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ChickenWhisperer

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Cover image: Walking towards Durdle Doorfrom St Oswald’s Bay ©Peter Booton

Cover Stories 30 Nurdling on the Ridgeway 40 Wimborne’s Bell-ringers45 Boho Bridport 52 Save Our Libraries60 Good Life at Kingcombe65 Chicken Whisperer76 Walking Festival 104 Portland Sheep 115 Royal Wedding Dress134 Fossil Festival

65 The Chicken Whisperer

5

Dorset Homes & Gardens 82 A Labour of Love The building of a

beautiful bespoke home in

Stalbridge

98 A Long-enduring Pleasure 50

years of gardening at Domineys

Dorset Places & Events11 Upfront News and views from

around the county

26 Social Diary Your events and news

45 Bridport’s Bohemian Side Officially

‘a happening town’

57 A Top Act at the Tivoli Charlie

North Lewis has transformed

Wimborne’s Tivoli Theatre

78 Where in Dorset? Find our mystery

village

130 What’s on around Dorset133 What’s on in Bournemouth134 Join the Marine Parade Fish meet

fossils in Lyme Regis

Property

15 Dorset Property Round-up The

inside track from some of the

county’s top agents

Walking in Dorset

72 Yetminster and Chetnole 74 Houns Tout and Chpaman’s Pool 76 Swanage and Purbeck Walking

Festival

124Brian Graham

134FossilFestival

dorset.greatbritishlife.co.uk 65

The Chicken WhispererAnne Weymouth, co-owner of Flyte So Fancy inPulham, gives her top tips for anyone considering‘keeping a few hens’

Treasured amongst my childhood

memories are the many happy

moments spent collecting warm

eggs from the hen house and helping my

mother as she turned these perfect little

miracles into delicious cakes, or tucking

into a freshly laid soft-boiled egg and hot

buttery soldiers.

Starting knee-high or should I say

cheek-to-beak with my parents’

chickens, over the ensuing years our

own flock has grown to include three

children, a gaggle of geese, a pond full

of dabblers, ‘seasonal’ turkeys and, at

last count, over three dozen chickens of

all shapes, sexes, colours and sizes.

Keeping a few hens in the garden is a

wonderfully rewarding pastime for both

grown-ups and children, providing of

course you devote the same time and

forethought as you would when bringing

a dog or a cat into your family.

The first step is to decide upon

which types of birds you would like to

keep. Broadly speaking, chickens come

in three sizes: the diminutive bantam, the

more robust medium-sized birds and

finally the matronly ‘large fowl’, which

tends to include the more time-honoured

varieties.

Within these size ranges fall a myriad

of modern and traditional breeds, some

noted for their egg-laying abilities, some

for their docility and some purely for their

beauty. Whilst we would love a single

breed to exemplify all these virtues,

nature just doesn’t work that way, so

here are some simple pointers.

If your priority is egg production

alone then you can’t go wrong with a

modern hybrid such as Black Rock. If

child-friendliness is top of your list then

cuddly Orpingtons, docile Welsummers

or affable Brahmas are good choices.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder of

course, but I just adore the Wyandotte

varieties for their beautifully intricate

feather patterns.

Keeping rescue hens is

all the rage at the moment,

and whilst this is a noble

pursuit they can require

special care

Phillip and Anne Weymouth, Owners of Flyte So Fancy

Gypsy Willow Hen House madein the workshop in Pulham

66

Keeping rescue hens is all the rage at

the moment, and whilst this is a noble

pursuit they can require special care. If

you are considering this path contact the

British Hen Welfare Trust (bhwt.org.uk)

who can advise you. Whatever you

decide, never be tempted to buy on a

whim and avoid auctions unless you are

an expert. My advice is to visit a

reputable breeder; you can find a list on

our website.

The welfare of all animals in our care

is paramount. A cheap, leaking, draughty

hen house simply will not do. Whilst

reasonably hardy creatures and fairly

tolerant to the cold, chickens hate damp

and draughts. Their health will soon fail if

kept in such conditions, so a dry, well-

designed, draught-free but well-

ventilated house is the answer. The floor

should be liberally scattered with

chopped hemp or wood shavings (never

hay) and there should be at least one

similarly lined nestbox for every four to

five hens. It is essential that the house

should be very easy to clean and also

solidly built to keep potential predators at

bay. Wood is by far the best material for

housing as it breathes, thus preventing

damp, it has in-built antibacterial

properties and is ecologically sound

when sustainably sourced. Where there

are exterior screws, nails and fittings, go

for galvanized, stainless steel or solid

brass.

An important consideration in

choosing a hen house is whether your

‘girls’ will be permanently enclosed or

free to range your garden. Many keepers

opt for a compromise arrangement,

choosing a house with a run but letting

There is a myriad of modern and traditional breeds,

some noted for their egg-laying abilities, some for their

docility and some purely for their beauty

GingernutRanger(Rhode IslandRed Crossedwith LightSussex)

Maran cross with Cream LegbarBrahma Cockerel

Wyandotte outside aHobby Hen House

dorset.greatbritishlife.co.uk 67

their ladies roam free when convenient.

Runs and pens come in all shapes and

sizes, but whilst chicken wire will keep

chickens in, it won’t keep predators

such as foxes out – so look instead for

strong, galvanized Weldmesh.

Your feathered friends will need

access to water and food; I recommend

Layers Pellets at all times during daylight

hours. Feeders and drinkers should

never be placed inside the house itself

as this will simply create problems with

damp. Grit should also be provided if

your girls don’t have access to their own

supply in the garden, they have no teeth

with which to chew! Also you can

scatter a few handfuls of mixed corn

each day as a tasty treat.

All chickens love to forage and one

of the greatest pleasures of ownership is

watching them do so. If they have a

reasonable area of grass allocated they

will spend many a happy hour aerating

the lawn, raking up the moss and filling

themselves with delicious grubs, and

your baskets with wonderful eggs!

Your Chickens

The brand new magazine dedicated to serving

the back garden chicken keeper, a real family

magazine.

Be part of the chicken keeping boom, to

subscribe visit yourchickens.co.uk

25 free copies available on a first come first

serve basis, to order your free copy call

01392 888556 quoting DLYC

Anne Weymouth has been offeringfree, friendly guidance to beginners viaher Advice Line on 01300 345229 foralmost a decade. Information onreputable breeders, housing, nutritionand poultry friendly vets is available atflytesofancy.co.uk, where you will alsofind a great range of poultry housesand chicken coops.

Flyte So Fancy is based in the little

village of Pulham, betweenSturminster Newton and Dorchester(on the B3143) next to the main roadat the southern end of the village,beside the speed limit signs. The shopis open 8am-5pm Mon-Fri and 9am-4pm Sat, closed Sundays.Flyte So Fancy Ltd, Pulham, Dorchester,T2 7DX 1300 345229. Email info@flytesofancy.co.uk

All chickens love to forage and one of the greatestpleasures of ownership is watching them do so

Brahma Cockerel

Further Information