Keeping Chickens at a Low Cost (on the cheep!)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ค. 2024
- We have been breeding Buff Orpington chickens using broody hens for a number of years as well as keeping some other breeds as egg layers.
Like most people we started with commercially bought equipment for the chickens but as we've gained experience we've found ways to maintain quality and reduce costs. In this video I'll show you some of the things we have done to keep costs down and hopefully inspire you to find similar opportunities.
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We made a wooden frame and covered the top with #4( 1/4") hardware cloth. We seeded the area under the box with grain and grew it for the chickens to eat. They couldn't get to the roots to scratch it up but they could eat the grasses and grains that grew
That's a good idea
The part where the cockerels were swinging together was so sweet.I should have known it wouldn't last !Lol
Boys are never good for long 😁
I thought a few of those coops and broody houses were bought from a store, you did a great job!!!
Thanks Josiah! Hugh
How are you doing? I love what you are doing you and impacting lives positively. It is great watching your videos it is very useful to me as a keeper of chickens. God bless you and keep you safe always. Afolabi from Nigeria.
Thank you so much!
Great ideas, I do use dog bowls for water and Ive just made a feeder out of a bucket and 4inch 90degree bends. I found the video on you tube it work fantastically well. Happy homesteading x
That is awesome!
Thank you for these great videos, we're moving house in the near future and are going to be able to keep chickens for the first time, your videos are helping us feel more prepared :)
That's so lovely of you to say ☺
Good luck with the move
ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO WATCH, GREAT HELP.
Really glad you liked it!
I love your videos. They are so relaxing to watch while I learn.
Thanks Anna, that's lovely of you!
I’m so glad I found this channel. It’s brilliant
Thank you so much!
thankyou so much for your channel and the video that you have done. I will use your channel as a reference point.
You are very welcome. Thanks for your lovely comment 🙂
I love your videos. I’m new at keeping chickens, and learned a lot from you. Thank you.
Thank you so much
Very interesting and helpful as always, I’m going to spend next few days watching all your videos ❤️
Thank you! Any questions, please ask!
Excellent video. Really comprehensive and useful. Thanks.
Thanks Mags!
I love your channel, its so helpful! I wish I had come across it sooner, it would've helped with the last hen I had, but im happy that it will help with my future chickens. Good luck for the future! 💞
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you that was really handy... we're getting chickens soon and we dip in and out of your channel because your advice is really clear and practical
Thank you so much 🙂
Thanks for the very informative videos. Having just been allocated an allotment we are planning on having a few chickens and have found your videos an excellent introduction.
Thanks John- do ask if you hit any snags!
Really enjoying this. Thanks for all this info. My chickens love comfrey and chickweed the most. I love picking weeds and giving it to them. Cheers!
Free healthy food! What's not to like?
Excellent tips 👍
Thank you!
I love all your ideas
Thanks Debi!
Very clever. Thank you.
Thanks Jenny :-)
this is a very helpful video thank you great job!!
I'm so glad!
You're amazing 👏 thank you for all of this info
Thank you so much!
Great and very helpful video, just what I was looking for!
I've just taken over the care of 2 pet chickens, and was looking for practical and economical ways to care for them. Thank you!
Glad it helped 🙂
Fantastic video
Thanks Joel!
@@EnglishCountryLife I have three Burfords coming soon. You've given me plenty to think of 🙌
thanks for this usefull and important hints!
So glad that you enjoyed them!
Beautiful video.
Thank you
Love the video
Thank you 😊
I recommend using a kiddy pool for dust bathing
Interesting- a solid one I assume?
A dog bowl is awesome for small treats like mealworms or seeds or even sprouted grains
We use stainless steel bowls for hot mash
Very educated i learned a lot,
Thank you!
Hope you are having a good chicken year :)
Extremely good thanks Roy. Six left yesterday to a lovely new home and more are off tomorrow!
Yay! Feed for my hens is our biggest cost, so it's great to know that cleavers is edible for them (I'm Scots, we call it "Sticky Willy") and we have lots around the still wild parts of the field so I'll be feeding it to the hens. :)
Being rural, rats are a problem for us too. I keep permanent humane traps set up in the barn, baited. Obviously I can't use poison and wouldn't want to. The traps work and I've no problem disposing of the rats...they literally tunnel from outside the barn and up under the concrete floor, THROUGH the concrete! When we first moved into the cottage, it'd been empty twenty years so we'd rats (and a pine marten) in the attic. We got out Rentokil who told us rats easily eat through concrete which shocked me. They told me if I find future rat holes or tunnels, block them with either Brillo pads (made of steel wool) or steel mesh then cement over the holes. The steel is what stops them. Unfortunately, I think due to the nature of how chickens feed, by scratching around, no matter how tidy I try to keep their feeders, the rats still want to try for any stray grain or mash. The humane traps work though. I've found rats love chocolate or corned beef.
