Chickens in Dublin

JaxMax

I would like to keep 3 hens as pets and for eggs, we used to keep them years ago and I just yearn for the taste of a 'proper' fresh egg again!

But I have a few questions so if anyone could help me out I'd be most grateful.

Firstly, I read somewhere that if keeping chickens in an urban area in Ireland (I'm in Drimnagh) then one must report this to the Dept. of Agriculture (I think) - anyone know if this is true for just 3 chooks?

Where would be the closest (reputable) place for buying some point of lay girls?

Are there any local(ish) places that sell pre-made hen houses? Building one from scratch isn't an option (although the run will be built here) but I've been looking at maybe buying a dog house and converting it.

Anyone else here in Dublin keep hens? It would be great to have someone close by to have a natter with and compare notes.

Thanks in advance,
Jax

arctictree

Hi JaxMax - I'm not sure about those rules. I think as long as you dont have a cockeral making noise you should be alright.

Look in buyandsell and you should see ads for POL pullets in Dublin. Have a look on the internet and see what breeds you are interested in. We have light sussex. If they are pets (and not commercial), I would highly advise getting ones that you like the look of!

I've done the dog house conversion thing - very economical. You can also buy purpose built ones on ebay for about 150 euro.

Look on - http://forums.thepoultrykeeper.co.uk/

There are a few members in Dublin!

A

JaxMax

Thanks Arctictree, I like the look of Light Sussex and was actually thinking of getting some of those. We had Rhode Island Reds when I was a kid. I think I might go the Dog House route I think and just convert it, from the prices I've seen on the internet for hen houses, dog houses are a bit cheaper.

For anyone who is interested, I phoned the Dept of Agriculture this afternoon and yes, even if it's only three, they need to be registered with them. They gave me the number of my local District Veterinary Office (Tallaght) who are sending me a form to fill in when I get them. Something to do with keeping track re: Avian Flu etc.

Anyway, thanks again, I appreciate your advice.

Jax

Run_to_da_hills

My folks used to keep hens and bantam cocks in Dunlaoghaire right up until the mid 1980s, foxes were the big problem then and will be more so now now that they can't scavange for scraps out of lid covered wheely bins. A mate of mine still keeps them in seafield Killiney and hes in an average semi, his back garden is like a farmyard.

EGirl

Hey there, keeping a couple of hens in the garden is quite possible. I do it in mine in Dundrum. If you need any specific advice let me know. Baumanns in Stillorgan will modify a rabbit hutch for you tho' not cheap. Would be happy to chat anytime, just pm me your number and I'll call you. Dog kennel conversion a great idea. I got hens last weekend in Wexford, and know a man who is hoping to breed again this year. I have 2 x light sussex, 1 rhode island red & 1 welsummer. As Arctictree says, the best forum is www.thepoultrykeeper.co.uk, I'm on there under same username & it's a fab resource for info & support. See you there???
Best of luck & prepare to be addicted, fast....!

JaxMax

Hi EGirl - nice to meet you, I saw you on the other forum too and was going to PM you! I only have a small back garden but should be plenty of space for the girls when I eventually get them. I'm sure I'll be picking your brains in the near future. Thanks for telling me about Baumanns, I must go out and have a look.

Can anyone tell me of somewhere (within a couple of hours drive from Dublin) that sells Chicken Houses as I'd love to take a close up peek to see exactly what I needed to do if I did buy a dog kennel to convert.

Thanks
Jackie

EGirl

Still around Jackie? My garden is small too. If you find a place that does coops etc, do let me know. There is a place in the West but too far for me. Baumanns have a website I think, there's not too much in the shop but Mr Baumann will show you his book of photos which will illustrate the type of thing he does. He also made mine which you're welcome to see anytime, complete with chucks!

JaxMax

Well I'm hoping I've done the right thing here but I've just bought a rather nice looking hen house on eBay! There were a few on there, all in the UK of course :rolleyes: and shipping costs varied, the first one I came across that I liked the look of was £200 plus £100 for delivery, which I thought was a bit steep but still would have turned out cheaper than the ones I've seen over here in the internet. But the one I eventually went for was a very similar shape and cost £135 and only £20 for delivery - flat pack though whereas the other was mostly assembled already, but I don't mind that, I'm fairly handy with a screw driver!

