Grow Spring 2024

How much space do you need?

“It’s not good to have just one hen because they are social creatures, so three is probably ideal because they can have a bit of a pecking order then. Three hens need a small amount of space and a run of 8 feet by 3 feet would happily serve them. That means that even the smallest urban back garden can work, especially if the hens can be moved around a bit. You can buy houses with a secure run attached to them or you can make your own if you’re handy at DIY. It’s better if that house can be moved to fresh grass every week or so as it prevents the grass being excessively damaged.”

Housing

“There are three things you need to house hens. Firstly, hens will not sit on the ground as they will always roost. So, you must have a bar above the ground where they can perch. Secondly, you will need a nesting box as they like to have somewhere private to lay their eggs. In our hen house, there are two nesting boxes for our 10 hens. They are lled with straw or shavings so that it is nice and soft for them to sit and lay.

“The third thing you need in a henhouse is security. The big threat for hens, whether you’re urban or rural, is foxes.”

Security

“Many years ago, we invested in an electric poultry fence, which is moveable. Plus, the fox will sense the charge in it and won’t go near it, whereas they will burrow under a chicken-wire fence. The fences are not overly expensive and can cost about €150 for a 50-metre length of fencing. You will need a battery to drive or attach it to the mains. Since we got it, we haven’t had any problems with foxes.”

Feeding time

“We give them a fair bit of scraps like stale bread, vegetable peelings and such-like, but no meat or dairy. We also buy an organic feed called layers pellets, which is speci cally for laying hens and it has all the right mix of protein and carbohydrate and whatever else they need. It costs about €25 for a 20kg bag – the prices have increased substantially in the last few years. We give them a scoop of that in the morning and in the evening and with the scraps they also get, they are happy. They are also foraging for grubs and worms all day long so it’s important to have them on grass rather than concrete. The odd winter, when it’s very wet, we move them onto concrete for a few weeks, but they don’t like it.”

Low maintenance

“Once you do the basics and ensure that your hens are well fed and watered, are in a secure space and are getting out and about to forage, the health problems are almost non-existent. And it’s a fantastic thing for anyone to try once you have a bit of garden space for them to move about. It’s also a wonderful experience for kids.”

‘Keeping Hens at Home, with Mick Kelly’ is on May 11 at GIY HQ, Waterford. More information and booking at giy.ie