PS I'm absolutely making a chicken swing! :D
We use treadle feeders which do have the advantage of being rat proof!
We always used DE and/or wood ashes in the sand pit
DE does have health issues associated with it now
@@EnglishCountryLife I know you don't use much and we always mixed it in.
@@reneebrown2968 We use some too but wear a mask now when mixing it
There’s one big benefit to a large initial expenditure to build a walk in, building type coop. For a residential, suburban type area, it could be a selling point in that it could be transformed into a storage building, or a studio, etc etc. A dedicated, smaller coop might not be attractive to some buyers. Plus, a walk in, stand up coop is easier to clean, larger for your chickens in the winter, plus you can have more chickens!
Walk in building type coops certainly have their place and are perfect where they have integral runs for busy people or where it's not possible to allow the chickens to free range all day. The only issue can be is that big in terms of coop space isn't always ideal in winter. The chickens can find it harder to stay warm with so much air space to heat. It's a balancing act.
Well, my large coop, walk in, 10 feet by six, has has electricity run to it. We have such extremes of low and high temperatures here it’s crazy. I may have to provide both extra heat in winter, and ventilation or cooling in summer. The coop is double walled, insulated, three windows, two high vents. I’m really looking forward to getting my chicks!
Oh, forgot! The attached run is quite large, with half inch hardware cloth surrounding, and dug in an apron all around. My yard is large, I have maybe fifteen cider apples, pears, peaches, apricot, grapes, hops, the coop is in what used to be prime tomato growing, but, I was willing to sacrifice that.
Actually, you can see my coop..! There’s a local couple that has three coop designs, a website called ““Shiloh” plan. My carpenter and I made a few changes, like, we used the flat side of two by fours for the stadium style roost bars, eliminated the struts in the roof, lowered the roof to be eight feet at the peak for local ordinances. I just finished the interior painting yesterday, so it’s all finished. Just need to block off the nest boxes. In the pictures on their site, you can see the eastern mountains, the Wasatch Range, I live close to them on the east side of the city. My carpenter said the plans were good and easy to follow, we didn’t find any major mistakes. The smaller two are very cute as well!
Oh, clean coops dot com. It didn’t print that in the comment..how odd..
Thank you for your great videos, I am due to become a chicken keeper next weekend when my 3 pekin bantams arrive! I have really enjoyed watching your channel and your gorgeous chickens. Can I use top soil for a dustbath and could I put this in an old washing up bowl or would it be too deep? Thanks again
Yes, fine top soil will work but if it rains take it under cover. It will take much longer than sand to dry out and dust bathing only works if the soil is dry and dust-like.
Yes, a washing up bowl will work brilliantly!
I hope the bantams give you as much joy as our chickens give me.
I have seen an old wheelbarrow, without the under carriage, used really well too. Dug into the soil by 2" or so, to make it level and lower.
Enjoyable watching, most of our chicken/duck/goose houses are made ad hoc so to speak, home made woven wood fence panels are also great to use and free to make if you have a few trees around.
Great ideas!
Better to use long food bowls, it makes pecking order less relevant. A dominant chick can control entire dog bowl.
Good idea. The drainpipe option that I show would do the same.
Yet again another outstanding video. Are you still letting some Buff Orpingtons go soon? Regards Wayne
How many do you want Wayne? Hugh
@@EnglishCountryLife Just two please Hugh
Hi Wayne. If you follow me on Twitter @engcountrylife we can discuss availability by DM. Hugh
Hi Fiona, love your videos, how do you protect against birds of prey like falcons? I've seen some chicken holders who put up wires above their chicken outdoor area...
Great question!
We don't have a problem with birds of prey. In the area we have buzzards that hunt over the adjoining fields but avoid ours, plus sparrowhawks and kestrels but they are more interested in the local sparrow population and the voles in the area.
I've always thought that we have 2 advantages:
1) The area we live in provides an abundance of other easier food opportunities for birds of prey
2) The size of the Orpingtons is tremendous and I believe makes them a formidable target.
Does that help?
they are biautiful
Thank you!
Can chickens eat tomato plants once the tomatoes are done organic green house grown ? Just subscribed also please advise with foxes as in the uk you know foxes are now sadly having to live in the suburbs how do you deal with free roam while at work ?
Thank you kindest Regards Nick
Hi Nick. Tomatoes are a member of the nightshade group so definitely don't feed the plants to chickens, although the tomatoes themselves are fine
Try this video for fox security
th-cam.com/video/OLjadgiRoDs/w-d-xo.html
😍
🙂
Hi love your videos. Was wondering if you have heard of fermenting feed? And your opinions on it.
Yes I have heard of it but for us we have chosen not to ferment feed. Fermentation does have evidence to say that it is advantageous so let me explain why we don't use it.
