11 replies to this topic

[davo]

    Hiya all

[Greenbeast]

are you telling us something or asking?

[adrian007]

Egg production certificate is a nice touch :-) I like that idea.

 

Our run is almost built - shed is 8 x 8 feet with two doors with a 4.8 x 9.6 meter run from either door. 2m fencing with netting over. 

 

Then a longer run through the orchard, fenced at 1.8 meters - 19.2 meters by 19.2 meters.

 

(measurements because wood comes in 4.8 meter lengths)

 

Hopefully enough room to allow enough hens to produce enough eggs :-)

[shepie]

Hi Davo
Would you like to explain a bit better as at the moment you have two chicken pens , which I presume are moveable as the runs are only 20 ft sq with lights
Are they the large sheds with 1000 hens in each ?
Do you have planning for a dwelling ?

[Sunnysouthdevon]

Just out of interest has anyone ever used an old static for a chicken shed? Could strip the interior and think of how many birds you could fit in it? Plus it's moveable!

[Greenbeast]

very very hot in summer and cold in winter. 

we've picked up a 9x7' plastic shed for £150, not always around but keep your eyes open for a bargain, easy to disinfect if you get mites plus they don't live as easily in it as wood.

[shepie]

Jimmys farm did

[j and H]

i never call it a smallholding, its a farm, according to the rules, 

our birds do free range, totally we did try the penn system but it don't take long for them to turn it into a quagmire, yes there will always be an issue with a fox…but having the perimeter fenced, this does cut down the chance by a small bit, 

 

the chicken houses do need to move easily and without doubt need to be easy to clean, we found smaller houses worked better for us….seeing as we couldn't drag with a tractor on the slope, 

the houses really do need to be well ventilated, hence why i would never use something like a static or touring caravan, in my honest opinion,wood is best, and  if the farm looks neat, i think you are less likely to get complaints, 

as for the amounts, isn't it 50 birds to register and 350 before needing to  stamp  eggs ?

 

Eggs will never be our main route, to us they are just something to get the initial customer in…. you need to many bloody chickens 

[j and H]

Eucalyptus helps keep red mite away, either using the oil in the hay, or buying medi  bed..and adding to field hey

[shepie]

You need to get a cert and stamp for shops and register with over 50 birds , I think you also need to check each egg for blood spot

[davo]

   hiya

[shepie]

A neighbour has 4 caravans in a square with large site mesh panels to keep foxes out , it looks a mess but she has no problems
I think you will find different areas and planners have different rules and some people go with the flow and others wind the planners up
You could just find someone in your area that has done something like yours on flood land
Tony d on here has alpaca and pigs on such land , he has planning (pd) for a barn
Most things have been tried on here from moving on site to do engineering works but then never doing the work to building castles behind bales
Setting up a farm with no animals !!! That's new
You may need a link to a Facebook group