CHICKENS!!

I spent the night at a good friends house last night who happens to have her own chickens in her back garden; which with my over active imagination, specially for a project has now got me thinking. The last couple of weeks i have started thinking about what i am going to do in terms of growing the grass back. Well... if i have chickens i wont need to bother!!!! They can occupy the area whist we live here and then ill just put the ugly stones back down when we go!! I am going to get Scott to email our landlord later and see what she says, as long as we put the garden back together again when we leave i really don't see why it would be a problem... she has no idea i pulled all the stones up as it is so the damage is kinda already done anyway..

I have been looking at houses for them all afternoon and can't decide whether a house and a run is a good option or just to buy a house and make a run myself.

The premade runs look so small. Ok i only want 2 chickens but i would feel mean if they didn't have a lot of space. But then can i really be bothered to make my own pen around a house? The houses are nice but that it much more work... I guess it would completely come down to price!

This one is made for 6 birds so i wouldn't need one that big.. I'm not sure..

OK so ill need:

• Housing
• An area for a run or pen
• 1 feeder (or more depending on how many hens you're keeping)
• 1 drinker (or more depending on how many hens you're keeping)
• Feed bin (safe from pests and vermin accessing it)
• Feed scoop
• Bedding
• Nest boxes

Food Suppliments and Medical Supplies...

• Poultry tonic/spice (vit and mineral supplement)
• Citricidal (good for colds and coughs etc)
• Cider vinegar
• Anti-mite/lice/flea powder
• Flubenvet or Verm-X for regular worming treatment
• Vaseline
• Limestone flour or Davinova C (Calcium supplement)
• Garlic powder (helps keep hens in good health and also reduces the odour from the droppings). 

Websites to remember:

• http://www.henkeeping.co.uk/general-care.html
• http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/pets/farmanimals/chickens