access to fresh grass, move the hutch and run to
new areas of lawn as required. The Blue Cross
says the house itself should be large enough to
allow the residents to stand on their hind legs,
stretch and hop around (a minimum of 183cm x
90cm f loor space, and 90cm tall). They should
be able to exercise as and when they wish. “You
could also pick and wash non-toxic plants such
as dandelion leaves and occasionally feed them
as a treat,” advises the RSPCA’s Jane Tyson.
HENS
Chickens are not only pets, of course; they
also earn their keep by offering up beautiful
orange-yolked eggs. Free-rangers will inf luence
the design and contents of your garden, but if
your girls live in a house with a run, they’ll have
less of an impact on your choices outdoors.
Fancy types (pure breeds) have a reputation
for laziness and forage less, so could be a better
choice for the green-fingered. As they’re prey to
foxes, be vigilant when they roam the garden.
Plants to avoid include rhubarb, daffodils,
foxgloves, honeysuckle and hydrangeas. Hens
love sunf lower seeds, spinach, sweetcorn and
lettuce, so consider adding those crops to your
beds. It might be prudent to run a two-foot high
chicken wire fence in front of your edible and
ornamentalpatches– thiswillensure
seedlings,saladcrops,strawberriesand
raspberriesaren’tdestroyedandthatyou
don’thavetogoona dailyegghuntaround
yourplot.Thef lipsideisthatthesebirdsare
greatathuntingpests,includinggardeners’
nemesesslugsandleatherjackets.
Ifcontained,yourfeatheredfriendsshould
havethelargesthouseandrunyouhaveroom
for(manufacturer’sguidelinesaregenerally
stingy,spatiallyspeaking).It’swisetoallow
enoughchickenwiretooverlapasa skirt
aroundtherun,andensurethatcatchesand
boltscanoutwitthepredators’renowned
cunning.Withtheirwingsclipped,they
shouldn’tescape.Anundercoverarea,in
additiontotheirhouse,willofferthemshelter
frombothsunandrain.
Fancysplashingoutona fewducksinyour
garden?You’llneeda smallbodyofwater(a
standardpaddlingpoolwilldo),a simpleduck
houseanda securerun(seewaterfowl.org.uk
formoreinformation).Andthenit’sjusta case
ofpekin*therightbreed.* For those who haven’t yet fallen in love with hens and don’t speak chicken, a pekin
is a particularly friendly f luffy little hen that comes in a variety of colours.“Hens are great at hunting gardeners’
nemeses slugs and leatherjackets”
GARDENS