Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

Kevie192

Thanks everyone. I agree, that one is a little small.

I've since been hooked up with a local lady that breeds hens and also builds houses/runs. I've been eyeing up this one. Looks really good but I need to save up now

Kevin x

*zippy*

We lost our lovely pekin bantam this week and we were going to replace her by getting a few more pekins as they are so friendly, but i've been looking at the orpington bantams and wondered if anyone had any thoughts on one breed over the other? The area they are in gets quite muddy when it rains so I thought although our pekin coped with her foot feathers it might be better suited to the orpies.

Thanks x

TrulyMadly

Hiya,

Can anyone help? We've just bought our first chickens and have taken delivery of a second hand coop. The nesting box needs fixing to the inside of the coop. Can anyone advise how high it should be off the floor please.

Thanks for your help

jexygirl

hi ya,
congratulations on the best move ever, you will wonder how you spent your time before you got them, or what entertainment you had, or how you could ever have said eggs were good!
On topic, tbh, my 14 live in the old generator house, which we installed nesting boxes, perches, strategic sawdust etc. They ignored everything we read, sleep where they shouldn't and how they shouldn't, and lay in the most inappropriate place (not in the boxes, but in 2 corners instead!) They will dictate to you how they want things, initially, and where they want to do things! (mine lay on the ground, in lots of sawdust, but behind a nesting box rather than in it! And I placed a piece of wood in the other corner "protecting / covering the privacy once I realised that they preferred that to the actual boxes) mine are however ex bats, so not sure what your girls are used to.
All I would say is that they will let you know what they want and like This will probably get added to the lets keep chickens thread as soon as Zip or Pink see it, which will mean you will get lots more info on all sorts of hen stuff!
If I knew how to request a merge to help I would!
HTH PM me if you need more info, tho bear in mind I am a novice so the best place is deffo the lets keep chickens thread!
Above all, enjoy your girls and the fun they bring, and if you value your garden, keep them in their run, if you want it clearing and weeding, let them out and go get a cuppa and watch the fun!
Jex

Pink.

Hi TrulyMadly,

As your thread has dropped off the front page of the Old Style board I have added it to the main thread on keeping chicken where you will find lots of information on starting out.

Have fun with your new girls!

Pink

Frugaldom

Hi guys, glad to see a few more chicken folks around, Lyndasharp, love your little spangled Sablepoots!

Since last posting, I think I'm about 15 chicks up on previously as there have been lots of eggs hatching and I still have 2 broody hens sitting on half a dozen eggs each. All are still freeranging, apart from psychotic Silkie cockerel, as he was becoming too protective of his hens and chasing everyone like a feathered demon.

I saw the question about quite hens and there really aren't any - each hen is different but some can be just as noisy as cockerels.

Re the space required - commercially kept poultry can live in very, very confined spaces and this can include the so-called 'freerange' varieties, so any extra space they can be given is good for them in comparison. If you can only afford a square meter per bird for safety reasons whilst at work then so be it. So long as they have sufficient food, shelter and a dry place to nest/lay then their needs are met. Moving the coop around the garden will provide them with scratching and pecking material but watch out for anything burrowing into the run. That wouold be my only concern, especially if nobody is there through the day.

Good luck to all the new chicken keepers. Have fun caring for your new 'families'.

Spirit_2

Some of my chooks have scaly leg. I spotted this on the c o c k erel on Sunday and washed his legs in warm water and smeared them in vaseline - yesterday he seemed on the mend but tonight he is hobbling.

Any suggestions?

jexygirl

not had any experience with it as yet sorry, but im sure my time will come... mean time I found this forum not sure if it helps, but all sounds good.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2651
hth jex

Kevie192

Hi everyone

I've managed to find a nice lady who will sell me 3 chickens, a house and run that is easily big enough for £150 plus £50 delivery. Then for now all I'll need to buy is feeders, wood shavings and food (i think!)

The problem is... She either has warren browns at pol or light star and cream legbar which are 6 weeks old. Apart from obviously needing to wait 12 weeks for the younger ones to lay, are there any obvious positives/negatives to having younger chicks? Also, could I keep 1 warren brown and one of each of the younger chicks together successfully? I don't know what the size difference is so I wondered if there will be bullying or anything? Any complications with feeding?

Thanks,

Kevin

TrulyMadly

Thank you for your replies.

I watched tonight as one of our hens laid her first egg. I disturbed her accidentally and she appeared from under the shed. I thought there was something amiss at first and then realised she was laying. I almost cried. The egg was smallish and the shell is soft. 20mins later she went on to lay another smaller one which the other 2 ladies picked up and ate! How long will it be before the shells become hard and ok to eat.

Thank you so much for your help.