[Clara-Cluck]

Hi all,

I have just stumbled across this lovely community whilst researching 'keeping chickens'.  I have a young family (Zak 2 and Jenna 3) and am unsure whether now is the right time to start keeping chickens or not.  I love the idea and really like the idea of teaching the kids responsibilty and about the food chain but just not sure if it will be a huge commitment and change our life dramatically??  I would like to keep a fairly nice lawn for the family too.
I just don't know what to do.  If you have any advice for starting up or simply an honest opinion I would be really grateful!


Thanks xx

[craig1981]

my family situation is similar to yours . my eldest is 3 and my youngest is 1 and to begin with i was unsure but i am glad i decided to go for it . My eldest lola loves the chickens . She strokes them , hand feeds them corn and has names all of them thomas . We are lucky enough to have a 70ft long garden and have fenced 12ft off for the chickens leaving the rest for the family . Lola is slowly learning that the egg comes from the chicken and tells anyone who will listen that she has chickens at home . I say go for it . My whole set up which consists of converting a new shed and fencing off an area with all food and feeding equipment and most importantly the chickens cost less than £250

[Vic K]

I say go for it too. Mine are 7 and 3, and my 7-yr old is already a worthy deputy and will collect eggs, shut them up and let them out, pick them up, and bribe them back into their walk-in run. We took one into her school as well and she told her class all about them. (My 3-yr old has been know to fire his water pistol at them.  Not sure how educational that was - perhaps he learnt that chickens really don't like water?)

But yes, fence them off. And make sure you have friend/neighbours willing to look after them when you go away - whilst they aren't high maintenance, they do require more attention than, say, a cat.

[joyfull]

Although my children are grown up (keep nagging them that I want grand kiddies to no avail), I would say yes go for it, kiddies love chickens especially when you have got them tame enough to hand feed and to hold them 

[karlooben]

go for it , your kids will love you forever  also its a good way to keep them quiet { well i would assume so i wont know as i dont have kids } get 2 for now  then u can get more and moreeeeee and moreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee then you will be addicted

[Fifitrix]

Yep I'm with the lot above, although I guess we're probably biased!!  

My kids have got more out of keeping chickens than any of our other pets.  They love going into the pen (yes, penning them off is really important if you don't want your kids stepping in chicken poo everytime they play on the grass), and collecting the eggs or sitting and holding the chickens.  It's taught them about life (we've hatched chicks) and death (we've had to kill cockerals - not in front of the kids I hasten to add!  ) and personally I'm very proud of the way they handle the chickens.  Chickens can be very flappy when you pick them up which frightens a lot of kids but if they can overcome that which most children who like animals do, it stands them in good stead for handling other animals.

It is a time consuming job, but I don't find myself cleaning them out any more than I cleaned my guinea pigs out and when you've got kids you're up early to let the chickens out anyway so the letting them out and putting them to bed @ night is no hassle because it's just like bedtime with the kids (only no-one argues!  or comes back down the stairs cos they can't sleep, er well maybe sometimes they do!!!).

Good luck!  I'd say it's really worth any hassle and gives you a lot of job satisfaction that you're (well your ladies are!) producing your own eggs.

[bubs]

if your garden is big enough to pen a small section off for 2/3 chickens then i would strongly recommend getting some hens , the kids will love collecting the eggs and getting a boiled egg for breakfast , i know my 8 yr old niece does when she sleeps over.

