Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

jeanmd

I'm so happy, we've just come back from picking up our first four ex-battery chickens. :j:j:j
They huddles in a corner for about an hour unsure what to do and now two of them have started walking around the grass. :T
I'm sat here with a silly grin on my face.
I just had to tell everyone.

Gosh I've only had them home seven hours and I have two eggs already.

mum2olly

hi all, my hubby and i (and our little 1 year old!) have decided to keep some chickens after doing plenty of research! i am looking for a house and attached run though! some of them are so expensive! (trying to look on ebay but no real good ones about at the mo)

i was wanting to spend around £40 which i know is cheap!

any suggestions would be great, i love mse..there is a forum for everything!

kind regards

Lucy

Frugaldom

Mumt2olly, you could try Freecycle or similar for some posts, wire and something like a dog kennel or large rabbit hutch that could be converted into a chicken coop. The DIY route is about the only way to go with a budget of £40, especially if that's to include feeders, drinkers, grain, bedding and the chickens. Post free 'wanted' ads wherever you can. Good luck, hope you manage to round up enough to get you started. Just don't be scared to ask folks for anything they have lying around that might do.

ginnyknit

Congratulations jeanmd you are now a chicken addict. Don't worry if the girls stop laying for a few days sometimes the upheaval puts them off. Just keep to a routine, and pop a garlic clove in some cider vinegar - give them a dribble of it in their water pot every few days, grit on constant supply and lots of dandelions (makes the yolks yellow) and you will be fine.

diluvsdiscounts

Didn't know the tip about dandelions although the yolks from our hens are so yellow I had an orange omelette the other day.

singlehouseholder

ginnyknit wrote: »

Congratulations jeanmd you are now a chicken addict. Don't worry if the girls stop laying for a few days sometimes the upheaval puts them off. Just keep to a routine, and pop a garlic clove in some cider vinegar - give them a dribble of it in their water pot every few days, grit on constant supply and lots of dandelions (makes the yolks yellow) and you will be fine.

Where do you get the Cider Vinegar, I've seen it online but wondered if you can use the organic stuff they sell in the health food shops. Wish mine'd eat dandelions, or greens, or tatties! They do enjoy peckin grass tips, n mealworms n follow me round the patio so I can lift plantpots n reveal the woodlice underneath! Chickens are the best!:j

jeanmd

ginnyknit wrote: »

Congratulations jeanmd you are now a chicken addict. Don't worry if the girls stop laying for a few days sometimes the upheaval puts them off. Just keep to a routine, and pop a garlic clove in some cider vinegar - give them a dribble of it in their water pot every few days, grit on constant supply and lots of dandelions (makes the yolks yellow) and you will be fine.

Thanks
I'm doing quite well as I've had five good eggs and two smashed eggs so far, though they have slowed down today (onegood, one smashed)
They are pretty timid around me at the moment, but I gave them a few mealworms this evening so they did come closer to me.

Can I ask a couple of questions please?

I popped a bit of garlic powder in their water today and they didn't touch it so I change it to plain water and they were fine. There's lots of wild garlic next to the stream/trees at the back of my home, do you know if it would be ok for them to have that. I know you can eat all parts of it, but I'm not sure if it's as good for my ladies.

I bought mixed grit and oyster shell. Do they need both?

sianster

Does anyone here use their chicken manure on the garden? If so, how do you use it? Do you need to mix it in with straw or other garden compost or just dig it in neat?

thanks for any advice...

poohbear59

sianster wrote: »

Does anyone here use their chicken manure on the garden? If so, how do you use it? Do you need to mix it in with straw or other garden compost or just dig it in neat?

thanks for any advice...

I put mine into the compost bin, mix with other compost and then use it the following year. I find it is not really suitable to put straight on the garden.

molly2olly

I started off 15 years ago with an old rabbit hutch with a little ramp made up to the open door. The hens laid in the straw in the dark behind the other door. I tried giving them separate nesting boxes by putting seed trays in there too. You can also fix a piece of wood across from one side to the other to make a perching rail. An old broom handle will do.

ginnyknit

singlehouseholder wrote: »

Where do you get the Cider Vinegar, I've seen it online but wondered if you can use the organic stuff they sell in the health food shops. Wish mine'd eat dandelions, or greens, or tatties! They do enjoy peckin grass tips, n mealworms n follow me round the patio so I can lift plantpots n reveal the woodlice underneath! Chickens are the best!:j

I just buy it from tesco's, pop 2 garlic cloves in and Bobs your auntie!:)