help.

[richyrich7]

You could clip the wings that would stop them flying up onto and over the fence, but if they can hop up in steps they will, the dogs noise would'nt bother them, our neighbours have 2 yappy dogs and football mad kids the noise from them or my kids don't seem bother them.

If you think they are gonna keep of your raised beds then you are mistaken mine take a direct root to my OH's  :oops:

Mine don't eat snails unless I stamp on 'em first hedgehogs are better  :!:

Would'nt bother with a cock just buy some fertile eggs in if you want chicks and you have a broody, but what will you do with the male chicks ?.

Hen keeping is very rewarding and surprisingly uncomplicated as Muntjacs article shows. Good luck with your decision.

[richyrich7]

hello, if you have a word with one of the moderators, they'll move this to the henhouse.

lots of nutty chicken people in there to help.

Good idea Babe    I have done so my 1st split  :shock:

[babe]

woo hoo richy  :cheers:

[FCG]

Ooops, sorry for posting in the wrong spot!

Unfortunately hedgehogs are rare around here.. they have masses of fields and woods near my house so i never see them around looking for scraps. However there was one year where one the size of a kitten turned up.

Thanks for your advice richy. When you say they decimate the beds.. is there anything that could stop them? I'm willing to bribe them with sweet treats if necessary!

[babe]

When you say they decimate the beds.. is there anything that could stop them?

nope .... they'll only stop when theyve had the lot  

but you'll love it

[peggyprice]

Definitely don't think you need to worry about the noisy dogs; I've got five hens and four dogs, kept apart from each other by some trellis fencing and a wrought iron gate.  Every time the chickens come near the fence the dogs start barking - the hens don't even flinch, much to the dogs' irritation  

We have 6' fences all round, but with their wings clipped and all potential 'step ups' moved out of flapping distance from the boundary we haven't seen any sign of them even thinking of going over.

And for your veg beds - and anything else you want to keep them out of    - you can get flexible netting that you can move around whenever you want (either to keep chickens in or out), or you could make a more permanent arrangement - depends on your preference.

Or to cut a long story short - it's all do-able, so go for it