[nzdunn]

Definately go for it, my kids are 6 and 2 and im a first time chuck owner, got the two girls last friday, seems absoutely ages now, we have enjoyed every minute of owning them, they really are great to watch, mine are becoming very friendly now.    They need not cost the earth, i carnt afford a new shed or coup so we converted out children plastic wendy house, fixed in a perch and its fantastic for them.   Seriously do it you will so enjoy them   Nickyx

[richyrich7]

Your kids will probably love them love fetching them worms and stuuf too, it's also good for them to see the realities of hens and hen keeping, warn them that it is possible for them to get ill and have to be destroyed, mine have all grown up with knowing that they could be culled.
As for the lawn if you let the hens on there you will have bare patches where they dig they will create dust baths where they feel is best for them , same for your flower borders if you have them.
Hens are great but they are destructive, you could consider making them a decent size run  and keeping them in there, perhaps letting them out on the odd day for a bit of variety, run size varies with opinion, but if you aim for 2M² a bird you should have little problems and happy hens.
Try to provide a covered area if you cant cover the lot, a few plants that are tough may add interest, dig it over regularly to keep the soil fresh , sprinkle with a little lime will also help. I tend to dig out about 4-6" of soil out of the run every year and replace with fresh either from home out of the borders or from the allotment.
Have a read  of the Poultry Information forum especially the chicken keeping no sentiments bit.
Lastly decide on whether they are pets or livestock, pets get names livestock doesn't. Also think about what you will do if they get ill vets can be expensive and not everyone can bring themselves to despatch a hen.
Hen keeping has plenty of rewards but is best approached from a researched angle.

 Everyone has their favourite breed but I'd go for warrens 1st time round shouldn't cost you much more than £5-6 each nice little brown hen very friendly and easy to tame.
 and don't get ex-batts (my personal opinion is there's too much to go wrong or die suddenly for a new keeper)

[matilda duck]

I have 2 children Alistair aged 8 and Mary aged 4.  We started off with ducks!!!!  We had 4 one for each of us. 
In November 3 got eaten by the fox   I took the decision that they had to know the real truth and this is real life.  After all foxes only want the very best free rangers.  It was a hard lesson but they learned so much from it.
We now have 9 chickens all fenced off in their coup.  Mary is first out in a morning to help with the feeding and egg collecting, Alistair helps out too.  He prefers the ducks to which we now have 10 :blink:. 
We all love the experience and Mary has learned so much about them.  Remember she is 4 but can tell exactly who laid what egg!!!!!!  She knows so much about them that that they love her talking about them at school.
You will have to take the rough with the smooth but the education the children get from it is so rewarding.

My personal advice is .......you've put the topic on here so I think you have an inkling for them  the children will love it get some.......but not ex=batts, they can be too sicky for beginers.

[Clara-Cluck]

Wow what a great response...thank you all for taking the time to give advice.  I decided to get some chickens and have found the advice to pen off an area really helpful. 

I have an area around my shed at the back of the garden which is about 5' x 8' and has lots of overgrown plants etc and is mostly slabbed.  Would this area be suitable.  I thought I would by a small traiangular hen run with a small enclosed space at one end and could let them into the penned off area around the shed during the day...does this sound right?

Thanks again 

[richyrich7]

Personally I'd avoid the triangle type ark if you can, I never feel there is much room for them to move about especially near the edges.
 You could probably build them something cheaper than buying one ready made. I think the area you have would be suitable, but please no more than 3 hens. 

[Debz]

I don't have kids of my own yet (one in progress though) but my nephew loves the hens that both my eldest sister and myself own.  He will be 3 in August and collects the eggs and helps me feed my girls.  He is unfazed by animals in parks though becuase he has had such close contact with ours.  We were at a local agricultural show and one display had little chickens and ducks for children to hold / stroke with supervision and they could not believe how gently he was holding the baby and stoking it with his thumbs at the same time.  His nursery were also couldn't understand when he was talking about Lola being a clever girl and laying a warm egg.  She had just laid it when he went to collect them so it was still very warm.  His mother explained that his 2 aunts had hens and egg collection was a routine part of his visit.

[Clara-Cluck]

I have made a purchase!  http://www.henhouseworld.co.uk/ch101.htm

[joyfull]

glad you've taken the plunge, but would not advise keeping 4-5 birds in that hen house as it states in the advert. Will they have access to a larger pen or free range?