When it arrives I'll let you know what it's like.

gerky

This crowd do coops but I don't know anything about them so cant vouch for them, based in Wicklow.

Spireman

Theres a company I found on donedeal.ie that sells hen arks. Wood Wonders are in Athlone.

Contact number is 087 6797048 (Fintan). They sell at €275 but that doesnt cover delivery.

Heres a link to a pic of the ark http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/birds/790519


Hope its a help

JaxMax

Thanks for the links!

Gerky, they have some lovely hen houses/coops etc but are very pricey! The one I liked the look of was €665! :eek: The one I've just bought on eBay works out about €220 so that's more like it!

Spireman, thanks, I may just get an ark as well just in case I ever need to separate any of them.


Anyone have any ideas on where I can get some hens now? *L* I've found a place up north in Lisburn that have them occasionally and the farm I currently buy my organic eggs from tells me there's a place in Hacketstown as well which is a little nearer. Still have to wait for the hen house to arrive though! I'm so impatient!

jenny-walsh

To find out the space requirements etc check out DSPCA.ie, they have advice on just about every animal....I couldn't believe that they actually had abandoned chickens!!!!

gerky

JaxMax wrote: »

Thanks for the links!

Gerky, they have some lovely hen houses/coops etc but are very pricey! The one I liked the look of was €665! :eek: The one I've just bought on eBay works out about €220 so that's more like it!

Thats quite expensive, as regards foxes they tend to be over hyped a bit you shouldn't really have to much bother they'll try alright but once you have good secure enclosures they should be fine.
Almost all the times I've seen hens taken by foxes it was down to carelessness or poor enclosures in particular make sure its secure around the bottom also keep an eye for dogs and cats.

Spireman

Hi Jax Max

I've just ordered the smallest shed from Kelly's Sheds in Sandyford Industrial estate. Its 6' x 4' with the great advantage that you have plenty of headroom to walk about in. Kellys deliver and erect for €375 which isnt bad when you consider what prices custom hen houses are. (Mines arriving this wednesday)
All I have to do is cut out the small chickens door and provide nesting boxes and roosts. The height of the shed means you have great storage overhead away from the chickens.

ndolan

Hi I'm in Dublin and have too many roosters.
If you want any please contact me. They crow early in the morning and sometimes during the day, which i sleep through and don't even notice any more, but if you have close neighbours they might not be happy.

backgardeners

Hi,

We live in Bray and are enjoying our two rhode Island Reds, but we must admit the fox is very fond of them, this is our 3rd pair and over the past two years we have learnt a few lessons fort chucks is now build and running well. We keep the food in a black plastic bin the one with the metal levers over the handles to keep foxes and other garden visitors away from it.
We have used a dog house with a removable lid and built two perches at different levels for each hen. We have a run which is now built on concrete slabs (due to a fox digging under old run to get at hens, hens have access to this run all the time and then a fenced off area at the back of our garden for day time rummaging around. We love the fact that our eggs are organic, you can buy organic feed from the Scalp garage in Kilternan. We feed them bread crusts and cereal and veg from the kitchen, no meat, also we put their old egg shells in the oven to pasturise them crush them and give them back to the hens to help the shells of the eggs.

Hope this helps, we have taken to locking them up at night as they tend to cluck very loudly at 6,30am at the moment and its not fair on the neighbours. so we let them out at about 8.30.

JaxMax

Well, since I first posted I have built my chicken run and bought a great hen house, it needed extending slightly but we're almost there. I've ordered 4 birds from a guy in Laoise, they're only a week or so old at the moment so I'll be picking them up in June when they're a little older and not needing a heat lamp (except if it's cold at night). I'm getting 4 different ones and really looking forward to it.

If anyone's interested there's a chicken sale at Larchill Arcadian Gardens on Sunday, plant sale there too, so if the weathers still nice it should be a good day out.

kerrysgold

good luck with your hens. have you tried ringing the battery farms to see if you could buy a few when they are "clearing out"?