Hi Everybody, I am in the process of buying my dream home!! and it comes with CHICKENS!!! and a Rooster!!
Congrats! I hope you will enjoy these wonderful creatures who give you delicious presents (except the rooster). The rooster is a nice addition if you want a chicken to sound the alarm and makes fertile eggs for offspring.
Myself and husband live in North West France.
Normandy? Thats only 4-6 hours away from where I live.
. They said the Cock is friendly and not very old. He has HUGE feet (the first thing my daughter and I noticed) so he is from this day forth named Big Foot! any hooo what I'm after asking is, which may sound stupid so sorry. but how do we interact with them? make friends with them?
Roosters are not always thrust worthy friends. If your daughter is a young girl you need to careful. Some rooster attack children like your husband once experienced. Especially when they bring food and ‘interfere’ with the flock.
Don’t try to give food or snacks to the hens first.
So I am asking myself.. Can I just walk into there pen and clean, change water, feed etc.. without being attacked.
Normally you can. Hens wont attack. If the rooster attacks you, immediately go after him, grab him or let him flee. Consider to rehome him if you don’t like his behaviour and you feel insecure.
How do you let them run loose on your property and then get them back in the run when you want/need to? Will the cock be super territorial and not want me in his home? When there is a cock in there, can you still easily collect the eggs?
The outside part of their pen in currently just on dirt (the garden) Do i need to get some woodchip down? i heard its good for them health wise? The inside of there pen, I am assuming is also just the ground, do they need shavings? sand? for health, enrichment etc...
the ground (sand/soil) is fine if the poop is limited for the space they have. My soil is a sand/loam mix. I add leaves in autumn and chip wood from pruning. This compensates the nitrogens in the poop and gives a healthy soil.
Free ranging in combination with a safe run for the early hours in the morning works great for me.
I only use bedding in the nestboxes and under the roosts as long as the temps are liw/moderate. (hemp/hay/pine shavings whatever id on sale or dried grass from the lawn) . In summer I prefer a layer of sand under the roost to prevent a red mite infestation and its cooler.
Anyway I think my first post is probably long enough for the minute, and I have a very early start so need to try and get some sleep. Thanks for reading, I look forward to learning. ;-)
As others have said, there is a load of info available. If the old owners are willing to inform you about how they cared for the chickens , this is a good way to start. They will have a lots of tips too!
to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!
