chic:chickens

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chic:chickens [2026/03/16 21:00] – [Further resources] Simon Grantchic:chickens [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Chickens+This topic is part of [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. 
 +====== Chickens ======
  
  
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-## What are chickens?+===== What are chickens? =====
  
 The chicken (_Gallus gallus domesticus_) is a domestic fowl, descended from the Red jungle fowl native to south-east Asia. Possibly domesticated as much as 8,000 years ago, it is one of the commonest and most widespread agricultural animals. Chickens are primary kept for eggs and meat, they can also provide pest control and manure. The chicken (_Gallus gallus domesticus_) is a domestic fowl, descended from the Red jungle fowl native to south-east Asia. Possibly domesticated as much as 8,000 years ago, it is one of the commonest and most widespread agricultural animals. Chickens are primary kept for eggs and meat, they can also provide pest control and manure.
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-## What are the benefits of keeping chickens?+===== What are the benefits of keeping chickens? =====
  
 Chickens are adaptable and easy to keep. You can keep them in your garden and have fresh, ethically and sustainably produced eggs every day. On a larger scale chickens are a common starting point for the new smallholder. They are easy to raise and with sufficient space can forage for a large part of their food intake, helping clear land while they do so. They will also eat waste food (though there are some legalities you need to be aware of, see below). Chickens are adaptable and easy to keep. You can keep them in your garden and have fresh, ethically and sustainably produced eggs every day. On a larger scale chickens are a common starting point for the new smallholder. They are easy to raise and with sufficient space can forage for a large part of their food intake, helping clear land while they do so. They will also eat waste food (though there are some legalities you need to be aware of, see below).
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
-### Getting started+==== Getting started ====
  
 There are plenty good resources online to get you started (see the links under resources, above, to start with). Many people keep chickens, if you can find a local chicken keeper it is worth paying them a visit and getting a feel for handling chickens. There are plenty good resources online to get you started (see the links under resources, above, to start with). Many people keep chickens, if you can find a local chicken keeper it is worth paying them a visit and getting a feel for handling chickens.
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-### Housing+==== Housing ====
  
 Chickens need a weatherproof hen-house of roughly 30cm x 30cm per hen. The house will need dark, private nest boxes (at least one nest box per 3 birds), perches to roost on, a door for the hens, and a larger door for cleaning out. It must be secure from predators and shut up overnight. You can use straw, newspaper or shavings to line the floor of the house and nest boxes are usually lined with straw or shavings. Chickens need a weatherproof hen-house of roughly 30cm x 30cm per hen. The house will need dark, private nest boxes (at least one nest box per 3 birds), perches to roost on, a door for the hens, and a larger door for cleaning out. It must be secure from predators and shut up overnight. You can use straw, newspaper or shavings to line the floor of the house and nest boxes are usually lined with straw or shavings.
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-### Feeding+==== Feeding ====
  
 You can buy mash or pellets to feed your hens from agricultural suppliers. This is commercial compound feed, made of various grains (best to use feeds that don’t contain [soya](https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/challenges/soya/)). Different feeds are available for different ages. Generally chick crumbs are given for the first 5 weeks, then grower’s mash or pellets until 18 weeks, then layer’s mash or pellets. ‘Mixed corn’ (actually a mix of wheat and corn) should only be fed in small amounts to laying hens; more can be given in the winter when hens are not laying. You can buy mash or pellets to feed your hens from agricultural suppliers. This is commercial compound feed, made of various grains (best to use feeds that don’t contain [soya](https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/challenges/soya/)). Different feeds are available for different ages. Generally chick crumbs are given for the first 5 weeks, then grower’s mash or pellets until 18 weeks, then layer’s mash or pellets. ‘Mixed corn’ (actually a mix of wheat and corn) should only be fed in small amounts to laying hens; more can be given in the winter when hens are not laying.
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-### Health+==== Health ====
  
 Chickens need a dust bath to help them control external parasites such as lice and mites. You can either provide a box full of dry soil and sand, or a covered area where they can dig their own dust bath. Either way the dust bath must be protected from the rain so your hens can use it in all weathers. Adding diatomaceous earth to the dust bath can help protect your chickens from parasites. If your chickens do suffer from lice or mites you can add lice powder to their dust bath - this is far more effective and less stressful than trying to apply it directly yourself. Chickens need a dust bath to help them control external parasites such as lice and mites. You can either provide a box full of dry soil and sand, or a covered area where they can dig their own dust bath. Either way the dust bath must be protected from the rain so your hens can use it in all weathers. Adding diatomaceous earth to the dust bath can help protect your chickens from parasites. If your chickens do suffer from lice or mites you can add lice powder to their dust bath - this is far more effective and less stressful than trying to apply it directly yourself.
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 It is generally recommended to ‘worm’ (treat for internal parasites) at least twice a year. You can control parasites to a certain extent using pasture rotation (or moving your chicken pen to a new location), picking up droppings, adding apple cider vinegar to the water, garlic to the feed and giving a ‘herbal’ wormer. These methods will not necessarily prevent or cure an infestation however. If you want to avoid chemical wormers, it is advisable that you perform a ‘faecal egg count’ regularly. You can do this yourself if you have a microscope, or you can buy a kit and send off a sample. In this way you only treat your chickens when necessary and avoid contributing to the problem of resistance to medications. It is generally recommended to ‘worm’ (treat for internal parasites) at least twice a year. You can control parasites to a certain extent using pasture rotation (or moving your chicken pen to a new location), picking up droppings, adding apple cider vinegar to the water, garlic to the feed and giving a ‘herbal’ wormer. These methods will not necessarily prevent or cure an infestation however. If you want to avoid chemical wormers, it is advisable that you perform a ‘faecal egg count’ regularly. You can do this yourself if you have a microscope, or you can buy a kit and send off a sample. In this way you only treat your chickens when necessary and avoid contributing to the problem of resistance to medications.
  
-### Meat production & slaughter+==== Meat production & slaughter ====
  
 It is legal to slaughter chickens at home for consumption by yourself and your immediate family provided it is done humanely. If this is something you want to do, it is advisable to get the help of an experienced person or to attend a course on humane slaughter. See the [Humane Slaughter Association](https://www.hsa.org.uk/) for more information. Plucking and butchering are not difficult skills to learn and there are many online articles and videos to help you with this process. It is legal to slaughter chickens at home for consumption by yourself and your immediate family provided it is done humanely. If this is something you want to do, it is advisable to get the help of an experienced person or to attend a course on humane slaughter. See the [Humane Slaughter Association](https://www.hsa.org.uk/) for more information. Plucking and butchering are not difficult skills to learn and there are many online articles and videos to help you with this process.
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-### Paperwork and regulations+==== Paperwork and regulations ====
  
 You have to register with DEFRA and standard regulations apply if you keep more than 50 ducks / hens or a mix of both. There are no regulations for people keeping fewer than 50 birds. You have to register with DEFRA and standard regulations apply if you keep more than 50 ducks / hens or a mix of both. There are no regulations for people keeping fewer than 50 birds.
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-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/gardening). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - [British Hen Welfare Trust](https://www.bhwt.org.uk/) - from battery farms to back gardens - [British Hen Welfare Trust](https://www.bhwt.org.uk/) - from battery farms to back gardens
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-## Related topics+===== Related topics =====
  
 - [Butchery & meat](butc:butchery) - [Butchery & meat](butc:butchery)
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 - [Forest gardening](forg:forest_gardening) - [Forest gardening](forg:forest_gardening)
  
-## Specialist curators of this topic+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
  • chic/chickens.1773694845.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2026/03/16 21:00
  • by Simon Grant