Frequently Asked Questions
How many hens do you have?
What kind of chickens are they?
What kind of chickens are they?
According to Emma's Chicken-maths we don't have any. and I've lost track...
We've currently got 24 hens and 3 Roosters.
3 are ex-commercial layers that we rescued in September 2018
11 rescued in May 2019 when they were about 18 months old. They give us the classic brown eggs.
5 were bought from a local farm at "Point of Lay" a little later and give us green, blue and white (Seperately, not multi coloured) eggs!
We have also raised a clutch of chicks from day-olds.
What kind of chickens are they?
What kind of chickens are they?
What kind of chickens are they?
The rescue hens are, we think, ISA-browns.
The white-egg layers ( Maisie and Daisy) are White Stars.
The blue-egg layers (Andie and Ben) are Emerald Blues.
The green-egg layers (Grassy and Dassie) are Skyline hens.
How many eggs do they produce?
What kind of chickens are they?
Where do you get the chickens from
From our ladies we're are getting about 8-9 eggs per day, on a good day.
The isa-browns are getting older these days so we have a couple who aren't laying any more. These live out their natural lives here in our garden with the rest of their flock.
Where do you get the chickens from
Where can I learn more about keeping chickens?
Where do you get the chickens from
Our hens are mainly rescue hens from various farms. They are not usually caged hens but are commercial hens that have reached the end of their "profitable" lives so would be sold on as pet food.
There are a number of charities who rescue these birds and re-home them but we tend to get ours from Fresh Start For Hens
DO YOU WASH THE EGGS? SHOULD I?
Where can I learn more about keeping chickens?
Where can I learn more about keeping chickens?
Our eggs are collected from wherever in the garden they get laid; taken into the kitchen and have the date stamped on them. That is all.
Sometimes mud gets stuck to the egg but we don't wash it off as an egg has a natural protective coating (bloom) that would be washed off with the mud.
If you want to, there's no harm in washing your egg just before you crack it.
Ever wondered why the Americans keep their eggs in the fridge? It's because they wash them first before they get sent to the shops. In the UK, eggs can be stored at room temperature for a few weeks
Where can I learn more about keeping chickens?
Where can I learn more about keeping chickens?
Where can I learn more about keeping chickens?
We use a number of forums and other poultry-keepers' knowledge to help us. There are a lot of very supportive people on The Facebooks.
We are also very lucky to have a helpful veterinary surgery who are interested in healing the various ills and sufferings that trouble an old bird. (Thank you Tenby Vets)
"Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery" is a new addition to our library - although Emma is very quick to point out that she has no intention of doing surgery on the girls!
What living conditions do you keep your hens in
What living conditions do you keep your hens in
What living conditions do you keep your hens in
Our the majority of our ladies have come from commercial premises: not caged birds but a dozen from a flock of 1000's.
Our ladies now have the whole 1/3 acre garden to roam, with bushes to scratch around, and trees to perch on.
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