CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

Adopt our lonely hen

(15 posts)
  • Started 9 years ago by bruce_mcadam
  • Latest reply from Baldcyclist

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  1. bruce_mcadam
    Member

    Due to a recent death (old age), our once grand flock is down to its last hen.

    We're not in a position to restock at the moment. Would anybody here who keeps chickens like to adopt her so she doesn't get lonely?

    She's 2 1/2 years old, and some sort of brown hybrid. Still laying, but not everyday. Very friendly: likes hand feeding and happy to be picked up.

    PM me if you can help.

    Thanks!

    Posted 9 years ago #
  2. le_soigneur
    Member

    @Bruce Sent you a PM of deets of someone interested

    Posted 9 years ago #
  3. Darkerside
    Member

    As someone who likes the idea of keeping hens (although impossible where I live at the moment); how does it work?

    Is it basically free eggs and a way of disposing of kitchen peelings? Or more like an expensive pet with an edible bonus?

    Yours

    Ignorant of the City.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  4. Min
    Member

    Disposing of kitchen waste via chickens is illegal. They require feeding, housing, cleaning and de-miteing so are not free to keep either in terms of money or time.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  5. sallyhinch
    Member

    I read somewhere that a chicken is the pet with the lowest carbon footprint (although I've never been able to find the link again), presumably because they're vegetarian non-ruminants.

    As Min says, you can't feed them anything that's been intended as human food (technically, the same goes for wild birds so stop putting out breadcrumbs for them now, you scofflaws). If you're harvesting veg you can give them the offcuts as long as you've not prepared them in your kitchen. Besides, if you actually want eggs from them you have to feed them layers pellets and proper mix so any eggs you get will be quite expensive but back garden hens' eggs are amazing.

    You really need a minimum of 3 birds to keep them happy. Hens can't count so as long as they see two other hens they think they're in a flock and are fine. If they see none or only one, they get a bit nervous.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  6. Darkerside
    Member

    Amazing what you learn here. Thanks both!

    (just to clarify, I wasn't intending on acquiring some on a whim and then using them as a kitchen hoover than also clucks. I should probably have swapped "likes the idea" for "finds intriguing" in the post above)

    Posted 9 years ago #
  7. SRD
    Moderator

    Can anyone explain why giving kitchen waste to birds is illegal? Is it also illegal to give scraps etc to other animals?

    Posted 9 years ago #
  8. chdot
    Admin

    Foot and mouth

    Swine fever

    Bird flu

    "European red tape"

    Paranoia

    Can't remember

    Certainly a long time since stuff was collected for "pig swill".

    Posted 9 years ago #
  9. acsimpson
    Member

    http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2013/dec/18/feeding-kitchen-scraps-chickens

    Pig swill is still regularly collected on a commercial scale. As long as the food comes from an environment which has minimal risk of contamination by animal protein then it's fine.

    The same is true for domestic animals. Although much like riding on the wrong side of a segregated path when it's empty I don't suspect you'll be prosecuted for feeding your non meat kitchen waste to the chickens.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  10. chdot
    Admin

    "Pig swill is still regularly collected on a commercial scale"

    Glad to hear it (though it's perhaps a pity there is still much to be collected).

    I forgot BSE in my previous list...

    Pigs will eat anything, but better if it's 'safe'...

    Posted 9 years ago #
  11. Min
    Member

    Pig swill is still regularly collected on a commercial scale. As long as the food comes from an environment which has minimal risk of contamination by animal protein then it's fine.

    It definitely is not although there is a move (controversial) to get it so again. Where did you get that from?

    Posted 9 years ago #
  12. acsimpson
    Member

    From a friend who works in a bakery. Unsold/excess produce is collected by a local pig farmer.

    I guess the restrictions on contamination mean that most waste food producers (supermarkets, restaurants, etc) are unsuitable.

    I may be over simplifying it but was BSE not caused by feeding cows to cows? The worst possible animal protein to feed and animal is the same species as it.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  13. ARobComp
    Member

    Prion disease (BSE) is spread via nervous tissue, so basically any meat that has nerves where the prions could have spread. So mincing up old dead cow bits and feeding it back to cows is really not a great idea.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  14. Min
    Member

    From a friend who works in a bakery. Unsold/excess produce is collected by a local pig farmer.

    Ah okay. Yes there are some things like bread that can be fed to pigs but actual swill (any old food waste) can't.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  15. Baldcyclist
    Member

    And if you would like to adopt some friends for your newly acquired hen...

    https://www.facebook.com/WingAndAPrayerRescue

    Posted 9 years ago #

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