# Thinking of Getting Chickens for Eggs



## SavannahKitten (Mar 9, 2008)

So what are the pitfalls?
We are already fulltime with our animals, so looking after them shouldn't be a problem.
We know there will be some problems with foxes - they are already hanging around creating havoc with our rubbish bags.

But we would really like our own home fresh eggs.

What do we need to know? How many do we need to produce only a few eggs per day?


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## stevie c (Apr 20, 2008)

the main pit falls are they will attract rats, as well as mice and of course foxes, Ive just got 30 hens in the past few months and their great, I get about 5-6 dozen eggs a week from mine thinking back to when I had only 6 hens they gave me 3,4 or 5 eggs a day, what you have to decide is does the cost of keeping them justify the cost of building their home and run, making it vermin proof, and with the cost of feed is going up by the week or so it seems, you might be better off finding a local allotment holder who will sell you the free range eggs you need for your family, most allotment holders sell their eggs from £1,50 - £2 a dozen, hope this helps, dont be put off by all the expense and building work needed to house the hens though, mine give me hours of pleasure, and theres nothing better than your own fresh eggs every day, good luck, let us know how you get on, steve


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## Guest (Apr 20, 2008)

Also if the bird flu thing comes out again you will need to be able to house them indoors,rats are a problem we had one the size of a rabbit in our run!but its nice to have fresh eggs you can really taste the difference.


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## Kay73 (Mar 26, 2008)

i'd love to keep chickens for fresh eggs


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## stevie c (Apr 20, 2008)

Go for it, youve nothing to loose and lots to gain, nothing better than dipping your toast soliders into a fresh eggevery morning, but beware they are addictive, I started with 3 hens last year, I now have 31 with 12 more under a broody bantie due to hatch very soon. steve


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## xXhayleyroxX (Apr 18, 2008)

yeah id say go for it as well 
i used to have 2 chickens and i live in a council house, so anything is possible!
i kept them in the shed lol

the only thing is they were noisy


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## leggy (Feb 28, 2008)

we got 4 running loose in our garden any rats coming will get nailed by our feral tom cat.the hen house is on the path running round the side of our house and when i shut them in at night i just lift the feed hopper onto the roof of the hen house.i have 3 norfolk greys and a norfolk x light sussex i think.they peck around the garden scratch under the leylandi trees and seem fine i just put a water bowl down as well.the yolks are really yellow.


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## xXhayleyroxX (Apr 18, 2008)

aww thts good, sounds like uv got it all sorted lmao! yeah the yolks wree dead yellow wen we had chickens, must b the free range thing


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## Guest (May 1, 2008)

I think i`ll get chickens again when garden is all sorted,i miss having them.Did get a bit muddy in their run,but i found putting easibed in there helped.


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## Clucks (May 3, 2008)

my only warning is that chickens are addictive. I'm always on the look out for more.
I have 5 and get 3-4 eggs a day (my 1 chicken only lays once in a blue moon I should eat her but can't bring myself to do it, so she is my garden pest controller)
Once you've had your own fresh eggs you'll never go back to supper market eggs. 
They are not great if you are garden proud, you will need to have a bit for them that you don't mind them trashing, if you don't have room for an ark that can be moved around. Mine free range a lot.
There is nothing nicer than a happy chicken scratching around the garden, and if I am feeling stressed I go and talk to them, and yes they talk back!


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## xXhayleyroxX (Apr 18, 2008)

yeah i totally agree wif you lol 
i loves chickens 

xx


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## carol (Nov 2, 2007)

mm is ment to be building me a chicken shed and run for me to get some, 
im still waiting, its been about over 6 months
gonna have a good moan to him


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## xXhayleyroxX (Apr 18, 2008)

hahah good idea!!! tell them ur not waiting any longer for your chickens and want them nowwww 

should do the trick hahaha


tell us when you finally get them!


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## freckles (May 8, 2008)

Well i love mine, the only down side is if a fox gets them, just lost a load of mine to the fox, (see other tread) but they are funny, they keep the insects down (which is great here) their cheap to keep, and you get mmmm eggs,


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## pipandpop5 (May 3, 2008)

If i were you, then I would go for it. One of my hens doesn't lay at all, (and she's only 4!) but she is really friendly and free ranges with her hudsband - my avatar! As long as you do your best to keep them safe at night, then I defiently think you should get some. They are briliant. If you just want eggs then get a hybred bird - one that lays lots of eggs. If you want one to look at as well as to lay eggs, then you need an ornamental variety, such as my avatar. They don't lay as many eggs, but they are great to look at and there are sooooo many different breeds!


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## Guest (May 14, 2008)

Oh i had chickens I got 3 bantams to help me get over my fear of birds 
They were awesome they never laid egg's but i actually didn't mind until my fav turned into a cockeral 
So I gave them to my mum and she loves them they sit in the garden with her n everything they are so tame its unreal x
I would recommend anyone to get chickens xxx


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