What to have at the end of the garden?

[Kaida]

Hey all, new here. My hello thread is in the appropriate section. I want some ideas from you lovely lot.

I have a space at the end of my garden, concrete with chunky gravel over it (so fox-proof), about 2 or 3 metres long and 3 or 4 metres wide (sorry for lack of accuracy, I'm not there at the moment, I'm at my Mom's looking after her chooks while she's away). It's bordered on two sides and the back by 6ft fencing, so quite sheltered. I'd like something in there, but I'm not sure what.

I'm considering quail, or a trio of ex-batts, or some bantams perhaps. It'd be nice if it was something that could pay for it's own upkeep either by the sale of hatching eggs or eggs for eating. I can't have anything noisy though, since my neighbours are close, so that rules out a breeding group of bantams, or that would be my first choice.

Any ideas? I'm open to any suggestions

[becks77]

I've got chookies at the end of my garden, just the two, and they are quiet except when next doors cats are sitting around harrassing them!

[Trace45]

Don't know any quiet birds. All mine carry on alarming when showing off after laying an egg! Had a few comments from my neighbours.
Are there any breeding sites that could point you in the right direction?

Good Luck.

[Kaida]

My Mom has two ex-batts left (from an original 13), and with just the two of them they're quiet enough. I was wondering more what my other options are. In that space would three ex-batts be reasonable? Any other ideas? Quail maybe? Quail and ex-batts?

How far away can a bantam cock be heard?

[Thomzo]

My neighbours can hear my hens and there's quite a distance between us. But, most importantly, they don't mind. A cockerel can be a noisy nuisance though and even a bantam cockerel can be a pain at 3am. So I suggest you just get hens and go for eating rather than hatching eggs. Check with the neighbours first or get some ex-batts and see if they notice.

Zoe

[pelmetman]

When my sister bought her house there was a clause prohibiting them from keeping chickens or parking caravans on their drive. So it might well be worth checking with your solicitor first.

With regards to the noise, I was up at 5.15 the other morning as Troy wanted to go out. It was a beautiful morning but the noise was deafening. We live in a small rural village and lots of people keep chickens. A family up the road rescue all sorts of animals especially cockerells, I think they have over 100 so you can imagine the crowing Luckily we don't mind and in fact actually like the sound, to us its just one of the delights of country living.

Sue

[Shirley]

fairies

[Budo1]

Rabbits... no problem with noisey birds.

[Kaida]

Rabbits? Oh no, I couldn't bring myself to eat our own animals yet. Intellectually, the idea is fine with me, it's got to be better to know where your meat comes from and how it's been treated it's whole life, but... not sure I could bring myself to do the deed. Any hints on getting to a place where I could would be appreciated though!

[Gert]

fairies

I'd love a few of those, do you find them problematic?