Why keep a few hens?

A small flock of laying hens is one of the most rewarding additions to a kitchen garden or smallholding. You get fresh eggs with deep orange yolks, a steady supply of nitrogen-rich manure for the compost heap, and endless entertainment watching their antics. Three or four hens are plenty for a typical household, giving you roughly two to three eggs a day in peak season. But they are not a set-and-forget project. Hens need daily care, a secure home, and a routine that fits your life. If you travel often, arrange reliable help before you bring them home.

Housing that keeps them safe and healthy

Foxes, badgers, and even the neighbour's dog will test your defences. Buy or build a coop that is draught-free but well ventilated, with a pop hole you can close at night. As a rule, allow 25cm of perch space per bird and one nest box for every four to five hens. The run should offer at least one square metre per hen if they are kept on it permanently; more is better, and a movable run lets you rest the ground. Use weldmesh, not chicken wire, and bury a 30cm skirt of mesh around the perimeter to stop digging. Add a roof to keep rain and wild birds out. Bedding of straw or wood shavings makes cleaning easy. An automatic door is a luxury, but a simple manual routine works just as well if you are consistent.

Start with point-of-lay hens

Point-of-lay hens are around 16 to 20 weeks old and will start laying within a few weeks of arrival. That is far more satisfying than raising chicks, which takes months and often produces more males than you need. Hybrids such as Lohmann Browns or ISA Browns are calm, reliable layers and cope well with UK weather. Pure breeds like Orpingtons or Sussex are beautiful and friendly but may lay fewer eggs and go broody. Ex-commercial rescue hens are another option; they are tough and rewarding, but often arrive with feather loss and need a gentle transition to a new diet. Whatever you choose, inspect the birds first: bright eyes, clean vent, active behaviour, and no signs of mites or discharge. Buy from a reputable breeder or a recognised rescue scheme, and introduce all your hens at the same time to avoid bullying.

A daily routine that suits you

Hens thrive on routine. In the morning, let them out, check the water, and scatter their feed. Collect eggs early to stop them cracking or eating them. In the evening, shut the coop, count heads, and top up feed for the next day. Once a week, clean nest boxes, check for red mite, and refresh bedding. Once a month, do a deeper clean and check each hen for weight, scaly legs, and parasites. The whole routine takes ten to fifteen minutes a day. If you work long hours, consider an automatic door and a large, secure run so the hens can stay out until you get home. Never leave them shut in a dark coop all day.

Feeding and basic health

Feed a balanced layers' pellet or mash, about 120g per hen per day, and provide fresh water at all times. Offer grit and oyster shell free choice so they can digest food and build strong eggshells. Do not feed kitchen scraps — it is illegal in the UK to feed catering waste to poultry, and it can spread disease. Safe treats include cabbage leaves, spinach, a few mealworms, and windfall apples. Watch for red mite in the coop, which sucks blood at night; a dusting of diatomaceous earth and regular cleaning keeps them at bay. Scaly leg mite causes crusty legs and needs treatment with petroleum jelly. If avian flu measures require housing, follow them promptly. A dry, clean coop with good airflow prevents most problems.

Eggs, manure and the garden cycle

Collect eggs daily and store them pointy end down at a cool, stable temperature. Do not wash them until you are ready to use them, as the natural bloom protects against bacteria. Manure from the coop is high in nitrogen and perfect for the compost heap, but never put it fresh on beds — it will burn plants. Compost it with straw or shavings for six months first. Hens also earn their keep by eating slugs, snails, and weed seeds, and their scratching turns soil and breaks up clods. Rotate your run every few weeks to avoid a build-up of worms and parasites, and sow a green manure or leafy crop on the rested ground. With a secure coop, a sensible routine, and a little daily attention, a small flock will reward you for years with eggs, fertility, and quiet company.