Chickens as pets
Will the chicken get on with my other pets?
Will my chicken fly?
How long will a chicken live for?
How many eggs will the chickens lay?
Are chickens noisy?
Do chickens attract rats?
Do chickens smell?

Do I require any special knowledge?
One of the most frequent comments we hear is "I can't believe how easy chickens are to look after, I wish I had done it sooner!"
We have a lot of experience with helping people who have never kept chickens before and we are always happy to answer any questions you have both before and after your delivery. You will also have access to the Omlet Club where you can swap tips, share problems and meet like minded people.
You can also have peace of mind with our money back guarantee - if you don't absolutely love the eglu, you can give it back anytime up to 30 days.

Do I require a lawn to keep chickens?
Grass is just one of the surfaces you can keep chickens on. If you have a concrete area, you could provide them with a layer of wood chippings to rummage about in. Find out how to do this here or you can keep them on bare earth.

What happens if I go away on vacation?
The feeders and drinkers will hold enough food and drink for four chickens for two days so you can leave your chickens in the eglu unattended over the weekend. If you are going away for longer periods of time, you must get a friend or relative to look after the chickens for you - just like any other pet. The eglu is easy to transport, so if they do not live nearby you can simply take the eglu to them. They will love collecting the eggs and you might even find it hard to get your eglu back!

Will we be breaking state laws?
There are a few states which prevent you from keeping a rooster if you live in a city but you don't need one to have fresh eggs so you can just keep female chickens. It is worth explaining to your neighbors that they won't hear and noise and as a nice gesture you could promise them any spare eggs.

Where can I get chickens from?
We can send you 2-4 fully grown chickens, to find out how click here. Alternatively, you could try a local farm or searching online for breeders near you.

Will the chicken get on with my other pets?
Chickens get on well with most animals including cats, dogs and rabbits. Other pets are often curious at first but soon befriend the chickens. You don't need to worry about the chickens being attacked, they can generally hold their own - a small peck on the nose normally does the trick.

Will my chicken fly?
There are very few breeds of chicken that can fly properly. A chickens flying could be described as making some large jumps. You can clip their wings which is painless (a bit like clipping your fingernails) to make it very difficult for them to fly at all.

How long will a chicken live for?
Chickens live for around four to five years, depending on the breed it could be a little longer.

How many eggs will the chickens lay?
Chickens lay the most eggs in their first year. Egg levels decrease slowly every year, but the size of the egg increases. So for example the Gingernut Ranger should lay around 300 eggs in the first year and 270-280 eggs the following year and so on throughout her life. The eggs in the second year are usually bigger than in the first egg, so although you get slightly less you get slightly more, if that makes sense! Have a look at how an egg is made.

Are chickens noisy?
You do not have to worry about noise from your chickens if you only keep female chickens. If you buy your chickens from Omlet then you are guaranteed that they are female chickens and won't crow in the morning. The only noise you will hear is a gentle clucking as your chickens' search for worms and a satisfying cluck as an egg is laid.

Do chickens attract rats?
Rats are not interested in the chickens - but the food. The eglu comes with feeders specially designed to reduce feed spillage. The feeders are mounted on the side of the netting, so that the chickens can't knock them over or wastefully scratch the contents on to the ground. And if you don't leave large quantities of leftovers in the run for the chickens, then you shouldn't have a problem.

Do chickens smell?
The secret to having 'smell free' chickens is to have only a few and to keep they house clean. This is a simple and quick with the eglu - it has a handy dropping tray, which should be emptied once a week. The lid is also removable to give access for a really good clean once a month. You can learn how to look after your eglu here.

Ask Barbara our chicken expert If you have question that is still unanswered and would like help or advice, then we would love to hear from you. You can ask one of our chicken experts by clicking here.