Old Park Farm Garden Holders Association

OLD PARK FARM ALLOTMENTS

CODE OF PRACTICE FOR KEEPING HENS

1. Anyone wishing to keep hens on their plot must request permission from the Committee via email or in writing, stating your name, plot number and how many hens you wish to keep. Your plot will be inspected to ensure that you are able to provide enough space and time to care for your hens. If your plot does not meet the minimal standards according the ‘OPF Garden Standards Policy and Procedure’ then you will not be allowed until this has been rectified. Basically, if you do not have enough time to maintain your plot then you will not have enough time to care for hens. You must provide up to date contact numbers in case there is a problem with your hens, and you need to be contacted.

2. No cockerels are to be kept on your plot, and you must not keep more than 6 hens.
3. Hens should only be kept for eggs and not for meat.
4. You must not keep hens on your plot for the purpose for selling eggs as this is against OPF policy.
5. You MUST register your hens with the Great Britain Poultry Register. DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) requires you to do this to help the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency get in touch if there is a disease outbreak. Failure to provide the registration documents will result in the removal of your hens.
6. Hens are a huge commitment and need to be attended to at least twice a day providing them with adequate food and water and cleaned out regularly – a big clean once a week and removal of droppings and old food daily. You must keep to DEFRA Code of Practice for the Welfare of Laying hens and Pullets and the RSPCA guidelines to ensure the health and wellbeing of your hens. You must not feed your hens with food scraps from your kitchen, including vegetables, as this is illegal.
7. The coop must be a minimum of 0.25 square metres for each hen, have a perch approx. 3cm-5cm with rounded edges, and a nesting box with wood shavings or suitable material to lay their eggs.
8. The run must be provided and fully secure from predators and vermin as much as possible. The run must be a minimum of 1.5 metre square per hen – this will ensure that they have enough space and help prevent fighting. Please provide your hens with areas of enrichment to be able to dig, have a dust bath, climb up steps and roost, preventing them from becoming bored. The run must have shelter/covers to protect them from all elements. You must check the run and coop daily for signs of damage and make relevant repairs.
9. Feed and water containers should be cleaned out regularly and feed should be stored in vermin proof containers.
10. You must ensure that your hens are vaccinated and wormed. You must check your hens daily for parasites and any poor signs of health (please refer to RSPCA website).
11. You must remove any sick or injured hens and seek veterinary treatment immediately. Any dead hens must be disposed of via a veterinary practice. They must NOT be disposed of on the allotment.
12. You must ensure that you have someone to care for your hens if you are away on holiday for example. You must inform the Committee of anyone going on to your plot to care for your hens.
13. Six monthly inspections will be carried out on your plot to ensure that you are adhering to the Standards set out by DEFRA, RSPCA and The Animal Welfare Act 2006. Failure to adhere to this code of practice or/and there are concerns with regards the care of your hens then you will be reported to the RSPCA.
14. You need to do your own research (please see below) and seriously think whether you have the time and money to be able to keep hens. Please seek advice if you are unsure about certain aspects of keeping hens. We would sooner sort out an issue before it gets out of hand.

For information and advice please refer to :-

DEFRA – Code of Practice for the Welfare and Laying of Hens and Pullets.

RSPCA – Keeping Hens as Pets

RSPCA Knowledgebase – this is a really good website providing all there is to know on keeping hens.