We have Great Spotted Woodpeckers that visits us daily for the free offerings, it is also the reason I had to make brass plates for the fronts of the bird boxes as they made light work of one box with baby tits inside

Green Woodpeckers are also frequent visitors.

We're in Shropshire

Meal worms are a good supplement and possibly a little more palatable. We have Hens who love earth worms and Hens who don't look twice.

Mark.

Mostly I agree with john.

But, I have to say that the Light Sussex is my favourite all round Hen.

Most of the hybrid birds available would be suitable. Mixed experiences with Black Rocks, good and not so good.

Mark.

That's a really good age for a Hen, never mind laying an egg ! Well done her

Great advice Ms Fox

Is it possible to increase height of the Run ? Also electric fencing even single stand is effective so don't give up on that too easy

The only problems we have encountered with cats are feral cats living in rural areas and need to kill to eat, normal domestic cats are normally not a problem. Dogs can be a bigger problem especially if they have not been reared in a chicken environment. We have a Border Terrier who wouldn't dare loo...

We also have a lot of sparrows this year in our part of Shropshire, but I do think that the numbers have declined since I was a boy

Yep, Frontline should do the trick.

I'd leave her to it now, as it's quite late in the year she'll soon give up.

Mark.

If we know that our customers will be housing ex-bats, we will make the ladder to the House as a solid type with rungs and make the slope more gentle. We have seen plenty of ex-bats that are not very good at all on their legs to begin with.

Our chicken won't touch a slug with a barge pole ! Woul be handy if they would dispose of a few though

Most probably your chickens will eat your borders !

Get your Hens, you will learn as you go along and mostly it's common sense. Places like this are good for answering specific questions