[Elcie]

Hi everyone,
I have 3 hens at home in the garden and I absolutely love them.  Was thinking of upgrading from the Eglu to the Eglu cube and adding some more girls, but this would mean moving the garden around quite a bit.

Today I heard that I have got a second plot at the allotment so am very excited about this and am considering using some of it for chickens.  We are allowed them on the site and 3 other plot holders currently have them.

Does anyone have any experience of this?  What are the advantages and the disadvantages of chickens on the plot compared to the garden?  I should say that, whatever I decide to do, my 3 girls will stay in the garden as they have become family pets now so we couldn't pack them off to the allotment!

Thanks everyone

[nicchick]

Hi, we keep our ducks and chickens on an allotment about a mile from home. Be prepared to visit 3+ times a day for letting out and putting to bed - collecting eggs etc.
I say 3+ as in the winter you will have to check their water hasn't frozen and in the summer that they haven't run out. I think I was going 4 times when it was really cold and that was only 8.30 - 4! I work from home so can do it.
Security is an issue too, we have netting to keep the hens in and wild birds out, weld mesh to keep foxes out and padlocks to keep people out! Allotments are quieter than your average home so foxproofing is essential.
I don't want to put you off, I love doing it as it breaks up the day and they are always pleased to see you! It is a commitment though as you already know with the hens you have. Nic.

[bexy]

Hi My chickens are on my allotment.
I go there twice a day,sometimes only once.
When i am there i let them out of their run for as long as i am up there...never can get much done though because they are around my anles the whole time!!!

I have a 4ltr water holder so it never runs dry and also a large feeder which also is never empty.

They have a fantastic supply of grubs/snails/slugs and worms as i don't use any chemicals and my allotment is huge so plenty of greenary for them to eat.

They have treats such as tinned sweetcorn and leftover kitchen waste.

I have only had them 9wks and they are doing extremely well....5eggs off 5 hens daily.

They are ex battery hens.I have put some photo's up so you can see the difference in them,the photo's are under 'Ex battery hens doing great'

[Yorkie]

I would check very carefully on the security of your site.  It would be heartbreaking to find that some bored yobbo had decided to waste some time in vandalism or worse 

My lotty site is an open site as it has two public paths through it.  We have had a spate of mindless vandalism / arson to plants and sheds respectively recently.  It's a rare occurrence but of particular relevance to someone considering the welfare of living animals.

[bexy]

Hello Yorkie.
I am quite lucky because my site is on the edge of a small villiage next door to a farm.
There is only 7 allotments.
The people who live nearby are all very friendly and walk there dogs by several times a day.
I have had the allotment for 4 years now and never heard of any damage to anyones allotments......the only damage is pidgeons and rabbits lol.

[raeburg]

My ex bats and legbars are on my allotment (and the orpies and wyandottes will soon follow).  Keeping it secure is a big headache and you can't just scuttle out in your dressing gown to let them out in the morning like you can in the back garden!  On the plus side I get loads of free veg etc fro other plot holder for them and I get to escape down the plot twice a day (which isn't wonderful in torrential rain but when you choose to have animals you take this on too).

[karlooben]

securtiy from the foxes an ppl are your main probelm , all i can suggest is you build the run as securley as poss and ask any other plots holders who are around if they can just keep an eye out for you , i am quite lucky theres about 40 ppl on my site an most keep an eye out , also my plots are on the back of my garden and i have a very good veiw of the run etc so even when i'm not out there i can check everythings ok .

we get broken into on the site on quite a regular basis although its been quiet for a few months as i have said before on here i dont worry about foxes but i do worry about the theives . we have been trying to get some ppl kicked of as they dont work their plots an get new ppl on the site  but after hearing last night that a friend was having crops stolen on her site by the new starters i am now a bit paranoid about that as well.

[nicchick]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the mountains of greens!
Seriously, if next winter is even half as cold as last you will need to go more often than once a day. And I would recommend shutting them away at night so that's twice at least. Nic.

[leared]

hi i keep my hens on the allotment its about a five min walk from were i live, it great cos there've got plenty of room to roam around and they dont seam to mind the horse either, we had to make sure they cant get out. you have to make sure they a locked up at night so a fox dosen't get them that the only down fall. my hen do pretty well on there.

[Elcie]

Thanks everyone.  Just back from the plot and had a chat with one of the ladies on there who keeps chickens.  In fact, it was her who fought the initial rejection of keeping chickens on the plot successfully.  She said that everyone on the plot who has chickens uses automatic door openers so they don't have to be there too early to let them out in the morning so that is something else I will look into.

[karlooben]

its ok to use those automatic openers but i always perfer to let my girls out myself then that way to can check for any damage that could of been done during the night wether it be from foxes or vandals to the main fencing , if i was to use those an there was damage and the girls all got out i would never forgive myself .

[nicchick]

Hi, also as well as letting them out and in you need to check them healthwise. With chooks it's behaviour which will alert you. Now I check our girlies religiously, this morning under the wing or armpit - lice! You can tell a lot by how they barge out of the pophole.
Trust me, come winter if you can keep the drinker from freezing solid for more than a couple of hours then you wil be in line for a medal! All my other chicken chums had the same problem. The hens are dependant on you for everything, that's why I think you should be prepared for the worst. Karlooben will tell you how much work it was in the winter. It's just not realistic to rely on openers and going just once a day. You will need to make sure food is away at night because of rodents and then out again in the morning. If you can find someone else to look after them with you then that can help. I share with my mate and do mornings and she does bedtimes. Nic.

[karlooben]

u can say that again nic , i survived my first winter { along with the help from you guys  } ok yes i lost some birds due to illnesses but that can happen at any time really . this year i will be fuly prepared and i am hoping the girls will have a nice bigger shelter as well where as i can add straw bales under it for them to play on .