[debih]

We have a large but unusable garden (in fact I tend to tell people that we have no garden as it saves on explanations!!).

We live in a semi rural street, backing onto the moors so we do have foxes around.  We live in a very hilly area so the gardens are high and steep.  Ours is terraced into three rough terraces, the lower of which is as high as the house - although we have fantastic views it doesnt make for a particularly useable garden!

My hubby has fancied having chickens for some time but I am not sure how much looking after they would need.  We have the room to build a run and house (although getting the wood, etc up there would be like climbing a mountain with it strapped to your back). What sort of area do you need per chicken.

My main worry is that he works away alot and I work part time and have two children aged 6 and 8.  My mornings are pretic hectic and now we have just taken on our allotment I can see my evenings being quite busy.  Will I have time to do what they need doing to them if he is away?  And what do we need to do to keep foxes and cats away from them.

[orfy]

My 3 are taking me around 5 minutes a day at present.

I like to spend more time with them though.

In the morning I open the door for them and scoop the poop.
I then give them a scoop of food and check the water.

In the afternoon my wife gives them a scoop of corn.

At night I shut the door.

I guess there will be times I have to take more time.

[poultrygeist]

Pretty much, 5 minutes in the morning (sunrise onwards, 6.30am for us at the moment ). Feed and water change.
5 minutes after dusk. About 8.45pm but 9.45 midsummer. Locking up.

Maybe 10 minutes during the day for egg collecting, checking they're ok and having a chat with them, plus any time in between you can spare to bring them up to date on the latest gossip.

To keep foxes away, you'll need either physical barriers, eg. closed run or electric fencing, or a deterrant such as foxwatch sonic deterrant.
We have a closed run made from timber and welded mesh but that may not be practical on a steep slope.

Lovely place for them to be by the way. I've spent many happy hours in the peaks  

Rob

[Miller]

We have the following routine with ours:

Undo pop hole when we get up to feed horses - arond 5:45am - 6am

Quick coffee and muck out horses

Muck out hen house approx 06:25, change water, top up feed, collect any eggs (5 Mins)
 
Off to work for 8

Home from work around 6pm

Check if any eggs, top up feed/water if required/ give some grain

Lock up when they take theirselves to bed (around 8:45pm at moment)

Minimum 10 mins a day but believe me you tend to spend alot of time chatting to them when you're around  :oops: