Chicken Keeping Courses
September 2021 at Denmark Farm Conservation Centre in Wales
Chicken Keeping Courses Feedback
Louise, Birmingham: When I first entered into the world of owning chickens Lewis was my first port of call. He is incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, hospitable and kind. I have now been a chicken keeper for three years and cannot imagine having a garden without a chicken in it. I am extremely grateful for the help and advice he has provided me with. I cannot recommend this course highly enough.
Liiy: We both had a great time on the course. We recently got some chickens but the course was very helpful , especially how to pick/hold them. It was good to have thing we had read confirmed by someone so knowledgable...
Hilary G, Southampton:The course was so much better than the venue! I travelled up from Southampton. It was good to meet like-minded crazy chicken people. The talk was interesting and informative. You encouraged participation, I would have liked more in the way of course notes. All in all the day was well worth the journey. Thank you
Nicki & Eve: Thank you for an excellent, very informative course which we both really enjoyed. Have already put somethings into action! Highly recommended.
Bonnie, London: Thank you for the informative chicken course! I learned many things and plan to share the information with my colleagues here at Vauxhall City Farm.
One recommendation I would say, is more hands-on practical experience with the chickens. I have since the course practiced holding our chickens in the way you suggested; however more handling with the chickens during the course would have been helpful. Also - if there is a technique to capturing a chicken, that would be good to pass along, as it can be a struggle at times!
I found the knowledge of raising chickens and how to care for them interesting and helpful for our role here at the farm. Overall it was a very enjoyable course and I was glad to be a part of it.
Poultry Dispatch Course Testimonials
Lorraine, Wales:
Just want to say a huge thank you to Lewis for a very informative Dispatch, Pluck and Gut Course which my husband Dave attended yesterday - he thoroughly enjoyed it and learned so much - came home and was gutting chickens like a pro!
Excellent course and highly recommended. Will be fantastic to be able to eat "home-grown" chickens from now on, no more supermarket rubbish!
A must-do course for anyone keeping chickens for eggs too, gives you peace of mind and confidence to know what you are doing when dealing with ill hens. THANK YOU!
Tamzin:
Hi just wanted to let you all know about the dispatch, pluck and gut course I have just been on. Was not looking forward to this course,but felt I needed to do as I keep chickens.
I arrived on the day I did not know anyone that was there but was made to feel really welcome. The course was brilliant, I learnt how to dispatch correctly without causing the chicken any discomfort, different ways to pluck.
Lewis who runs the course was great at explaining and answering all questions that were asked, he made everyone feel at ease. I never thought I would be able to do anything like this but I came home confident and prepared a bird on my own. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone.
Many thanks not just for the course, but also for the new friends I have made.
Mark H, Leicester:
Thanks for a great course, definitely what I needed. I now know when I am ready I will be able and have something nice to eat in the end. Currently have chicken cooking in the oven.
I have just 'done the deed' [at home] since the class and felt really proud :)
Andy C, Carmarthen:
Had a great time, just had my coq au vin! Marvellous. Feel confident now to despatch any sick chucks humanely. Its also amazing how much you pick up about the anatomy. Great course. Thank you
Natalie B: Thankyou so much for the dispatch , pluck and gut day. The most stress free and humane way of doing the dreaded ending of a chickens life I have ever seen. Highly recommend the course
Wendy P-J: The course was great...I was one of the nervous ones and the one with the quails.
I feel much better now....I am certain I could dispatch a chicken now. I gutted the second one with no problem and cooked it in wine...brilliant.
I was not comfortable killing the quails as you showed me so bought a dispatch tool and thanks to the course dispatched three quail humanely and with confidence. Soon as I had used it I snipped off their heads. They also were cooked...stuffed and wrapped in ham....very nice.
I needed to be able to dispatch for welfare reasons...mainly if my birds get ill and I feel so much happier following the course.
Helen E J: I thought the atmosphere was very relaxed and welcoming, which is good for a mixed group when you probably don't know anyone else.
I am more comfortable taking my hens to see a vet when something is wrong, so the guidance as to what is safe to treat at home, and what really isn't, was very helpful. I also found all of the information on parasites really helpful, I learned a lot from that. I don't worm my chickens often at all, mainly because I have heard several people mention their chickens dying after being wormed. Thanks to you, I now know that I can arrange a faecal worm count and act appropriately. I will also keep more of an eye out for red mite!
I came home with a renewed enthusiasm for my chickens, and more confidence regarding their general health, in particular keeping on top of parasitic infestations, which seem to be a large part of what can afflict chickens!
The information on diet was very helpful too. I am going to make more effort to get my chickens more comfortable with being handled, so that I can keep a closer eye on their general health. I would happily suggest the day course to anyone who had hens and wanted to ensure that they were looking after them as well as possible. I have had mine for seven years, yet I learned a lot from the course.
So to sum up I found it a really interesting, informative and helpful afternoon. Thank you. Best wishes, Helen
With The Rookies (Andy & Adam) in Country Smallholding Magazine
