09:56 - 20 January 2010
Some gardeners will tell you that you can’t have a nice garden and keep hens. I don’t believe that that is the case. Don’t be fooled, hens can be hard work, they can be messy and they do scratch around the borders, but provided you have a large garden and are sensible about where they can forage, you really can garden and keep hens.
Hens have plenty of benefits around the garden. Their droppings are very rich in nutrients, too rich to use neat, but add them to the compost heap to enrich your home compost beautifully. Allow the hens out in the autumn, winter and early spring and they will rummage around the garden feeding on bugs, slug eggs and other garden nasties. They clean up the compost heap, devour a wide variety of edible weeds and create great entertainment too. The secret of combining hens and the garden is that you need to be able to contain them when the garden is burgeoning and restrict them to areas where they can do minimal damage for the rest of the time. If you can do that successfully your hens can live happily in harmony with your garden and you will reap their rich rewards.
There are lots of ill rumours that surround keeping hens in the garden, and of course there are always ups and downs, but most of it is down to common sense. You are dealing with real live creatures that need care and attention and a high standard of cleanliness and hygiene. While they do have shelter in their accommodation they are susceptible to weather changes, extreme wet, heat and cold can all take their toll. Keep your hen house as clean as possible. A build up of droppings can cause respiratory problems and are a health hazard. Use suitable and dedicated cleaners for poultry houses and do not resort to household chemicals that may affect your hens.
Poultry food attracts vermin and you need to take precautions. Store it in metal bins that are secure and dry and cannot be gnawed through. Take care where you feed the hens and don’t leave food out overnight where rats can take advantage.
The panic phrase ‘Bird Flu’ fills all hen hobbyists with fear and should be treated as a serious potential threat, if it materialises on our shores. Full advice on avian flu can be found on the government website www.defra.gov.uk . Sensible husbandry, good hygiene and the ability to cover your hen accommodation to protect it from wild birds are all powerful, but simple weapons to prevent problems with your flock.
Good husbandry and cleanliness is important with all animals and birds. Clean feeders, drinkers, housing and your own clothing, especially foot ware. Wash hands after handling your birds or eggs.
Feed and water containers should be scrubbed regularly, use proper containers kept hanging off the ground, not in open bowls. Do not feed scraps, this encourages rodents and is not good practice. Housing birds in fully wired movable arks are ideal, as wild birds cannot gain access to feed and water and so avoids contamination.
