Clare Taylor - Chicken Whisperer
Provider of poultry keeping courses, copy writer, product development

Chicken Keeping Courses
I have been teaching fun and informative Beginner and Advanced Chicken Keeping Courses for 15 years. My courses are aimed at the complete beginner and also the more advanced keeper, they are informative with plenty of hands-on experience with chickens, practical information and advice, as well as products to review and suggest.
My Advanced Chicken Keeping Course draws chicken keepers from all over the UK!
I provide a very relaxed atmosphere, and encourage your involvement throughout the course; after all keeping hens should be enjoyable, not a chore. Chicken handling and cake eating are compulsory (although not at the same time!) and you will get plenty of opportunities to ask questions as the course is steered by your requirements. You will also receive a compre-HEN-sive goody bag full of supplier information, course notes, pens, free gift, samples and (if I can wangle it) money off vouchers.
I run my own courses, and am also available to come and talk to your groups, such as companies, schools, Brownies, Guides, the WI and charities - especially animal rescue charities - to give a basic overview of life with chickens. Check out my video page for a taster of the videos I have recorded for various companies........ and some just for fun.

Getting Started with Chickens
Chicken Keeping for Beginners
Ideal for a complete novice who is embarking on their chicken keeping career, this excellent course provides you with all the information that you will need to purchase both chickens and housing with confidence, day to day maintenance, feeding, health checks and how to handle your chickens.
You will learn:
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Day to day maintenance required to keep chickens
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How/what to feed your chickens
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How to hold a chicken
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How to do a chicken health check
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How to pick a suitable garden spot for the chicken coop and run
The Beginner’s course takes roughly 2-2.5 hours, so we only recommend them to children over the age of 10 years.

Course Dates and Venues
2021 dates for Beginner's and Advanced
chicken keeping courses
I am currently booking my courses through an external site here, but will shortly be booking a whole range of Beginner's and Advanced chicken keeping courses in the Midlands area on this page.
Joining instructions for the dates below will be sent out by Cotswold Chickens; please use my contact form to let me know if you don't receive them.
For Cotswold Chickens, Kineton, Warwickshire
30 May 2021
Advanced course
11 Jul 2021
Advanced course
5 Sep 2021
Advanced course
31 Oct 2021
Advanced course
6 Jun 2021
Beginner's course
1 Aug 2021
Advanced course
26 Sep 2021
Advanced course
21 Nov 2021
Advanced course
13 Jun 2021
COURSE FULL
22 Aug 2021
Beginner's course
10 Oct 2021
Beginner's course
We will shortly be booking dates at new venues, watch this space!
Advanced Chicken Keeping Course
If you already keep chickens, this course is ideal; an experienced poultry keeper will teach you more about chicken physiology, common ailments and injuries – what you can deal with at home, and most importantly what you absolutely MUST take to a vet. This session is designed to give you confidence in handling your flock, there will be tons of hands-on practical stuff and the extensive notes can be taken home to refer back to.
You will learn:
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Observation of looks and behaviour
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Handling your hens
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How to do a thorough health check, and what to look for
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Introducing new chickens
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Treating injuries
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Mite, lice and other parasite checks
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Hen nutrition
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Common Health Supplements
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Identifying and managing common illnesses
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Learn from others in the discussion and questions session
The Advanced course lasts around 2.5 hours - and is very detailed - so we don’t recommend it to children under 12 years.

Catherine
The perfect course for an absolute beginner like me. Clare is extremely knowledgeable and was very happy to help answer all my many questions! Highly recommended!
Rachel S-T
THANK YOU Clare!!!!!
Your chicken course saved my little lady's life tonight.
Martha choked on a meal worm and after a couple of high pitched squeals she was trying desperately to gasp for air and nothing was happening. I was able to pick her up tip her upside down and extend her airway and thank goodness it loosened in her throat and she was ok. After a bit of water and grass she has gone completely normally off to bed as if nothing ever happened...me on the other hand, I'm going to open some wine to calm the adrenaline!
I can't recommend Clare's courses enough. However far you need to travel it is absolutely worth it to have the confidence and knowledge to be there when your chooks need you