Modern pellets have a lot of science applied to them to ensure they are very nutritionally balanced for chickens and are produced in such quantities that they are very cost effective. To duplicate the same nutrition levels using constituent parts becomes quite expensive in the UK before we could ferment the grains. Chicken scratch is normally what is used in other countries but isn't a readily available food type here so we would need to buy grains and soy separately at a higher price. We would them need to ensure that the fermented foods do not become mouldy. All in all it becomes an expensive undertaking when we have a scientifically proven, nutritionally balanced and cost effective feed in layers pellets.
Does that help?
@@EnglishCountryLife Yes Thank you.
Hi, very interesting video 👍. Do you raise meat birds as well?
Hi! We raise the Orpingtons as utility birds so for both eggs and meat. We keep some hens for breeding and excess hens are sold as PoL. The cockerels are used as table birds. If you'd like to know more about how this breeding cycle works as well as the different breeds we have, this video should explain it all 👍
th-cam.com/video/JDaMa8FawvM/w-d-xo.html
Very informative video 👍
I am trying to build a run for my chickens, do you know any self supporting Galvanised wire netting or panel ? I am trying to use wood for the frame of the run and frame of the door .
The partner , who I have seen the video from, are living in America, over there they call this material "Galvanised cuttle panel " , which I can not find it even in Amazon , Do you know anything similar to this? thanks 😊
If you want self supporting fencing take a look at "Heras fencing"
amzn.to/3vbMKM4
But if you just want to put wire over a wooden frame simple weld mesh or chicken wire works
amzn.to/2QLINPo
If you need self supporting you can get weld mesh panels
amzn.to/3vpE1WZ
Very informative and hrlpful video.just one more question,what do you do for red mites infestation in chicken coup😢
The best bet is to use plastic coops if at all possible (we partner with Nestera coops). They have far fewer places for red mites to hide in. Clean the coop frequently with a biocide such as Smite or Dergall. Finally treat the chickens with a 1% Ivermectin solution according to veterinary instructions to eliminate any mites on the birds. It's hard work, but they can be eliminated
@@EnglishCountryLife thankyou so much😘
@@ZH-Rocks Any time 🙂. Do check out our Nestera coop videos. They are massively helpful in dealing with red mite!
Hello Fiona I was curious with your grazing and veggies how much and how often are you supplementing with feed? I have a set up almost the same as yours here in Alabama, I watch your videos and they really help me out. Any advice would be appreciated ty.
Hi, the chickens have "on-demand" access to feed pellets in treadle feeders. However the feed they consume is lower than we would expect for birds that size.
Does that help?
@@EnglishCountryLife ty I seen your feeders they are great. I appreciate the feed back
Hi I just subscribed I'm thinking of getting 2 chickens 🐔 watching your video was really helpful thankyou. Can I ask is there any medicines they have to have on a regular basis like worming etc? Thankyou in advance ☺
Hi Dorothy. It's advisable to worm chickens once a year with a product called Flubenvet - it's available pre mixed with feed.
@@EnglishCountryLife oh thankyou for ur answer. Can coops be at waist hight bout 3 feet off the ground with ramps of course because I have mobility issues so it's hard to stand for long x
Hi Dorothy - they definitely can! They are much easier to clean if higher. Our partner organisation Nestera makes fabulous higher coops that are made from recycled plastic and maintenance free and guaranteed for 25 years! 😯. Best of all, if you follow our lunk, 10% discount will automatically be applied to your basket at checkout!
For UK residents, buy your Nestera Coops and get 10% off AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED AT CHECKOUT by using this link:
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I love the swing. I have one in my livingroom for my sulphur crested cockatoos. You should see the look of first time visitors, haha
Your english accent confuses me a bit, hah what is it in those tyres? Red builders dust?? Sand. From the beach?
Sawdust alright?
Hi its Red builders sand in the tyres for the chickens to dust bathe in 🙂
@@EnglishCountryLife ok, thanks. Where do I get that?
What about sawdust, is that ok?
@@swissmaid Hi we get it from the local builder's merchants (places like Home Depot). Sawdust will absorb water so its no good.
Very good nothing wrong with being thrifty.
The only way to do it!
love love your videos, do you sell fertilised eggs at all? I love your hens
Hi! We do between November and April. Then hens are moulting now and we are bringing on the new cockerel, but we will be selling again in 6 to 8 weeks
@@EnglishCountryLife oh that's great I would be very interested
@@bunnyphipps If you contact us through our website from November onwards, we can try to help.
www.englishcountrylife.com
Hi. Sorry to comment on the wrong video.. I’ve just watched your introduction to canning video as we have lots of things growing on the allotment. I wondered if u could give me the name, make and model of the pressure cooker/canner you used on there as I haven’t seen any like yours for sale. I put my comment on here as it’s your latest video, so just incase you don’t see the comment on an older video.
