It all began with the hens
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We started out with hens and they have been one of our bigger challenges. We have changed their area a number of times and had 4 hen houses before we finally sussed out what is their best space and best house.
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Type and General Information
We have Warrens (well, we think they are - asked the shop owner for egg layers and got 10 hens) which are a pretty reliable layer. We find that 10 birds will produce on average over the year about 4-5 eggs per day. The locals here say that you should cull and replace the birds every two years but we are quite satisfied with our production after 3 years so we will persevere with them until the supply dries up. The birds themselves are no good for eating unless you make chicken broth so don’t expect a nice roast chicken dinner if you do decide to cull them.
Housing
We have been through many variations of housing for our hens. We started with a garden shed in which we fitted perches and also housed the food and water but it was too big and they were cold in the depths of winter. Our next house was a wooden coop we bought over the internet which, to be honest was not as it seemed. It was flimsy at best and required us to build a lean-to over the top to give them some more protection. The wood also became infested with mites, not very pleasant at all. We decided to build a purpose built coop from concrete blocks which measures about 170cm by 110 and is just about tall enough for K to stand up inside when she cleans. It has a main door for access but normally the hens go in and out through a small flap thus lessening draughts. The roof is wooden sheets covered with metal roofing sheets to avoid condensation but we did allow a small air gap for ventilation. There are two perches across the coop width wise about 40cm apart so they can snuggle together for warmth. We used olive branches which are nice for them to grip onto and they are around 5cm in diameter. It is best to avoid giving them any other options for perching such as on top of their water as they will crap over everything.
Area
Our hens basically have three areas all of which are surrounded by a dug in and pegged down 2m fence for protection against predators. The fence height also means that we don’t have to clip wings to prevent escape. The fence in this area is entirely covered by chicken wire to keep out birds and other creatures which like to eat the chicken feed. There is the main house area which is eight square metres, where the food and nest box are located which we are able to close at feeding time in the evenings knowing that they will be secured for the night but can still wander around and get food after we have gone, they can then please themselves when they go to roost and they can also get up when they please.
The nest box can be accessed from outside. This area is separated from the winter outside area by a chicken flap which we can raise or lower from outside to secure them but it is also fantastic for segregating them when K wants to clean the coop or top up their food and water. The outside winter area is the same size as the secure area but gives them extra space to wander around when the weather is bad and we don’t want them going too far afield. This area is not covered with chicken wire and has a gate access in case of problem. Beyond the winter area they have a flap where they can go out onto the bank behind the coop which is about thirty square metres, somewhere they love to poke around for insects.
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Food and Water
Our hens eat a mixture of corn, mixed grain and a supplement which is supposed to encourage egg production and seems to work. On top of that, each morning and evening they will get some extras, normally to encourage them into the secure area. They love anything green especially lettuce but also love tomatoes, persimmon, the insides of a zucchini, the residue from beer and wine production, cooked potato skins, mice, lizards and anything soft and fruity, specifically rotting figs. Their water is kept inside the coop to prevent freezing and K checks it every few days.
Care and Maintenance
Hens require little maintenance aside from cleaning out the coop every week or so and placing fresh straw on the floor. This is dual purpose as it gives them something to kick around for a while and makes the coop easier to clean.
Problems
As mentioned before, the coop may become infested with mites. You will know because the hens will be irritated and will peck themselves and others and you itch like hell after you’ve been inside the coop. They can be easily removed by spraying the inside of the coop with an animal friendly pesticide called Nephorin. You can also put a couple of cloves of garlic in their water. Don’t worry if the egg production tails off in the late autumn as this is perfectly normal when they are moulting. They may also have a hissy fit and not lay if it’s too hot or too cold but as we said the average production is still fine. Be aware that the hens will stick their heads through the fence for some considerable distance, so don’t plant anything precious close by as they will destroy it. In fact the outside of our fences look like we have dug a trench along the entire length. Besides protection against predators, we covered the secure area with chicken wire to deter rodents and more importantly birds who will ravage your food supplies. We also ended up hanging plastic chain down from the flap to keep the pesky critters out.
You may have noticed that we have set things up so that we don’t actually have any physical contact with the hens. Why I hear you ask, well for one thing they are a pain in the arse always under your feet, pecking at your hands when you are trying to do anything and if you wear boots with laces the bastards will have then undone before you can say ‘That is not a worm you numpty’. Enough said.
You may have noticed that we have set things up so that we don’t actually have any physical contact with the hens. Why I hear you ask, well for one thing they are a pain in the arse always under your feet, pecking at your hands when you are trying to do anything and if you wear boots with laces the bastards will have then undone before you can say ‘That is not a worm you numpty’. Enough said.
Bonuses
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The main bonus aside from eggs of course is that hens are relatively low maintenance and pay for themselves very quickly. This year we have sold or given away close to 400 eggs while still having plenty for ourselves. We love an Egg Curry, Deviled eggs, smoked eggs and especially Eggs Benedict on Xmas morning. Of course if you love to bake you will be even happier.
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