an introduction to keeping chickens
TRANSCRIPT
Food4MaccChoice of Birds
Rhode Island Red
Light Sussex
HybridsRhodie-SussexThornber 404
Warrens, Shavers,Novo Brown
Food4MaccChoice of Birds
You Don’t Need a Cockerel
(and don’t be palmed off with one!)
Food4Macc
QtyAge (Weeks)
16 17 18 19 20 21 22+
0 - 4 £7.40
5 - 11 £6.40
12 - 19 £5.95 £6.05 £6.15 £6.25 £6.35
20 - 39 £5.65 £5.75 £5.85 £5.95 £6.05
40 - 99 £5.25 £5.35 £5.45 £5.55 £5.65 £5.75
100+ £4.80 £4.90 £4.90 £5.30 £5.40 £5.50 £5.60
Price of Novo Brown Point of Lay Pullets
Vaccinated/ medicated against:Marrecks
SalmonellaEDS (Egg Drop Syndrome)
IB (Infectious Bronchitis)Newcastles disease
TRT/SHS (Turkey Rhino Tracheitis/Swollen Head Syndrome)
ILT (Infectious Laryngotracheitis)IBD (Infectious Bursal Disease)/Gumboro
Coccidioses
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Other Breeds available from £10 - £30 each
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Leek Market – Poultry Sale days
Poultry Sales at 9.30 Saturday 12th October Store Cattle & Poultry. Saturday 26th October Store Cattle & Poultry.Saturday 9th November Store Cattle & Poultry.Saturday 23rd November Poultry & Caged Birds.Saturday 7th December Store Cattle & Poultry.Saturday 21st December Poultry & Caged Birds.
Food4MaccCommercially available houses : Omlet Egloo from £450
Note mesh over ground to keep out predators
Food4MaccCommercially available houses :
Food4MaccCommercially available houses
Food4MaccCommercially available houses : £85 on line
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A Place to Live
This 2nd hand 7’x5’ garden shed sleeps 22
birds
Food4Macc
A Place to Live
This 2nd hand 7’x5’ garden shed sleeps 22
birds
20 cm of perching per bird
Feeder & Drinker
suspended off the floor
Nest Boxes
Wood shavings from local Joiner
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A Place to Live
This 2nd hand 7’x5’ garden shed sleeps 22
birds
Food4MaccThe Run
At least 1 square metre per bird
Provide some shelter from sun,
wind and rain Scratching in flower and veg beds can be
a problem
Hens love to eat your Swiss
Chard / Spinach
Food4MaccThe Run
Food4MaccThe Run
Rabbit / Chicken Netting BS4431050 x 31 x 19g 50m £41.75 1050 x 31 x 18g 50m £70.141200 x 31 x 19g 50m £55.11 1200 x 31 x 18g 50m £81.831800 x 50 x 19g 50m £80.00
Posts1.5 x 75 x 75mm (5’ x 3” x 3”) £3.531.8 x 75 x 75mm (6’ x 3” x 3”) £4.232.1 x 75 x 75mm (7’ x 3” x3”) £4.932.4 x 75 x 75mm (8’ x 3” x 3”) £5.48
3.0 x 75 x 75mm (10’ x 3” x 3”) £7.05
Prices Plus VAT, but less Retail Discount: £100 - 10% £200 - 20% £300 - 30% £400 - 40%
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The Weather
•Hens don’t like to be too hot, so provide them with some shade from the sun and keep their house well ventilated.
•They are quite tolerant of cold, but watch out for water drinkers freezing up.
•An outdoor sun shade will also protect them from rain.
•A wind break can be useful if you are in an exposed area
Food4MaccWhat if you are not there?
If you go out in the evening, before your hens have gone to roost, they
need to be shut up.
Or
If your hen run is fox proof, you can leave them to their own devices
What if you go away for a few days?
You could stock them up with food and water for a couple of days, but
really you need someone to call and check them every day
(in exchange for the eggs?)
Food4MaccFood and Drink
£6.50 £5
Health Care
£10
Regularly turn your birds up
side down and dust their
bottoms and arm pits with mite powder.
Worming powder can be added to their feed.
Food4MaccFeeding
£8 per 20kg bag
Kitchen Scraps?
There is blanket ban on feeding kitchen waste to chickens.
This is to avoid the risk of their food coming into content with
“animal proteins” which may be contaminated with for example
Salmonella.
This is true for vegetarian households too, but vegan’s are
exempted.http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/disease-control/abp/collect-feed/ban-
kitchen-scraps-pet/
“Layers Pellets” contain a fully balanced diet that should need no
supplementation with calcium sources such as shell grit.
We scatter some loose grain on the ground to encourage
scratching, but this should be given after they have stoked up on
layers feed.
Food4MaccCleaning
Most of the droppings are produced when roosting, so they fall in a neat line.
We collect the droppings each day, and replace the whole bedding every few weeks
Food4MaccWing Clipping
If the birds fly out of your run, you can clip their wings.
Some people clip only one wing,
Some clip out alternate flight feathers,
And some clip both wings.
Food4MaccEconomics
Cost of the bird £7
Food for a year £28
Total Costs £35
Egg Sales
300 eggs = 25 dozen @ £3 per doz £75
Profit in the first year £40
Less expenses:
Equipment, Bedding, Louse Powder, ???
- and your time? 2hrs a week? ???
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Daylight: 15-16 hours a day for maximum production
Food4MaccSelling Eggs
You can avoid registering with the Defra’s Egg Marketing Inspectorate (EMI).
•If you have less than 50 hens and,
• You sell only direct to customers, and not via an intermediary.
https://www.gov.uk/eggs-trade-regulations
Price
You can see free range eggs advertised at between £2 - £3 per dozen.
Food4MaccCleaning Eggs
Egg shells are porous.
Wetting outside can allow any bacteria present on the surface to move through the
shell.
So try to remove dirt with a dry green pan scrubber first.
If you have to wet them, use warm water so that the egg contents expand pushing
outwards.
Dry them off quickly
Food4MaccStoring Eggs
Egg shells are porous.
Moisture forming on the outside can allow any bacteria present on the surface to move through the shell.
Eggs are not refrigerated by producers or retailers, to avoid the possibility of condensation forming on the shells when they
are carried home after purchase.
Eggs will keep for about 28 days at room temperature, but because home kitchens are often humid, and heat up & cool down,
we are commonly told to keep them in a fridge after purchase.
https://www.statpub.com/index.php/gab/article/94948
Food4Macc
This Photo-electric winch pulls the door open in the morning and lowers it at night
Bed Time
Food4MaccThings you didn’t know you needed
Food4MaccMore Information (click pictures for websites)
Keeping Chickens a Beginners Guide
website
Food4Maccwww.Food4Macc.org
Tel:- 07824 860 566
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