point of lay chickens , pullets, poultry, ducks, devon , southwest

As always we are able to offer advice and help to our customers on all manner of poultry keeping and of course we are able to help with all our customers who have bought , deer , wallabies, pygmy goats etc as well

All our poultry customers receive free fact sheets on our poultry but are able to call on us seven days a week for help . We advise all our customers to call us prior to any visit to the vets as we may be able to save you considerable expense. All our stock is sold healthy and as per breed standard . If you feel you have a problem with our service or unhappy with your livestock supplied by us please do contact us and we will do our best to resolve any issues

New Consultancy Service

Never advertised before is our consultancy service for poultry keeping this is a service tailored to your needs and involves site visits from Merv to aid with your poultry business , whether for hobby of commercial means . This service is charged by the hour .

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much space do Chickens need?

The number of chickens you can keep is mainly restricted to the size of run you have for them and the amount of time they can spend free range if any . On average a chicken requires a square metre of run per bird ,this could be less if the birds we kept free range during the day and preferably would be more if they were kept in the run all the time . Overcrowding can lead to bullying and pecking . Regarding the housing chickens like to roost tight in the evenings so as long as there is about 30cm of perch per bird inside the house you should be fine. An allowance of one square foot per internal space is adequate. Allow one next box per four chickens, these should be draft free and the darkest part of the house and positioned lower then the perches We stock a range of housing here at moonridgefarm , some with runs attached . We can offer advice on housing and also on constructing runs if required . Please us the contact us form

What should I feed my chickens?

If you have purchased your chickens at Point of Lay ( P.O.L.) from 17 weeks old they will need to eat as their main diet a layers ration either pellets or mash . This contains all the vitamins and minerals they need and is a complete diet . Protein levels in their feed should be 16% , this is normally printed on the bag . We use Credtion milling feed and we sell this on the farm . There are lots of supplements you can add to your chickens diet but if you are feeding them a good quality feed this should be adequate for the majority of the year . Chickens do enjoy treats in small amounts a favourite being mixed corn . Only give this and any treat at the end of the day to ensure they have eaten their layers ration . As a preference the chickens will prefer the corn and will get fat if this is their main diet and their egg productivity will suffer . Chickens eat roughly 120gm -160gms of food a day so they are not big eateres !!Kitchen scraps again only in very small amounts espcially lettuce as this can give then upset stomach They should have access to grit so help them dijest their food and fresh water at all times . We sell layers pellets , corn and treats here at the farm and part of our starter packs

What should i use as bedding in the hen house and nest boxes?

We use treated shavings , we find these the most economical and the most absorbent . The chickens like it as well as they can scratch around and dust bath themselves . Straw is popular as well as it is ecnomical but it tends not to be very absorbent and in the long run can cost you more in money and time as the housing will need to be cleaned out on a more reglar basis. We use shavings in the huosing and nest boxes . NEVER use hay due to harmful mould organisms present.

Can we mix the breeds of chicken?

Yes you can all the chickens have been reared together from day old and are kept from that age in mixed groups . All our chickens have been selected for their good temperment and that they work well as a mixed group . So you can mix 'n' match . The chickens are used to each other they look great as a mixed flock and you will get a variety in the look and size of your eggs as well as the indivdual characters of the chickens .The different egg colours are great for the children so they can indentify which egg came from which chicken .If you do have any problems with an individual chicken being too dominant and she is causing a real problem we will always replace her within the first week. See our Chicken leaflet for advice on introducing new chickens to an existing flock .

When should the chicken start laying?

The chickens should generally come into lay from 20 to 24 weeks , they will start off laying small eggs and some may even be soft shelled but within two weeks of starting to lay you should be getting average egg sizes . When they start laying will depend on the time of year , the less daylight they have the less eggs they lay . Some chickens will lay all year round and some will stop . This is not always dependent on the breed but on the individual chicken .

How often should I clean my chicken house?

To keep your chickens healty and happy and to ensure you have clean eggs the hen house need to be cleaned regularly .The bedding should be cleaned out weekly with fresh shavings put down . On a monthly basis the housing needs a complete clean and use a red mite and louse product to keep these pest away . If your run gets muddy at any time and you can not move your house to fresh ground to allow the ground to rest . We use wood chip this is quite absorbent and the chickens love it . We sell wood chip here at Moon ridge farm , please conatc us for details .