Hi Mandy,
Ours is an "All American" brand canner, the model us 921. We imported it duty paid from the USA through ebay. Hope that helps. Hugh
Also i using a vbowl for water in a free range environment would the attraction of wild birds using them effect the health of the chickens?
Hi Nathan, yes, wild birds can pass diseases to chickens including Avian Influenza. Proper drinkers, under cover to prevent faecal contamination ard a better idea
Hi i am learning a lot from your videos thinking to get some chickens, can I not feed them bread and normal cereals?
Hi, bread as an occasional treat is fine and wheat as part of a mixed diet. They do need some nutrients that grains alone will not provide so a mix of grains, some form of protein (often cooked & specially processed soya beans are used for protein in commercial feed - in the wild that would be insects). Some green leafy material is also great. Obviously commercial foods contain everything necessary - even calcium for the eggshell.
Sorry Fiona it is called "Galvanised Cattle Panel"
We guessed ,😉
also what sort of things do you use to make at home in their coop?
I'm sorry I'm not sure that I understand - are you asking about how yo keep chickens happy & interested?
If so, take a look here
th-cam.com/video/OoLuz004E5w/w-d-xo.html
were getting chickens soon any idea of what to feed them?
We gave a video on this very subject that might prove useful
th-cam.com/video/NsiLJlVwcO8/w-d-xo.html
Fiona do you breed buff orpington bantams?im not in the market atm, just for future ref, i was looking for some before we got what we have, couldnt find any, they seem to be really rare.
No, we only keep large fowl, sorry.
5:29 Wow!...The UK has serious problems with the overlords....Wow again.
Given that catering waste caused Mad Cow Disease you can understand why care is needed
i ve listened that incubating round eggs will give you hens, is it true?
We have never found any reliable way to force hens, sorry
Hello Fiona, do chickens eat slugs and snails?
They can but ducks seem to love them, chickens less so
Hi im looking in to getting chickens but i can only buy them as eggs around me in the uk how do you find it sellings rooster. Please
The bad news is that we only sell a few roosters as part of a starter breeding flock. It's almost impossible to even give male birds away.
I applaud you for considering what to do with the males that will hatch before you start.
We keep Buff Orpingtons because they are utility birds i.e. good for eggs and as table birds. As a result or excess cockerels are used for the table.
This video explains our breeding strategy. It might help you
th-cam.com/video/JDaMa8FawvM/w-d-xo.html
Can't believe its illegal to give chickens kitchen scraps in the UK... wtf
Unfortunately mad cow disease was traced back to kitchen waste being fed to livestock. A complete ban on the practice was put in place
I noticed you have tiny chicks outside, I have three week old chicks at what age can they go outside and don’t need heat from the brooder?
Our chicks are with broody hens who keep them warm and dry. If yours are hatched by incubator they can have outside time now but should have access to a coop with a brooder plate at all times. You will also need to keep an eye on the weather as they mustn't get soaked by the rain
@@EnglishCountryLife oh they can go outside now? I thought it was at least 6 weeks ? I wont be able to put the brooder outside , so should thay maybe have half an hr to start with and then back inside ? At what age can they go to the coop? Sorry for so many questions
@@Louise-xr5ok The problem is their ability to regulate temperature. If they have no brooder or broody hen and they get cold, they can't warm up. If you can't put your brooder in a coop then you need to wait for them to be fully feathered
@@EnglishCountryLife thank you
How can i buy authentic good quality eggs from Bangladesh?
From us I'm afraid you can't, they won't survive the journey, sorry
Hi, in a few months we would be getting some chickens for the eggs, I just wondered if you sell any? Xxx
We only sell chickens when we have an excess so it is very irregular. We are in South Lincolnshire which I don't know if that's accessible to you? When you're ready to buy chickens and our location is OK for travel drop us a line and I'll be able to let you know if we have any for sale. Unfortunately I can't guarantee we will have any.
Does that sound OK?
Hi, thank you for replying! I really appreciate it, we are moving to Lincolnshire, north somercotes so we would be able to travel to you! Xxx
Drop us a line nearer the time and if we have hens for sale, great! If you would like to DM rather than be on a public forum you can contact me on Twitter @TheFloofLady.
We do have some chickens that have just hatched and will be available in around 3 months. Drop me a line on Twitter as a DM to @TheFloofLady and I will contact you first when they are for sale. No obligation. Our hens normally sell within the first week if you aren't quite ready.
GREAT VIDEO!
IS THERE ANY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES THAT BIG BROTHER GOV'T DOES NOT JAMB IN THEIR BIG NOSE!!?
Glad you enjoyed it
I have a flock of 500chickes
How wonderful 👍
Please don't use builders sand
Why ever not?