Grandfather is starting out, some help please guys.

[Joshua2017]

My grandfather only has a certain amount of land for them to run around on, so a rough guideline is what we were looking for. As for the legal sides of things, it will be a long time before we hit that point if that's what my grandfather want's to do...

Thanks everyone

 

[Joshua2017]

https://www.amazon.com/Storeys-Guide-Raising-Chickens-3rd/dp/1603424695

Ton of info in this one. I have it earmarked all over as I get started.

The book has just arrived!!

I have seen that the book gets a pretty good rating everywhere!
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/367415.Storey_s_Guide_to_Raising_Chickens
Thanks

 

[Zoomie]

The book has just arrived!!

I have seen that the book gets a pretty good rating everywhere!
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/367415.Storey_s_Guide_to_Raising_Chickens
Thanks

Woohoo! You are on the road now!

You and your grandfather are going to have a blast with this new project! Best of luck to you!

 

[Blooie]

I don't know if I misread something but it seems to me that just recently much of the UK was put under quarantine for avian illness, so folks have been talking about the fact that they can no longer free-range their chickens until the quarantine is lifted. One of the posters from there was saying that right now she's having a hard time getting her birds used to being required to stay in their coop all of the time when they were used to free ranging in her garden. I'll see if I can find that again.....

And by the way, you are to be commended on your compassion for your grandfather and loving him enough to want to fill those long days after retirement. You are a treasure!

 

[Joshua2017]

I haven't heard of the chicken lock down. Looks like I am going to have to look into this or maybe the farmer will know more when we visit. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Joshua2017]

I have found this https://www.gov.uk/government/news/avian-influenza-bird-flu-in-winter-2016-to-2017 and this http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38231416

It's not looking too goo but I can't see any news about it this February

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I have found this https://www.gov.uk/government/news/avian-influenza-bird-flu-in-winter-2016-to-2017 and this http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38231416

It's not looking too goo but I can't see any news about it this February 

from Yorkshire!

Yes I'm afraid we are still under AI restrictions right now and the last confirmed case was on February 14th. They are hoping from February 28th that certain areas will be allowed to let their birds out but it depends where you are in the UK. This interactive map should help you ~ http://www.gisdiseasemap.defra.gov.uk/intmaps/avian/map.jsp

If you are in a coloured area you can't let your birds out and for now there is no movement on birds allowed anywhere. So all markets/fur & feather sales have been cancelled as have poultry shows.

Hope this helps and that once we are out of this mess you can get your grandfather all set up with his new flock. That's so very kind of you to do this for him.

 

[Blooie]

Oh, thank you, @Yorkshire Coop !! I was going crazy trying to find that thread where this was discussed! I had the one that @Joshua2017 had cited but the one I have been looking for specifically talked about ways to keep boredom down, how long they expected the quarantine to last, etc. I hate it when I KNOW I've read something and then I lose it when I need it!

 

[lazy gardener]

Hello BYC,

As you can see from the title my grandfather is looking at getting into raising chicks and chickens. I wasn't sure where to post, everything seems so specific, hopefully, I'm pretty close here! Anyway, my grandfather has not long retired working and he is loving life taking it day by day. But after being so busy for so many years, the lack of things for him to do is slowly taking its toll. On the plus-side, I have been going to visit him weekly and starting to learn a few things about him that I never knew before, like his fascination with chicks/chickens.

Just recently he has been talking to me about raising "free-range chickens" as pets, but he's not too sure on where to start and that's why I'm here. What kind of books on raising chickens can we find and/or videos for him to watch? He can find his way around a book a lot better than a computer. I know he knows quite a bit about chickens but starting from the beginning is always a good start. Also, does anyone know of anywhere you can go to learn about raising chickens? and get a hands on experience?

Looking forward to getting some answers in for my grandfather!! Cheers everyone!

Just a quick little add-on, how much space is required for a single chicken to be officially free range in that aspect???

I hope that you are asking about sq. ft./chicken, and not stating that you intend to get him only one chicken! Chickens are flock animals, and need each other in order to be content. The general rule of thumb for back yard flocks is 4 s.f./bird in the coop, and 10 s.f./bird in the run. If there is a fenced yard, that can be considered the run.

While you are waiting for the AI issue to resolve, you can help him build the coop. If you set it up with access to electricity (that can be as simple as a construction grade extension cord) you can brood the chicks right in the coop. check out the article written by Blooie in my signature line.

By far, the best book on poultry keeping that I've found is this:
The Small-Scale Poultry Flock: An All-Natural Approach to Raising Chickens and Other Fowl for Home and Market Growers Paperback – October 7, 2011
by Harvey Ussery (Author), Joel Salatin (Foreword)

He covers all aspects of poultry keeping including soil management.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Your Granddad is lucky to have such a great grandson, we want pictures of the new flock when you get it going

Gary from Idyllwild Ca here