get those that are talkative and forward and others are quite aloof.They are very inquisitive.”
under that, that they can take out every couple of days and put on to the compost heap.
Hens are flock birds, so need to be kept in a pair. Parkinson suggests getting three because if something happens to one, you’ve still got two left, as it’s very difficult to introduce new birds once the flock is established because of the pecking order formed when they are chicks.
“Nesting boxes need to be filled with chopped straw. I buy the straw that sells for horses that’s treated with eucalyptus, because it smells nice. I clean the area under the perches every day and the rest of the henhouse gets cleaned out once a week to a fortnight.”
Where do you buy them?
Check bird flu restrictions
“If you want the lovely coloured eggs in dark brown and blue, Legbars of Broadway supply the Burford Browns at about 16 weeks old before they start to lay, which is a good age to settle in.” Chickens To Your Door also delivers nationwide. A pure breed will cost around £40 each, he estimates.“Read up on your breeds and think about what you want them for. Do you want them as pets or producers?”
Anyone keeping chickens or considering doing so should be aware that proposals to require all poultry keepers to officially register their birds were launched by the government recently as part of efforts to tackle bird flu.
Details of current restrictions can be found at The British Hen Welfare Trust
Chicken Boy by Arthur Parkinson is published by Particular Books on April 6, priced, £22.
What do you feed them?
“Soya-free layers pellets – I recommend the Smallholder Range – and not too much corn because that will make them fat. If people think chickens can produce eggs on leftovers, that’s an old wives’ tale.” But he’ll occasionally give his birds sweetcorn out of a tin. Parkinson urges owners to invest in a hanging rat-proof feeder. Chickens need to be able to access food all day, as they are grazers. They will need plenty of water too. They also need to be eating grit – such as broken-up oyster shells – which makes a strong egg.
How many eggs can you expect?
One a day from each bird, Parkinson estimates. “They will take a day off a week, so some days you’ll get two eggs, but most of the time if they are young hens, they will supply a family very easily.As the hens get older they lay less, but the eggs get bigger.”
You don’t need a cockerel for eggs
“They are not necessary for egg production. The hens will lay without one. The only thing you need to do is put a dummy egg in the nesting box, because without a cockerel they often don’t know where they should lay their eggs.”
A cockerel will often go in the nesting box and he’ll cluck and encourage them to lay their eggs in the box, he explains.
How do you keep them clean?
Make sure they can have a dust bath in dry soil every day, he suggests. “Most chickens leave their droppings at night under the perches, and a lot of people just put newspaper
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