If you keep your own chickens, you may be wondering how you can keep them happy and healthy. Once you have got to know your chickens, this is easy, but until then there are five tips to keeping your chickens happy and healthy which you need to know. With our wealth of experience here at Cotswold Chickens and love of all things chicken related, we can offer advice that you can trust in to support your journey with your feathered friends.

1. Healthy Diet vs. Those Naughty Treats

Like us, chickens love their food so keeping them on a healthy diet can seem difficult when they love the extra bits of bacon or those dried mealworm which you keep handing out. To keep your chickens healthy, giving them an occasional treat is ok; just make sure you don’t get blackmailed into giving your chicken treats all the time.

2. Sheltering your Little Friends

Everyone needs a home (a coop) and chickens are no exception. At Cotswold Chickens we stock a vast selection of coops which can accommodate for all styles, sizes and heights.

3. Leg Room

We all like a bit of leg room, and instead of going for a brisk walk out in the country, chickens are content to potter around your back garden. We usually recommend that you give them a square meter of run per bird.

4. Safety

To keep your chickens safe and sound, erecting a fence around their run will give them the freedom to run wild, while offering them protection from predators.

5. Tender Loving Care (TLC)

Last tip of the day – give your chicken care with lots of love and attention. Once acclimatised, they’re happy with human contact and some loved to be fussed; you will notice if they are unhappy they might become sick more quickly.

If you need any more advice about keeping your chickens happy, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Here at Cotswold Chickens we love the fact that more and more people are finally realising the enjoyment that chickens can bring into your lives. If you need any help or you are struggling to keep your chickens happy then please phone us today on 01608 683 912.

When considering a family pet, many people will think of a dog, cat or rabbit – an animal which is known for providing love, affection and entertainment. However, another animal which makes a perfect pet, providing love, affection and entertainment is that of a chicken. In recent years, the number of families raising chickens in the UK has considerably rose, and for good reason. But when looking after such animals, there’s a lot of care involved – especially if you want to reduce feather pecking.

Feather pecking in chickens can be a serious issue and unfortunately there’s no hiding that severe feather pecking can lead to tissue damage caused to the bird and in some cases cannibalism. There are various theories around on how to prevent feather pecking amongst your birds – one of which is adding vinegar into their drinking water. However, here at Cotswold Chickens, we believe that a change in the chicken feed you use could help reduce feather pecking.

Studies have found that chickens who are fed on diets which were either too low in mineral consumption, proteins, amino acid, or if when the diet only consisted of vegetables, are more susceptible to severe feather pecking. However, a high-fibre or a low-energy diet is said to reduce the pecking.

Although these studies imply that a balanced diet for your birds can reduce feather pecking amongst them, it is also important not to drastically change your current flock’s diet too quickly, as a dramatic change in nutrition can lead to an increase in pecking. Allowing your chickens to freely roam around your garden will enable them to forage on the vegetation, which will supplement their diet and reduce pecking.

Along with allowing your chickens to enjoy the delights on offer in your garden – from vegetation and grubs, here at Cotswold Chickens we supply a range of food supplements and food products, which will help provide a balanced diet amongst your flock, thus reducing feather pecking.