Chickens make great pets, and although they are not your traditional furry loving companion they still offer their owners love and affection. Many homeowners are taking up the latest fad of keeping chickens in a real attempt to live the ‘good life’. You can have freshly laid eggs in the morning still warm from the coop, in the knowledge that your chickens have been treated well and are happy in their current home. For many this is the epitome of living a wholesome life. At Cotswold Chickens we adore how more and more people are embracing hens as pets. To make sure your chickens are happy in their new home, here is our latest guide on how to keep chickens.

Home Sweet Home

Before bringing your chickens back to your home, you first need to sort out the their housing. If you decide to have four hens it best to have a coop which gives them 4×4ft internal space. We would usually recommend that you buy more than one hen, as chickens similarly to humans, prefer to have a companion and can become lonely if they don’t have a friend.

You should make sure that your garden and the chicken coop offers your hens effective protection. Unfortunately garden gates Marlow do not prevent predators from attacking your new pets. This is why their coop is so important.

Chicken’s Diet

As their new owner you will need to ensure that your new pets have the appropriate diet. At Cotswold Chickens we are able to give advice on the types of feed available and the best varieties for your new hens.

If you are planning on having chickens in your back garden, then ideally you need to discuss it with an expert beforehand. Here at Cotswold Chickens we are always happy to help those interested in keeping hens or currently have hens. If you would like more advice then come and visit us, or contact us on 01608 683 912.

Disclaimer of Endorsement: Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by Cotswold Chickens. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Cotswold Chickens, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

When getting a pet for the first time, it’s important to ensure that you’re fully prepared – keeping chickens as pets is no different. Whilst there are many books available which offer advice and guidance, they can often be confusing. Fortunately here at Cotswold Chickens, we’ve compiled this straightforward guide which offers the basics to keeping chickens.

Space and Housing:

In an ideal world your chickens would be free to roam around acres of land; however at Cotswold Chickens we appreciate that this isn’t always viable and that a run is often required. If you’re thinking about purchasing a run for your birds to enjoy, as a minimum you should ensure that there’s at least one square metre per bird, so if you’re carrying out landscaping Ascot before your birds arrive, it’s important to take this into consideration.

If the space is too small and overcrowding occurs, your chickens are susceptible to feather pulling and bullying.

With the space taken care of, you can begin to consider housing for your birds. Fortunately, at night chickens tend to huddle closer together so space isn’t as much of an issue. However it’s still important to ensure your chickens are comfortable.

We stock a range of chicken housing ranging from wooden Shipston hen houses through to Green Frog hen houses made using recycled plastic. The perfect housing should be accompanied by the perfect bedding and through our experience, we would recommend the Auboise bedding.

Food:

Chickens may only be small animals but you’d be surprised by how much they eat and also how varied their diet needs to be. We recommend providing feed for your chickens in the form of a mixture of mash, pellets and crumb. Along with giving them a main meal each day, also include treats and supplements throughout the day to keep your chickens happy.

Handling:

Like your traditional pets, chickens require regular handling; not only will this ensure that they’re comfortable in your presence, but it’ll also give you the opportunity to check your birds for any problems, such as ticks and injuries.

As with all pets, keeping chickens can be hard work, but as long as you get the basics right, it’ll also prove to be highly rewarding as your birds will provide you with hours of entertainment and affection. If you’d like more information about chicken care, contact us here at Cotswold Chickens by using our online enquiry form.

Disclaimer of Endorsement: Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by Cotswold Chickens. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Cotswold Chickens, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.