Chickens in the City

[PatrickW]

I live in the center of Amsterdam. I have a very small garden in back, but it doesn't get ANY direct light . This means there are no real plants there. I also have some space on my roof, a shaded spot as well as a sunny spot. A few plants in containers is possible here, but not a lot else.

I live pretty close to several neighbors, but they are pretty patient. They can live with a few clucks. What would really upset them however is if I had any welfare issues with the birds! They would not appreciate seeing unhappy chickens because they were living in a place unsuited for them.

What do you guys think about either of these locations? Do chickens need some sunlight? Some plants to romp around in? Would I be asking for trouble having to carry new and used litter to and from the roof?

I think it would only be two or three chickens to start. Any special suggestions for breeds?

I still need to check with the city to find out if there are any rules about this...

[grungy]

No chickens do not need direct sunlight, but a good scratching area wouls be ideal. In a city setting, I would suggest a couple of banty type hen, but forget a rooster.

[bluelacedredhead]

Dutch Bantams!!
What could be better than that? They are gentle souls, beautiful to behold and for the size of them, lay a good sized egg. I adore ours. Even the roosters are gentle. They are so small that I do not allow the bantams to forage outdoors unless I am right with them. But I do give them grass clippings on a regular basis as a treat.

Here is the link to the American Dutch Bantam Society. I'm sure if you emailed them, they would be able to give you contacts in Holland.
www.dutchbantamsocietyamerica.com/

Check city ordinances. Some cities in the U.S. and Canada are allowing very small flocks, say up to 10 chickens. Most do not allow roosters. But the rules vary so check before investing in the hobby.

[PatrickW]

Thanks for the advice! I've been surfing around the net for ages trying to find out more about this, but didn't find anything nearly as useful.

[johno]

I guess they don't need direct sunlight, but they really do better in a somewhat natural setting. You can simulate that, though - don't take this as discouragement! Provide them some greens, whether it be kitchen scraps or sprouts or whatever. The eggs will be better and have a richer color to the yolks if they get some natural food in addition to egg pellets or crumbles. But you probably know that already...

Somewhat off the subject, this reminds me of our stay in the Netherlands in a comical way. We spent a week there for our honeymoon at the Hotel Van Waalsum (hope that spelling is correct...) in Rotterdam, and travelled by day around the country. Out our hotel room windows was a sort of enclosed garden area, created by other buildings, where there were a few trees and shrubs. We were on an upper floor, so some birds in the tree tops were our neighbors. This was the funny part - or so we found it, anyway - the pigeons were so fat we didn't know how they could fly! We called them duck-pigeons, because they really were the size of ducks. So, the point is, maybe city life in the Netherlands is good for birds - lol.

[PatrickW]

I think the biggest obstacle with the chickens at the moment is my girlfriend, who is unsure about the idea... We still need to give it some thought.

We do have pretty big pigeons here, and they really wreak havoc in the garden as well. They are particularly fond of brassicas and melons, and if I build any sort of cage around the plants it has to strong enough to stand up to a very heavy and persistent pigeon flying into it at full tilt, as well as one just landing on the top of it. They can do a lot of damage to the glass panels if they get into the greenhouse. It can be a real challenge sometimes!