During lockdown last year there was a big rise in the number of people looking to keep chickens and hatch eggs.

Following on from this, the Isle of Man Poultry Keepers Facebook group has noticed problems arising and has offered some timely advice for anyone else considering doing this.

This includes, most importantly, if you hatch eggs be prepared for cockerels.

Keeping more than one cockerel will lead to fights so other poultry keepers don’t want them, which mean they generally can’t be re-homed. It is illegal to dump them and, if you do, the likelihood is that they will starve or be eaten by predators.

The group’s advice continues: ’If you want to hatch, you need to be able to despatch. There are members who can teach you how to do that. You need to be able to do that or contact someone who can.’

Chickens can live for more than 10 years so they are quite a commitment. You also have to think of the costs of a coop, a run, bedding and food, so the eggs they produce will taste amazing but they will not be ’cheap’.

And finally, the group advises: ’If your garden is precious...be prepared for them to dig everything up, including your immaculate lawn. They will eat anything and everything.’

There are many experienced poultry keepers in the group who are only too happy to offer advice to novices.

And Ruth Dermott, owner of supplier Pet Poultry in Ballaugh, runs courses when lockdown restrictions are not in force. See ’Isle of Man Poultry Keepers and Red Mie Farm’ on Facebook for more info.