Herald - Issue 406

v INDEPENDENT, LOCAL AND PROUD v 13th May 2021 • The HERALD • Page 25 JOB A BOB PVCu fascias, soffits, guttering repairs (bungalows only), Blocked drains, Patios & Decking Repairs/Cleaning, Fencing & Sheds (repairs, installation & treatment), and general small maintenance works • Based in the Waterside • Fully Insured H WORKING TO CURRENT COVID-19 RULES H Bob Byrne • Tel: 023 8089 0141 • Mobile: 07519 303843 bobbybyrne@talktalk.net • J ewellers • W atchmakers J. COLLINS & SON Proudly Serving the Waterside since 1972 10 Marsh Parade, Hythe, Southampton, Hants Tel: (023) 8084 3074 WE ARE KEEN TO BUY ALL SECONDHAND JEWELLERY, SCRAP GOLD Stockists of large range of gold, silver and gem set jewellery M ain A gents for C itizen , R otary , P ulsar , L orus W atches and S eiko C locks Kit Heath & Hot Diamond Silver Jewellery Stockists Secondhand Jewellery for Sale Our Professional Services include Jewellery & Watch Repairs, Re-Stringing, Ear Piercing BUNGALOW IN DEVON EXCHANGE WANTED A lovely 1 bedroom bungalow located on the outskirts of Barnstaple in Devon. Easy and close by access to - beaches, shops, doctors, dentist, hospital, bus stops, hotels and road network. The bungalow is let from a housing association with age 55+ restriction. WANTED - Any housing association bungalow considered within “The Herald” circulation areas. Genuine reason for exchange. Please phone 07555 056236 for further details “Lay a Little Egg for Me” - Top Tips for Happy Hens healthy, happy hens.” To find out more about chicken keeping, get more tips and advice and to hear from experienced keepers go to: www.chickenguard.co.uk got to an age of retirement. It is to be expected! Safety and Fear: A happy hen is a laying hen. Many pet chickens will have been reared in built-up areas, so they are likely to be more acclimatised to the random noises Although the pandemic and lockdowns accelerated the influx in chicken pet owners, it does not show signs of easing, and the popularity of our feathered friends continues to grow. It is not just about the fun and frolics with chickens and similar poultry, below are top five tips to keep your girls happy and the egg supply regular. Daylight hours: e launch of British summertime is not only a luxury for lighter evenings, but it is also a trigger point for hen owners to notice an increase in egg production. Hens need about 14 hours of daylight as a minimum for the best egg production. If the coop is particularly dark, allow them pen runs for as long as you can in daylight to keep your chickens clucking. Nest Boxes: In the coop, if you have three or more chickens, you will need a box for every three laying birds. e nest boxes should be dark - although some chickens prefer a little light, perhaps vary the boxes to allow the hens to choose. ey should be able to stand up and turn around quickly for an optimal environment. Nutrition & Water: Nutrition is vitally important for the quality of the eggs as well as production. Good quality food suggested by a local specialist is always advisable, so get some advice. Too little protein, calcium and salt will halt production. As calcium is vital for the bones of your hen and the condition of the shell of her eggs, using a limestone or oyster shell grit will help. Water is also vitally important. Many new pet owners will not realise, but hens can drink up to 500ml of water A DAY during hotter days. Make sure the water is kept cool, and in summer, replace it three or four times a day. Age: Just like humans, chickens only produce eggs until a certain age. New pet chicken owners may have joined a rescue programme and are rearing rescued hens. Although they will get back to health and produce eggs, there is no de nitive way to know how old the hen is. So, be patient with her, maybe she has Chickens In Your Garden is an informative, colourful guide to keeping chickens at home and is ideal for those thinking about getting started or for anyone who would like to bene t from Bryan Pass’s (Longdown Activity Farm) y-plus years of experience and knowledge of keeping chickens. As you’d expect from a long-time farmer, his advice is practical and straightforward, easy to follow and comprehensive and not without a little humour too! Illustrated throughout by Simon Chadwick with tongue-in-cheek colour cartoons, this non-fiction book, is all you’ll need to help plan, choose and look a er your chickens. e book, which costs £8.99, is available to buy from The Herald Shop, Ceratopia online at www.ceratopia.co.uk or from Longdown Activity Farm and will make an ideal present for anyone interested in Chickens. around them. However, their safety is vital to reduce fear and ensure the hen is comfortable to lay. Ensure all runs are secured, be aware of local dogs or cats that could appear near the coop and scare the hens. Also, make sure you secure the coop at night. Many coops are surprisingly easy for a fox to circumvent. Installing an automatic coop door reduces the risk that the door is le open a er dark and ensures your ock remain contented. Ben Brai thwai te, Founder and Inventor of ChickenGuard, comments: “We are delighted to see so many new pet chicken owners. But we are also aware that they have not got the experience to understand the birds’ life cycles. Egg production is only one part of owning these amazing characters, but it can be quite lucrative when it comes to breakfast time. For you, and half the neighbourhood with some A happy hen is a laying hen! Chickens In Your Garden