So far they have not bothered the veg garden at all but do pick at the odd apricot and apple as they fall from the trees. They don't scratch much either. I was told by the person giving me then (a lady from church) they were not "scratchy" hens. so far I reckon they are pretty cheap to run, benefits outweigh the costs. And then there is entertainment value and their personalities - we are still getting to know each other.
They almost totally ignore the layers pellets I bought for them, balanced diet and all that. They hoe into the scraps. peelings and left over Bib's cocky seed, and roam the garden and do a reasonable job of keeping the grass down. The eggs I get - one a day mostly from the pair - have very yellow yolks, much brighter than the ones in the supermarket. I clea nout their straw and poop from tray in pen about weekly - they hardly use it - and put that on the garden.
Hannah & Henrietta are a riot! What a poofy & fluffy "hairdo"! :>) They look very happy in their new home, and with all that good fresh food, they should be glad to give you an egg or two a day! :>)
Here is some info on HOUDAN Chickens (or Chooks as you like to call them in Australia) for your other Viewers:
"The Houdan is native to France and is named after the city of Houdan, near Paris. It is an old breed. Houdans possess a crest, beard and muffs and have 5 toes on each foot. Their rectangular bodies are set on fairly short legs. Because of their crest, they require plenty of space and feed and water containers that prevent them from getting the crest wet and dirty, especially in cold weather. Because of the 5th toe, baby Houdans often walk with a skipping gait."
So far they have not bothered the veg garden at all but do pick at the odd apricot and apple as they fall from the trees. They don't scratch much either. I was told by the person giving me then (a lady from church) they were not "scratchy" hens. so far I reckon they are pretty cheap to run, benefits outweigh the costs. And then there is entertainment value and their personalities - we are still getting to know each other.
cicciethebird 3 years ago
They almost totally ignore the layers pellets I bought for them, balanced diet and all that. They hoe into the scraps. peelings and left over Bib's cocky seed, and roam the garden and do a reasonable job of keeping the grass down. The eggs I get - one a day mostly from the pair - have very yellow yolks, much brighter than the ones in the supermarket. I clea nout their straw and poop from tray in pen about weekly - they hardly use it - and put that on the garden.
cicciethebird 3 years ago
Hannah & Henrietta are a riot! What a poofy & fluffy "hairdo"! :>) They look very happy in their new home, and with all that good fresh food, they should be glad to give you an egg or two a day! :>)
Here is some info on HOUDAN Chickens (or Chooks as you like to call them in Australia) for your other Viewers:
wildlifeguardian 3 years ago
"The Houdan is native to France and is named after the city of Houdan, near Paris. It is an old breed. Houdans possess a crest, beard and muffs and have 5 toes on each foot. Their rectangular bodies are set on fairly short legs. Because of their crest, they require plenty of space and feed and water containers that prevent them from getting the crest wet and dirty, especially in cold weather. Because of the 5th toe, baby Houdans often walk with a skipping gait."
wildlifeguardian 3 years ago