What is it with Chickens ?

[Moscow Mule]

Anybody got one of these? I'm quite tempted.

http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_serv...the%20goodlife

[TimberWolf]

Does it work out cheaper just to buy eggs from the shops instead of rearing chickens in your back garden though?

[Bear]

Anybody got one of these? I'm quite tempted.

http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_serv...the%20goodlife

I've looked at them and decided against them - I will get a wooden house for mine.

There's a lot of people in favour of Omlets and a lot against. they look good but they're not everyone's cup of tea

[voodooflux]

Anybody got one of these? I'm quite tempted.

http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_serv...the%20goodlife

Hmmmm, I reckon my missus would fancy one of those.

[Cyberman]

One died of heatstroke, the other was a rescue and had a tumor.

The more you have (we have about 15) the more will die in any one year from a variety of causes.

Access to regular clean water and good shelter with sufficient room is obviously important to avoid disease. Personally, I think chickens are beautiful creatures, but those cockerels can be very noisy and upset the neighbours.

[Bear]

Does it work out cheaper just to buy eggs from the shops instead of rearing chickens in your back garden though?

depends on a lot of factors:

What eggs do you buy from the shop - are you happy with 'value' eggs.
How much do you spend on the set up at home. Can you/Do you build a coop for your hens from scratch from recycled bits and bobs.

If you go out and buy the whole set up then it will take years to recover your money unless you sell your eggs.
If you can do it cheaply, then yes, it does pay back quickly.

But there's also the fun of having the hens in your garden (if you like having pets that is)

[TheBigYinJames]

Does it work out cheaper just to buy eggs from the shops instead of rearing chickens in your back garden though?

Nope, cheaper to keep chickens.

[Mich the Tester]

One big advantage is that you’ll always have fresh eggs; essential if, like me, you like poached eggs. Supermarket eggs are often more than a week old before you buy them, so the white won’t congeal quickly enough in water.

[TheBigYinJames]

Access to regular clean water and good shelter with sufficient room is obviously important to avoid disease.

The one with the tumor, no amount of clean water was going to help there. She was a rescued batter hen, one of a pair we got from the North London Battery Rescue. She never laid all the time we had her. These battery farms pump them full of chemicals, antibiotics etc, so they tend to expire easily.

The Buff Orpington was having a very hard time during the one very hot day of this summer. She had been a bit egg bound, and had gone inside to lay during the hottest part of the day. On spotting her panting, I opened all the doors, and put a cold wet flannel around her, but she expired an hour later.

All the hens are regularly dusted for parasites, and have minerals in their drink, calcium additives etc.

If you have 2 or 3 hens, chances are they'll all live to 3 or 4, but if you have 15-20, then the 'half-life' principle comes into play, the more you have, the chances are the more you'll lose to random events.

[expat]

Does it work out cheaper just to buy eggs from the shops instead of rearing chickens in your back garden though?

Yes.

Are eggs from your own hens better?
Oh, yes.