Welcome to my Poultry & Chicken Keeping Blog
This is a a bit of a mixture of diary and articles about poultry keeping we hope you find interesting. Unusually for a blog, some is written by John Harrison and some pieces from his daughter Cara Martin.
Our grandson with 3 of our hens that he’s helpfully named Charlie – all of them are called Charlie!
Back Garden Poultry Runs with Chickens, Ducks & Quail
We, John & Val Harrison, live in Snowdonia, North Wales on a smallholding. Cara, her husband and son live nearby in a village.
Prior to joining us in Wales, Cara lived near Leeds where she kept chickens, ducks and quail in a small back garden.
The ducks and chickens were kept in fenced off runs with the quail in an aviary on the patio. I made a few videos in the backgarden there.
It isn’t only people with acres of land that can have their own small flock of happy and healthy birds. Whether you have a small city or suburban garden, an allotment, or a larger garden or smallholding – you can keep a flock of hens for fresh eggs in the morning.
We’re not trained experts but we’ve picked up a lot of information and experience over the years. We try to share this with you through this website and blog.
We also write a monthly newsletter so any questions please feel free to contact me with them and we will answer them in the newsletter or on here so that your questions can also help other poultry keepers.
You can keep poultry in town or country
We’ve kept hens in a small urban space, and now on a larger smallholding. Both present their own challenges, but no matter how much land you have there is usually a way to keep back-garden poultry happy and healthy.
More Help on Keeping Poultry
Don’t forget that we’ve a lot of information to help you on the site with articles covering other poultry such as ducks, geese and quail as well as chicken keeping help.
Saving Money – Keeping Eggs for Longer
If you keep your own flock then you’ll know that sometimes you end up with far too many eggs, whilst other times you may see none for weeks. Eggs with their bloom intact will keep on the kitchen side for…
Poultry Keeping and Low Cost Living
One of the reasons I first started keeping a back garden flock was to have cheaper eggs from hens that lived to higher standards than those in commercial flocks. However, for those debating this I think it is important to…
All Set Up for the Summer & Avian Flu Prep
Our run is all set up for both the Summer Sun and is also ready for any potential Avian Flu Housing Orders this Winter too.
Spring Chickens and House Moves
The sun is shining and we’re busy. busy, busy here. In a few weeks we should complete on our new house. The chain has collapsed twice already so this is a huge relief – time now to pack and be…
Deep Cleans, Happy Hens, plus the Omlet Pole Tree Review
I don’t know about you, but Avian Flu restrictions year-on-year are really starting to make me think about permanent structures and how to house our hens each Winter when the inevitable bird lockdowns begin. We’re drawing up plans for larger…
Last Charlie Passes Away
The last of the original Charlies passed away in her sleep. I went up to the run and she wasn’t there waiting. Opened the back of the coop and she was lying there, gone. Hybrids commercial layers are generally lovely,…
The Back Garden Flock
