Introduction
As a young boy I can remember vividly my father having Rhode Island Red chickens in our backyard. We were encouraged to take care of them because they were an integral part of family life. It goes without saying that the best part of each day was collecting the newly laid eggs, So Fresh and so Tasty !
This early encounter has left me with a keenness for keeping poultry and within this article I hope to impart some of my knowledge & experiences while keeping Poultry.
Electric Fencing
What could be better than for the chickens to be able to roam free in a Garden, Field or Orchard and to scratch around for worms, grubs, slugs, snails etc.
Today you can buy a myriad of mesh fencing, my preference is for Gallagher or Hotline fencing, they are able to supply complete Poultry Fencing Kits or just Netting.
An average poultry electric fence kit will cost you a few hundred pounds to buy and will cost approximately £8 – £15 per year to run depending on which kit/energizer you purchase.
Netting is manufactured from polyurethane with metal strands running through the horizontal lines, this in turn is mounted on PVC posts.
To charge the netting an energizer is connected to the netting and to the ground via an earth stake – this forms an open circuit. When an animal comes into contact with the netting it completes a circuit loop and gets a shock. This is why the netting itself does not need to be set-up in a circle or square, it can be erected in one straight line if required. The energizer produces a high voltage pulse approximately once every second. Foxes, like most animals, investigate their surroundings and often will receive a shock well before they are near the poultry house. Although the netting is not very high, once the predator has been shocked they are unlikely to make the same mistake again !
Move the netting regularly, this is to ensure they have clean grass to forage on.
Electric Fencing – Basic components
1. Energizer – Choose the Energizer that best suits your requirements.
2. Earth system – Install a system which is properly earthed – this is extremely important !
3. Netting – Choose the correct netting length for your needs-usually 25m and 50m rolls are available but you can add additional lengths as required.
4. Posts or Guy ropes – To strengthen the corners.
5. Connectors – To connect between the Netting and the Lead out cable.
6. Lead Out Cable – To connect from the energizer to the netting
7. Testers – Test the operation of your unit, the Earthed system and the fence itself.
The Poultry House
My preference here is for the poultry house to be on one level, younger stock will always be able to climb the coop ladder but older stock sometimes have difficulties.
Be sure to purchase a Poultry House big enough for your breed, the Buff Orpington is a large breed and will need a large house & pop-hole.
Make sure the nest boxes are dry and lined with a good layer of straw.
Perches should be placed at a level to suit all ages and should be inspected for Red Mite on a regular basis.
The weekly clean is dusty, smelly and thereby unpleasant, but it MUST be done, the droppings can be used on the Garden as manure if required.
Site the house approximately in the middle of your poultry netting area, this is because chickens will use the house as a launch site to fly over the netting.
Red Mite
I’ve seen some large infestations of Red Mite which is a sad site to encounter, often I have been requested to view a poultry keepers hen house because they have a poorly hen only to find Red Mite.
Red Mite is a small mite which feeds on the birds mainly while they are sleeping, treat with a proprietary treatment such as Poultryshield or Diatom, spray or sprinkle as directed in the poultry house.
You MUST be very regimented with regard to regular treatments to eradicate Red Mite !
Poultry Breeds
There are many breeds in the market place to suit every taste, I personally have Pure Breed Hens – Light and Buff Sussex, Welsummer and Rhode Island Red.
What I would recommend is for you to visit a reputable poultry market to purchase your stock.
In Salisbury there is a market held every month by Southern Counties Auctioneers – Go to their website and click on the Sales button to see the sale dates.
If this is not a sensible option for you to travel to the sale then browse the Web or look in your local newspaper for new stock.
General
My father always said that if you leave Poultry to forage on grass they will not fall to Coccidiosis as a result I always allow my chickens to have access to grass and/or fresh grass cuttings and to date I have not experienced Coccidiosis in any flock of mine.
Chickens are very healthy birds – However Do keep an eye on your chickens behaviour, their droppings and food consumption – Any bird that looks off colour, has a messy tail or loses their feathers should be thoroughly checked over.
Predators
No article on poultry keeping would be complete without a section on predators particularly the fox.
Foxes
Open the hen house half an hour after day break or later and be certain to shut the hens away half an hour before dusk. If the fox gets in they will usually kill ALL of the stock ! You must complete this task 365 days of the year because the day you miss will more than likely be the day the fox gets in and it is not a pretty picture.
Magpies, Ravens, Crows
I’ve seen a small number of chicks taken by Magpies and Crows. The chicks had been placed in a small circular pen on grass, but the pen had NO top cover. The Magpie raided the pen from the air and with lightning speed flew off with a chick never to be seen again.
Badgers
In certain locations within the UK I have heard of Badgers being a problem. I personally have never experienced any problems with the Badger but be aware if you live near any wooded areas known to have badgers then be on your guard.
Finally I hope this article will be of some interest to you, if you would like more detail on any aspect of poultry keeping then contact me as below.
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