ooops i've done it again.....more chickens...

simate

Sugarloaf wrote: »

I would like to buy some chickens, but I don't know where to start. Which ones are best for laying and looking after? I love the speckled hens - but where do you buy them from and is this the right time of year?

Thanks

I'd like to know the above too if anyone can give some pointers. I've been thinking that I might be able to have 2 chickens in my aviary which is 7'L x 4'W x 7' tall. I could always add an extention to it as I built it myself anyway and wouldn't be too difficult to do

There are chickens for sale on this site throughout the country.

The Battery Hen Welfare Trust might be useful to some that live near one of the collection points.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

if you are looking for chickens.....

i would say the best place to go is a local feed merchant/animal feed place....

as you will find notices up on the notice board....this way you can go and see how the birds have been kept....

and they will be fairly local so if you need any advice etc...they will be happy to help you.


have a look in the yellow pages under animal feeds...or even pet shops....

as if you have never had chickens/ducks before i would not advise going to a farm sale/auction unless you go with someone who knows what to look for.....

tomterm8

simate wrote: »

The Battery Hen Welfare Trust might be useful to some that live near one of the collection points.

As a purely money saving point, I would not advise getting a former battery hen. They are bread to lay as many eggs as possible as quickly as possible, and by the time you get them they may be very irregular in laying habits. Plus, it may cost quite a bit of money to get them back to health.

We got ours light sussex from a reputable breeder recommended by a local electric fence sales company. We saw the chickens where they were bred, and have been very happy with their performance.

(the only problem is that light sussex are very prone to brooding).

For the first time chicken owner, I would recommend buying point-of-lay birds. It takes chickens a long time between chick and egg, and you end up paying almost as much in food as if you just buy them a couple of weeks from lay.

mcfisco

We got 2 white & 2 black Fennings last Saturday @ point of lay [not bad at £9 each]

by Monday we had our first egg & another on Wednesday so I'm expecting another one today.
Not the biggest eggs in the world but I'm told they'll get bigger.

catewithers

I would love to have some chickens but I have absolutely no idea what they need in terms of space and housing and protection from wildlife and my dogs! Can anyone give me a dunce's guide or point me in the right direction of a website that could give me some info?

COOLTRIKERCHICK

catewithers wrote: »

I would love to have some chickens but I have absolutely no idea what they need in terms of space and housing and protection from wildlife and my dogs! Can anyone give me a dunce's guide or point me in the right direction of a website that could give me some info?

i have just found this website......

http://www.pekinbantams.com/eglu.asp

looks as though it will give you a load of advice.....please note.... i have just found this site... so i will be have a nose around too.....lol....

catewithers

Thanks for this. I've found the Eglu site - https://www.omlet.co.uk - which looks fantastic - I'd love one. But they cost almost £400 with 2 chickens and about £350 without!!!!! Can't afford that, unfortunately.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

catewithers wrote: »

Thanks for this. I've found the Eglu site - https://www.omlet.co.uk - which looks fantastic - I'd love one. But they cost almost £400 with 2 chickens and about £350 without!!!!! Can't afford that, unfortunately.

those eglu.. things are nice looking,,, but ..these have been targeted purely for the city persn who wants chickens....
why dont you go to whsmiths and see if they got a copy of the smallholding mag.. or if not order a copy from your local newsagents.......

they have a section on chickens.. plus there are adverts for chicken houses for sale.....you can have a look at them... and then maybe you could make one yourself......

http://www.countrysmallholding.com/

catewithers

That's a great idea - I'll give it a go. I agree with what you say about the Eglu things - that's certainly how the site comes across.

I work with someone who keeps chickens too so I've just managed to have a chat with him about it. Coming out of that, I think I would be able to convert an old shed into a hen house so I could see if there are any going on freecycle.... there seem to have been a few recently!

mcfisco

I would think you could easily make a good sized coop or arc for less than £100.

By the time I'd finished scrounging any wood etc. that I was short, I managed to make my coop for £5.36 [couldn't find any hinges], £42 for the birds & some feed made it less than fifty quid to be up & running.