UK Members Please Say HI

[Esc_Quaily]

Heads up UK chicken keepers: Farming Today reported that, from October, all backyard chickens (and pigeons etc.) will have to be registered with DEFRA, not just those flocks over

It requires keepers to obtain a CPH number first (as has traditionally been required for flocks over 50).

Edited to add, Shad found it! https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-measures-to-help-protect-poultry-industry-from-bird-flu

I wasn't sure where to post the Scottish version. Thanks for sharing the DEFRA link

In Scotland you have to register all birds kept outside. https://keptbirdregister.service.gov.scot/

 

[Perris]

This 4 page pamphlet from the RHS may be of interest to those seeking to improve the forage in their gardens (chickens eat some pollinators )
https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/pdf/...ldlife/plants-for-pollinators-wildflowers.pdf

 

[Pebbles25]

Hi I’m in Scotland

 

[Perris]

Hi I’m in Scotland

hello welcome to BYC
What chickens have you got?

 

[Pebbles25]

hello welcome to BYC
What chickens have you got?

I have owned chickens for 2 years now.
I currently have 10 laying hens, 2 pullets due to lay next month and 2x 4 month old boys.
All my chickens have names as they free range my garden.
I have crested cream legbar cockerel called a Pebbles I hatched out this April and a black copper maran cockerel called François.
I hatched out with Pebbles two pullets a ccl hen called Poppy and one I bred with a polish cock bird I had (he was aggressive, big brain no heart but I did find roovolution to help with my current two) and crossed him with a white leghorn. She is called Sugar drop aka Lemon Pop (my family nicknamed her lemon Pop when she was a chick as we didn’t know if it was a boy or girl good job it was a girl nobody could’ve eaten it!)
My 10 hens
1 brown -Hoot
2 white leghorns- Snowdrop & Daisy
1 bluebell-Bluebell
1 Silver Sussex- Sylvia
1 white Sussex - Sparky (there is a reason behind that name)
2 barred chickens I don’t really know their breeds either cuckoo maran or barred rock or one of each I think- Rowena & Diana (note to self if you give them fancy names they have attitude)
1 gold-laced polish frizzle bantam-Willow
1 silver laced polish bantam-Flora-May.

I do currently have a male chick that will have to be eaten. He was a cross between Pebbles and Willow. I got 6x posted CCL eggs and as I have a 7 egg incubator I put in one of ours to try and not get a lone chick but no ccl hatched sadly.

 

[Perris]

I have owned chickens for 2 years now.
I currently have 10 laying hens, 2 pullets due to lay next month and 2x 4 month old boys.
All my chickens have names as they free range my garden.
I have crested cream legbar cockerel called a Pebbles I hatched out this April and a black copper maran cockerel called François.
I hatched out with Pebbles two pullets a ccl hen called Poppy and one I bred with a polish cock bird I had (he was aggressive, big brain no heart but I did find roovolution to help with my current two) and crossed him with a white leghorn. She is called Sugar drop aka Lemon Pop (my family nicknamed her lemon Pop when she was a chick as we didn’t know if it was a boy or girl good job it was a girl nobody could’ve eaten it!)
My 10 hens
1 brown -Hoot
2 white leghorns- Snowdrop & Daisy
1 bluebell-Bluebell
1 Silver Sussex- Sylvia
1 white Sussex - Sparky (there is a reason behind that name)
2 barred chickens I don’t really know their breeds either cuckoo maran or barred rock or one of each I think- Rowena & Diana (note to self if you give them fancy names they have attitude)
1 gold-laced polish frizzle bantam-Willow
1 silver laced polish bantam-Flora-May.

I do currently have a male chick that will have to be eaten. He was a cross between Pebbles and Willow. I got 6x posted CCL eggs and as I have a 7 egg incubator I put in one of ours to try and not get a lone chick but no ccl hatched sadly.

That sounds like a lovely mixed flock.
And thanks for alerting me to Roovolution - I hadn't heard of that before; looks interesting.

 

[Pebbles25]

Yes I had one mad polish didn’t want to not be able to have lovely handsome boys as pets. It has worked so far on my maturer boy.

 

[ChickenshedStudio]

Hi! I'm new to the forum we've just moved to a house in Suffolk with hens as sitting tenants, and we also have some 6 week old chicks

 

[ChickenshedStudio]

Is anyone affected by yesterday's new housing rules?

https://www.gov.uk/animal-disease-c...-prevention-zone-east-of-england#october-2025

We're in one of the counties with restrictions, but thankfully exempt on numbers & the fact we don't sell eggs/meat - is this 'hobby' exemption a new thing for this year, or does it usually work this way??

 

[Perris]

Is anyone affected by yesterday's new housing rules?

https://www.gov.uk/animal-disease-c...-prevention-zone-east-of-england#october-2025

We're in one of the counties with restrictions, but thankfully exempt on numbers & the fact we don't sell eggs/meat - is this 'hobby' exemption a new thing for this year, or does it usually work this way??

getting everyone registered is a new thing, so there isn't really precedent for what they're asking of you. I imagine the authorities will approach backyard hobbyists with kid gloves in order not to risk compliance with registration at least till that's bedded in.

Wales hasn't followed, at least yet - we get far fewer cases than the east of England.