Chicken Keeping

by Maureen
(CapeTown South Africa)

I so enjoyed reading your website on homesteading - Countryfarm Lifestyles on raising chickens. I live in South Africa and intend obtaining about 16 chickens as soon as I have my ground and coop prepared for them with perches and nest boxes.

The breeds I fancy are Rhode Island Reds, Potchefstroom Koekoeks (an indigenous SA breed, bred from White Leghorn, Australorp and Barred Rock) and also a couple of Light Sussex pullets and a RIR Cockerel.

My intention is to breed a few auto-sexed chicks to increase my stock if need be. I have always grown vegies for the needs of my family and in the past and rotated my chickens between three runs. Never ever have I bought manures, compost or pesticides.

Now, in these days of going green and soaring costs, that is the way to go and I only wish more people would get back to doing the same thing.

Kind regards,

and Thank you once again for your very helpful website.

Maureen Docherty

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Thanks for the submission on keeping chickens, Maureen. I removed your email address so that you are not spammed.

We wish you well with your plan in keeping chickens. 16 chickens will give you a lot of eggs, so hopefully you will be able to sell off those excess eggs to make some pin money sometime in the future.

At the moment I have 5 rescued battery leghorns which I have had for 2 weeks now. They have been spoiled rotten with greens, corn and grains, along with laying mash and are finally regaining their feathers. Their combs and wattles are slowly getting more color and looking more perky. Hopefully, your chickens, when you get them will be in far better condition!

Least to say they still haven't repaid me in eggs yet, but they will once they have settled in and look more beautiful!

All the best!

Countryfarm Lifestyles